It’s Valentine’s Day! If you procrastinated on making a reservation at a fancy restaurant — or you’re just looking for something more lowkey — don’t worry. We’ve got you covered with some of the steamiest romance movies you can watch while ordering some DoorDash. Ranging from the dramatic to the comedic, grounded to sensational, these films have an enduring, universal appeal that has made them popular with generations of viewers. And while there are plenty of tamer romance movies, some of the greatest of all time are the films that give audiences the full, unfiltered experience of love in all its forms.
Whether they’re steamy erotic thrillers or compelling romantic dramas, plenty of great romance movies have earned an R rating, including numerous acclaimed and award-winning titles that transformed the way we see the genre. Read on to discover our selection of some of the best R-rated romance movies of all time, including both landmark hits and more unconventional approaches to the genre.
8
‘Fair Play’ (2023)
The feature directorial debut of writer-director Chloe Domont, Fair Play is an erotic thriller film starring Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich as two analysts at a cutthroat hedge fund who are secretly in a relationship. Shortly after they get engaged, one of them receives an unexpected promotion, which tests their relationship and threatens to derail both their personal and professional lives. Besides Dynevor and Ehrenreich, the film also stars Eddie Marsan, Rich Sommer, Sebastian de Souza, and more in supporting roles.
Fair Play premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it was favorably received by critics and earned a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize – Dramatic. A steamy and suspenseful thriller set in the brutal world of finance, the film is a throwback to the classic erotic thrillers of the ‘90s, exploring gender power dynamics in a high-pressure workplace. It’s essentially the antithesis of traditional workplace romance films, unraveling a toxic relationship layer by layer, and doing so with huge helpings of suspense and style.
7
‘Fatal Attraction’ (1987)
Based on writer James Dearden’s 1980 short film Diversion, Fatal Attraction is a psychological thriller that follows the complicated relationship between attorney Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) and publishing editor Alex Forrest (Glenn Close). Their story begins when Dan cheats on his wife with Alex, but when he tries to end the affair, she begins stalking him and his family, harassing them in increasingly unstable and violent ways. The movie also stars Anne Archer, Ellen Hamilton Latzen, Jane Krakowski, and more in supporting roles.
Fatal Attraction was both a critical and commercial success after its premiere in September 1987, earning over $320 million and becoming the second-highest-grossing film of the year. A masterfully crafted erotic thriller anchored by complex personal dynamics and obsession, the film brought about renewed interest in the genre and earned numerous accolades, including six Academy Award nominations. The movie has since been adapted as a West End play in 2014 and a TV adaptation on Paramount+ in 2023.
6
‘Y Tu Mamá También’ (2001)
One of the most influential movies of the early 2000s, Y Tu Mamá También (English: And Your Mother Too) is a Mexican coming-of-age comedy-drama set primarily in 1999 that stars Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal as two teenage best friends. When they go on an impromptu road trip with an older woman (Maribel Verdú), the boys find their friendship tested as they journey through the picturesque Mexican countryside. The film also stars Diana Bracho, Ana López Mercado, Verónica Langer, and more in supporting roles, with Daniel Giménez Cacho as the Narrator.
A film with bold and explicit depictions of sex, nudity, and drug use, Y Tu Mamá También was quite controversial when it first came out in 2001, but it still became a critical and commercial success. The movie subverts the classic summer romance trope, turning it into an exploration of friendship, love, and class dynamics set against the backdrop of Mexico’s economic and political realities. It’s a brilliant coming-of-age story and an unflinching exploration of sexuality that earned numerous accolades, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
5
‘Basic Instinct’ (1992)
One of the most groundbreaking erotic films of the 1990s (and possibly of all time), Basic Instinct is a neo-noir romance thriller starring Michael Douglas as Nick Curran, a San Francisco Police detective who investigates the murder of a rock star. After he begins an intense sexual relationship with the prime suspect, enigmatic writer Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), Nick finds himself caught in a complex conspiracy of desire and deceit that may just cost him his life. Besides Douglas and Stone, the film also features George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Leilani Sarelle, and more in supporting roles.
