Best teen romance on Netflix: what to watch

First love, first dramas, first time heartbreak - all of these have long attracted the attention of young audiences to movies. Teenagers easily associate themselves with the heroes of romantic comedies or love dramas.

Of course, streaming platform Netflix has quite a bit of such content as well. Here are some of the romantic movies for teens it offers.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Upon release in the summer of 2018, the movie was very well-received. Based on Jenny Han's novel of the same name, Susan Johnson's sweetly sincere movie is about Lara Jean (Lana Condor), a shy and dreamy girl whose life is shattered when her secret declarations of love are unexpectedly revealed to lacrosse player Peter (Noah). The story has a sequel, 2020's "To All Guys: PS I Still Love You," and a 2021 threequel, "To All Guys: Always and Forever."

Save the last dance

Thomas Carter's 2001 movie combines a teenage love story, melodrama and dance. Julia Stiles plays Sarah, a talented ballerina aspiring to attend Juilliard School. Tragic circumstances turn her plans for her final year of high school upside down as she heads off to a new school on Chicago's south side. And there she meets Derek (Sean Patrick Thomas), with whom she feels a spark, and also strikes up a friendship with Shanill (Carrie Washington). As their romance blossoms, Derek also helps Sarah prepare for her audition by incorporating hip-hop into her style.

20th Century Girl

Graduating from high school can feel like a whole new life is just around the corner, and it's safe to say that the late '90s felt the same way as we all prepared for a future in which the years began with a whole new figure. The teenagers in the Korean film "20th Century Girl" from director Ban Woo-ri stand on both precipices as high school students in 1999. The coming-of-age drama weaves a web of tender teen romance. Characters reveal their secrets to delve deeper into a maelstrom of feelings.

Alex Strangelove

Love is an amazing thing, especially for newcomers to this game. That's what our teen heroes struggle with in Craig Johnson's smart 2018 romantic comedy Alex Strangelove. Its protagonist, Alex Trulove (Daniel Doheny), plans to lose his virginity to his girlfriend Claire (Medellin Weisntein). But then he meets the confident Elliot (Antonio Marziali), with whom he has undeniable chemistry, causing Alex to become confused about his own desires. As Alex questions his sexuality and struggles to understand the whole person he's becoming, love in its many strange forms helps him find his way.

The Spectacular Now

James Ponsoldt's film was a hit at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, and its stars Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller won the Special Jury Prize for acting. It's a coming-of-age story set in an indie style. Teller's character Sutter is a popular guy with a drinking problem. He's trudging through his last year of high school, not caring about anything but another party. Aimee, played by Woodley, is a shy nerd with big dreams but vague plans. Their chance meeting under unusual circumstances gives rise to a real, albeit unlikely romance, taking the characters into a future neither of them ever expected.

Along for the Ride

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of school days and enjoy the long summer nights. In Sofia Alvarez's 2022 drama, based on the novel by Sarah Dessen, well-read senior Oden (Emma Pasarow) spends the summer before college staying in a small town with her father (Dermot Mulroney) and his new wife (Kate Bosworth). While wandering the neighborhood after dark, owl Oden meets Ali (Belmont Cameli), a similarly insomniac patient. They begin meeting for walks every night. Even as tensions rise in her family, Oden's nocturnal adventures - and budding romance - make this a summer to remember.

Half of it

Being both a modern take on "Cyrano de Bergerac" and a tender and understated portrayal of teenage longing, "Half of Everything" is the movie you may have been expecting. In Alice Wu's high-profile 2020 drama, Leah Lewis plays Ellie, a shy and lonely nerd. The girl is hired by cute but inexperienced athlete Paul (Daniel Diemer) to help him charm his favorite, the pretty and popular Aster (Alexis Lemire). Ellie must write letters and messages to the girl. The heroine takes on the task, striking up an unlikely friendship with Paul in the process, but forgetting to admit to him that she too is in love with Aster.

Let it snow

The action of Luke Snellin's 2019 romantic comedy Let It Snow, based on the young adult novel by Maureen Johnson, John Green and Lauren Miracle, takes place on Christmas Eve. Events unfold during the holiday break in a small town where various high school seniors are immersed in a maelstrom of secret crushes, college dreams, and unexpected pop star arrivals. And so it goes until the end of one snowy day, when they gather for an epic party at the local Waffle House. Then the teens find love in the midst of the cold.

Fanfic

A teenager struggling to cope with her gender identity takes center stage in Marta Karwowska's Polish drama Fanfic. The picture is based on the novel of the same name by Natalia Osenińska. Alin Szewczyk plays a student named Tosia, a transgender boy who takes the name Tosik. Although he faces resistance from many around him, Tosik receives sympathy and solidarity in his search for his true self from classmate Leon (Jan Cenczara), with whom he develops a sweet romance.

Candy Jar

What could be more romantic than the art of debate? It has passion, stakes, style. That's exactly what Ben Shelton's romantic high school comedy is dedicated to. Sami Gayle and Jacob Latimore star in the 2018 movie as implacable rivals and co-captains of their school's debate team. Christina Hendricks and Uzo Aduba play their equally ambitious moms. Amidst the high drama of preparing for the debate tournament and applying to Ivy League colleges, the rivals begin to realize that they may have something in common and even like each other. In fact, more than either of them ever imagined.

All the Bright Places

This story and reminder that love can be a bright spot even in life's darker moments. Based on Jennifer Niven's novel of the same name, Brett Haley's sensitive 2020 romantic drama tells the story starring Ellie Fanning and Justice Smith. They play teenagers Violet and Finch, each haunted by their own traumas. When they team up on a class project that requires them to explore Indiana, Finch and Violet find beauty in their home state. And also an understanding of each other. Their bond may not be a cure for the pain in their tortured souls, but that doesn't make the solace it offers any less profound.

Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to be aware of the latest events.