21 of the Most Romantic British Films of the Last 20 Years
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Last Updated on November 9, 2026 by Stefanie Hutson
The UK may not be known for romance (“lie back and think of England”, anyone?), but clearly someone has figured it out, given that new baby Brits are born on a fairly regular basis.
More seriously, romantic British films have it all – gorgeous scenery, dashing but aloof male leads, and of course, the accents. Most of them, anyway. We've yet to see a great, sweep-you-off-your-feet British romance with a thick-accented Scouser in the leading male role (but we'd absolutely watch that if someone made it).
Note: We've included streaming outlets below, but things move quickly, and there's every chance there could be errors, especially if you've found this much later than when it was written.
Phantom Thread (2017)
This 1950s period drama was Daniel Day-Lewis' final film before retiring, and it follows Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned dressmaker whose meticulous life is disrupted by Alma (Vicky Krieps), a strong-willed waitress who becomes his muse and lover. After designing a gown for a prominent client, he visits a country restaurant near his home and meets her, then invites her to dinner. The relationship grows in time, but they struggle as his desire for strict routine clashes with her imperfect attempts to show her love for him.
Mum and Magpie Murders fans will be delighted to see Lesley Manville playing Woodcock's sister Cyril.
Stream it: Amazon | Netflix
One Day (2011)
Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada) and Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) star in this adaptation of David Nicholls' bestselling novel. Emma and Dexter meet on the night of their university graduation in Edinburgh on 15 July 1988, and the film checks in on them on that same date every year for the next two decades. Emma is a hardworking, idealistic aspiring writer, while Dexter is a charming, privileged young man whose career in television takes him in a very different direction. Through it all, they remain in each other's lives, though not always in the way either of them hoped.
If you enjoy the film, the story was also adapted as a Netflix series in 2024, starring Ambika Mod (This Is Going to Hurt) and Leo Woodall (The White Lotus).
Stream it: Amazon
LOVE AGAIN (2023)
Sam Heughan (Outlander) and Priyanka Chopra (Quantico) star in this film about two people brought together by a phone number. Two years after seeing the man she loved killed right in front of her, Mira (Chopra) is still grieving the loss. Rob (Heughan), on the other hand, is jaded about love after being left a week before his wedding. Both are seeing their careers fall apart due to the way they view the world in light of their losses.
In her grief, Mira has continued texting her dead lover's phone. Rob happens to be the new owner of that number. You can see where this is going, right? It may be predictable, but that's half the fun with a movie like this.
Stream it: Amazon | Hulu
Their Finest (2016)
Set in London during the Blitz, this wartime drama stars Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace) as Catrin Cole, a young woman hired by the Ministry of Information to write the “women's dialogue” for propaganda films. She's paired with cynical screenwriter Tom Buckley (Sam Claflin, Daisy Jones & the Six) to work on a film about the Dunkirk evacuation, and as the production lurches from one problem to the next, the two of them grow closer.
Bill Nighy (Love Actually) nearly steals the show as Ambrose Hilliard, a vain, aging actor who isn't thrilled about being cast in a supporting role. The film was directed by Lone Scherfig, who also directed One Day.
Stream it: Amazon
The Theory of Everything (2014)
Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones star as acclaimed astrophysicist Stephen Hawking and his first wife, Jane Wilde. Adapted from her memoirs, it focuses on his life at the University of Cambridge, their marriage, and their path of their relationship and family life.
The film is more than just a simple romance, it's a story of triumph against adversity set against the backdrop of a love story. Interestingly, Stephen Hawking provided his own computerised voice for the film.
Stream it: Hoopla
Stardust (2007)
This 2007 film has a little bit of everything – adventure, action, fantasy, and romance. The story begins when Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox), a young man from the village of Wall, promises to retrieve a fallen star for his beloved, Victoria Forester (Sienna Miller), in a bid to win her heart. However, upon finding the star, Tristan discovers that it is not a piece of meteorite but a celestial being named Yvaine (Claire Danes), who has taken on human form upon falling to Earth.
It gets even more complicated when we learn Tristan isn't the only one after the fallen star. Along his journey, he'll encounter witches, princes, and even a flamboyant sky pilot (played by Robert De Niro). The film blends the beautiful British countryside with the entirely fictional landscapes of Stormhold, making it the perfect choice if you're looking for a romantic film that's a bit less traditional.