Basic Instinct received very mixed reviews when it was first released in 1992, generating controversy for its violence and explicit exploration of sexuality. Despite the controversy, however, the movie proved a box office hit, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of the year with a worldwide haul of over $352 million, and it has since been re-evaluated as a masterpiece of transgressive erotic cinema. A sequel, Basic Instinct 2, was made over a decade later with Stone reprising her iconic role, but it failed to replicate the success of its landmark predecessor.
4
‘Anora’ (2024)
A multi-award-winning romantic comedy-drama, Anora stars Mikey Madison as Anora “Ani” Mikheeva, a high-priced New York stripper from Brighton Beach. When the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch impulsively proposes to marry her, she accepts the proposal, but that’s just the start of a complicated and emotionally draining journey. Besides Madison, the film also features Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Darya Ekamasova, and Aleksei Serebryakov in supporting roles.
Anora had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palme d’Or. A critical and commercial hit, the film has earned near-universal acclaim for its story, direction, well-rounded characters, and compelling performances, especially that of Madison in the titular lead role. The movie went on to receive numerous accolades, including five Academy Awards, and was named one of the top 10 films of the year by both the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute.
3
‘The Handmaiden’ (2016)
Loosely based on Sarah Waters’s 2002 novel Fingersmith, The Handmaiden is a South Korean erotic historical thriller set in Japanese-ruled Korea. The film follows a young Korean girl who is hired by a con man to pose as the handmaiden of a Japanese heiress to steal her inheritance, but as the story progresses, competing conspiracies appear at every twist and turn, and the truth grows blurrier by the minute. The film stars Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo, and Cho Jin-woong.
The Handmaiden premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, where it earned a standing ovation and near-universal acclaim and competed for the Palme d’Or. An intricate thriller full of deceit and forbidden romance, the film has been praised for its direction, writing, cinematography, music, and performances, winning multiple awards. The movie is easily one of director Park Chan-Wook’s greatest works, second only to his legendary 2003 film Oldboy, with a thrilling story and a dark exploration of sexual manipulation.
2
‘Brokeback Mountain’ (2005)
Adapted from Annie Proulx’s eponymous 1997 short story, Brokeback Mountain is a neo-Western romantic drama starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as cowboys Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, respectively. Set in the American West in the 1960s through the early 1980s, the film follows the complex romantic relationship between the two characters over the course of their lives together and apart. The movie also features Anne Hathaway and Michelle Williams in key supporting roles.
Brokeback Mountain premiered at the 2005 Venice International Film Festival, winning the festival’s highest prize, the Golden Lion. A highly acclaimed film, the movie was a massive commercial success and won several accolades, including three Academy Awards. A major landmark in the history of queer cinema, Brokeback Mountain is a heartfelt and sentimental film that revolves around a powerful, heartbreaking love story, and it’s widely regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time.
1
‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ (2004)
A surrealist sci-fi romance drama written by Charlie Kaufman, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind stars Jim Carrey as Joel Barish, an introverted man reeling from the recent end of his romantic relationship with the spontaneous and extroverted Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet). When he learns that Clementine has undergone a procedure to erase her memory of him, he resolves to do the same, reliving their life together in the process. Besides its two leads, the movie also features Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, and Tom Wilkinson in key supporting roles.
A fascinating non-linear psychological drama, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind has been universally acclaimed since it first premiered in March 2004, widely regarded as a cinematic masterpiece. Praised for its writing, editing, visual style, and performances, the film is a touching exploration of memory and love that uses sci-fi tropes to explore a grounded and deeply human story. Named one of the top 10 films of the year by the American Film Institute, the movie earned two Academy Award nominations, winning the award for Best Original Screenplay, and received nominations for six BAFTAs, four Golden Globes, and a Hugo Award.