Nothing boosts my mood like a feel-good movie, and fortunately, Netflix has plenty of them in its sizable library. But with so many options, finding the worthwhile gems can take almost as much time as actually watching a whole movie, which is why I’ve selected three of my favorite picks below.
None of the movies I’m highlighting is especially original; they each offer storylines that tread very well-worn ground, and play out exactly as you’d expect. But for me, that’s part of the charm of a comfort watch. When you’re looking for mood-boosting movies, you don’t need twists and turns, just compelling characters, chuckle-worthy comedy and an easy-breezy tone.
So, if you’re looking for Netflix movies that will leave you with a big smile on your face, here are three picks that I think are practically guaranteed to have you feeling warm and fuzzy by the end.
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‘Always Be My Maybe’ (2018)
“Always Be My Maybe” focuses on two childhood friends who have since drifted apart, thanks to personal tragedy and probably the clear (largely unspoken) romantic tension between them. You might see exactly where this movie is going from the very start, but the chemistry between Randall Park and Ali Wong will keep you invested in seeing this sweet will-they-won’t-they story through to its sappy, but satisfying, conclusion.
Marcus (Park) and Sasha (Wong) are childhood friends growing up in San Francisco. But after an extremely brief romantic fling in their teenage years goes bad, they haven’t seen each other in more than 15 years. Reunited as adults, Sasha is now a celebrity chef, while Marcus is seeking direction. Picking up where they left off, they restart their friendship, but the romantic sparks return, too. Also, watch out for a hilarious cameo from Kenus Reeves.
Watch “Always Be My Maybe” on Netflix now
‘The Fundamentals of Caring’ (2016)
![The Fundamentals of Caring | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BSXn-lIs4Y0/maxresdefault.jpg)
One of Netflix’s strengths is dropping a vast array of original content every week, but because of this, it’s easy for the best of previous years to be forgotten. That’s the case with “The Fundamentals of Caring.” This Netflix road comedy hit the platform in 2016, and while it celebrates its 10th birthday this summer, it’s lost none of its charm in the last decade. Sure, it might not reinvent the well-established odd-couple dynamic, but who needs narrative freshness when you have likeable leads and well-written humor?
Ben (Paul Rudd) is a down-on-his-luck, soon-to-be-divorcee, who takes a job as a caregiver for a cynical 18-year-old, Trevor (Craig Roberts), who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which necessitates the use of a wheelchair. Predictably, the pair starts at odds but soon finds common ground. They embark on a road trip to see bizarre roadside attractions. Along the way, they meet Dot (Selena Gomez), a hitchhiker with her own dry sense of humor.
Watch “The Fundamentals of Caring” on Netflix now
‘Set It Up’ (2018)
![Set It Up | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/X-eRc9PF3TU/maxresdefault.jpg)
If you’ve ever had a nightmare boss, then this Netflix movie will be very relatable. It centers on two overworked assistants, Harper (Zoey Deutsch) and Charlie (Glen Powell), who are fed up with their demanding bosses (Taye Diggs and Lucy Liu). Hoping to de-stress their lives, the young assistants set their bosses up via an orchestrated “meet cute” in the hopes that if their bosses “get laid,” they’ll chill out a bit. The plan works, well, at least initially…
“Set It Up” is a real sparkling rom-com that succeeds in large part due to the likability of Deutsch and Powell, who make for a great mischievous pair. Powell brings his usual movie-star charisma to the table, and Deutsch matches it. The movie might at first center on the relationship between its two leads’ bosses, but it should come as no surprise that the real romantic center of this one is the budding attraction between Harper and Charlie.
Watch “Set It Up” on Netflix now
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