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Far from the Madding Crowd (2015)
Thomas Vinterberg's adaptation of Thomas Hardy's novel stars Carey Mulligan (An Education) as Bathsheba Everdene, an independent young woman in Victorian Dorset who inherits a farm and decides to run it herself. She has three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts, Rust and Bone), a loyal sheep farmer; William Boldwood (Michael Sheen, Good Omens), a wealthy, older neighbor; and Sergeant Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge, The Sandman), a dashing soldier with a reckless streak.
If you're here for the gorgeous British scenery, this one delivers – the rolling Dorset countryside is practically a character in its own right.
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Vita & Virginia (2018)
Gemma Arterton, Elizabeth Debicki, and Isabella Rossellini star in this period romance about the love affair between poet and novelist Vita Sackville-West and author Virginia Woolf. The film is based on the letters exchanged between Woolf and Sackville-West, and it's set against the backdrop of high society London in the 1920s.
Stream it: Amazon | AMC+
About Time (2013)
Richard Curtis may be best known for films like Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones's Diary, and Love Actually, but he also made this lovely little 2013 romantic time travel movie. The film follows Tim Lake, (Domhnall Gleeson), who discovers at the age of 21 that he can travel in time, a secret ability shared by the men in his family. He decides to use his unique gift to improve his love life and win the heart of Mary, portrayed by Rachel McAdams.
Fans of Harry Potter and Pie in the Sky will also appreciate that the film was dedicated to Richard Griffiths. He appeared briefly, and it was his final performance. He died just a few months before it was released.
Stream it: Amazon | Netflix
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
Set in the aftermath of World War II, this film follows Juliet Ashton, a London-based writer played by Lily James, as she gets to know the residents of Guernsey Island. After receiving a letter from a member of the titular book club, she finds herself intrigued by their stories of resilience and community during the German occupation. On the island, she finds unexpected inspiration, love, and a new direction for her life.
Stream it: Netflix
Man UP (2015)
Lake Bell and Simon Pegg star in this 2015 rom-com about a serendipitous mix-up that turns into a whirlwind adventure of love. Nancy, played by Bell, is disillusioned with dating until she's mistaken by Jack (Pegg) as his blind date. Deciding to go along with the error, Nancy embarks on an unexpectedly pleasant adventure.
As a warning for those who care, this one is more of a “modern romance”, so there's more language and sex than in many of the others.
Watch it: Amazon DVD
Bright Star (2009)
Directed by Jane Campion, this period drama tells the story of the romance between the poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw, Paddington) and Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish, Limitless), his neighbor in Hampstead in the early 19th century. Fanny is a bright, fashionable young woman with little interest in poetry at first, and Keats is a struggling writer with no money, which makes him an unsuitable match in the eyes of almost everyone around them. Their relationship deepens anyway, but it's overshadowed by his worsening health.
The film takes its title from one of Keats' poems, and it's as much about the quiet, everyday moments of falling in love as it is about the grand gestures.
Stream it: Amazon
Emma. (2020)
Yes, the full stop is part of the title. Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit) stars as Jane Austen's Emma Woodhouse, a wealthy young woman in the village of Highbury who fancies herself a talented matchmaker – despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. When she takes the naive Harriet Smith (Mia Goth, Pearl) under her wing, her schemes start causing more trouble than she bargained for, and her frequent sparring partner, Mr. Knightley (Johnny Flynn, Lovesick), isn't shy about saying so.
Bill Nighy (Living) turns up again here as Emma's fretful father, and the film's pastel costumes and sets make it one of the prettiest Austen adaptations around.
Stream it: Amazon
Ammonite (2020)
Set in the 1840s, this romantic period drama draws inspiration from the life of British paleontologist Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) and her possible relationship with Charlotte Murchison (Saoirse Ronan). Mary and her ailing mother run a small shop in Lyme Regis, but she spends her mornings on the beach looking for fossils at low tide. When geologist Roderick Murchison visits the shop with his wife Charlotte, it sets off a chain of events that ultimately sees Mary asked to care for Charlotte, becoming her close friend in the process.
It's worth noting that the film's historical accuracy has been called into question because there's no evidence Mary Anning was a lesbian (though it's long been believed that many close female friendships in historical figures were likely at least somewhat romantic in nature).
Modern Life is Rubbish (2017)
This modern British rom-com is a must-watch for any music lover. Set against the backdrop of London's vibrant music scene, it focuses on Liam and Natalie, portrayed by Josh Whitehouse and Freya Mavor, whose relationship is bound by their shared passion for music. As their romance evolves over the years, so do their musical tastes, driving a wedge between them as they struggle to adapt to the challenges of building a normal adult life. When they decide to split up, they are forced to divide their prized music collection, leading to a reflective journey on what initially brought them together.
Stream it: Tubi
We Live in Time (2024)
Florence Pugh (Midsommar) and Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man) star in this modern romance from director John Crowley. Almut, an ambitious chef, and Tobias, a recently divorced man, meet when she accidentally hits him with her car. The film moves back and forth across a decade of their relationship, from that unlikely first meeting to starting a family and facing a serious illness together.
If you're one to cry at sad movies, have tissues ready for this one. It's heartbreaking at times, but it's also warm and often funny, and the two leads have great chemistry.
Stream it: Amazon
The Young Victoria (2009)
This lavish period drama tells the story of the early years of Queen Victoria (Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place), from her sheltered and tightly controlled girlhood at Kensington Palace to her accession to the throne at just 18. While her mother, the Duchess of Kent (Miranda Richardson, Blackadder), and the ambitious Sir John Conroy (Mark Strong, Kingsman: The Secret Service) scheme to rule through her, her uncle sends his nephew, Prince Albert (Rupert Friend, Homeland), to win her hand. What begins as a political arrangement becomes one of history's great royal love stories.
Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind) plays her trusted adviser Lord Melbourne, and Jim Broadbent (Moulin Rouge!) is great fun as the cantankerous King William IV. Written by Julian Fellowes of Downton Abbey fame, the film won an Oscar for its sumptuous costumes.
Juliet, Naked (2018)
Based on the novel by Nick Hornby, this cute romantic comedy explores love, regret, and second chances. It primarily follows Annie (Rose Byrne), who's stuck in a stagnant long-term relationship with Duncan, an obsessive fan of obscure rocker Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke). When she impulsively posts a scathing review of Tucker's new demo album, “Juliet, Naked”, she unexpectedly catches the attention of the reclusive musician himself. This leads to an unlikely transatlantic friendship that ultimately brings the rocker to her doorstep.
Not Another Happy Ending (2013)
This Glasgow-based 2013 film follows Jane Lockhart, a successful but emotionally guarded novelist (Karen Gillan), who struggles with writer's block after resolving some of her biggest personal issues. Her publisher, Tom Duvall (Stanley Weber), realizes that her unhappiness fuels her creativity and sets out to make her life miserable in a misguided attempt to cure her block. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), this doesn't quite work out as he expected.
Atonement (2007)
Joe Wright's adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel opens on a sweltering English country estate in 1935. Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley, Pride & Prejudice) and Robbie Turner (James McAvoy, Split), the housekeeper's son, are finally admitting their feelings for each other when her 13-year-old sister, Briony, misreads what she sees and makes an accusation that changes all three of their lives. The story then follows them into the Second World War, including a much-praised single-take sequence on the beach at Dunkirk.
It's not a light watch, but it's one of the most celebrated British romances of the century so far. Ammonite fans will also recognize a young Saoirse Ronan, who earned an Oscar nomination for playing Briony.
Stream it: Amazon
Jane Eyre (2011)
Charlotte Brontë's classic gets a moody, atmospheric treatment in this adaptation from director Cary Joji Fukunaga. After a harsh childhood and a strict boarding school education, Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska, Alice in Wonderland) takes a position as governess at Thornfield Hall, where she gradually falls for its brooding, unpredictable master, Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender, X-Men: First Class). Their romance is threatened by a dark secret hidden within the house itself.
Judi Dench (Skyfall) plays the kindly housekeeper Mrs. Fairfax, and Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot) appears as the earnest clergyman St. John Rivers. If you love a sweeping period romance with windswept moors and candlelit corridors, this one's hard to beat.
Stream it: Amazon
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