Need a Mood Boost? Stream These Feel-Good Movies on Netflix Rn
We all have bad days. Days when not even Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso" is enough to get us out of bed, and all we wanna do is stay inside, listen to a sad songs playlist, and wallow. But if you want to turn that frown upside down, watching a feel-good movie is one of the best ways to instantly boost your mood.
Feel-good movies are subjective but generally follow a few rules: 1) No stress/low stakes. Watching characters run for their lives in disaster movies is not relaxing nor happy-inducing; and 2) Happy endings. No spoilers, but sobbing at the end of a "feel-good movie" would kinda defeat the purpose. Unless you enjoy crying, in which case feel free to check out a tearjerker movie instead. Other than the obvious (thrillers, scary movies, etc), feel-good movies encompass pretty much every genre. To help you avoid endlessly scrolling for something to watch, I rounded up a list of all the best feel-good movies on Netflix right now, including rom-coms, family films, animated movies, musicals, and more. So, the next time you're having a bad day, just pick a movie below, press play, and let your worries melt away.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Watching To All The Boys I've Loved Before is a guaranteed immediate mood-booster (assuming you like romantic comedies, of course). The film is a delightful teen romance about Lara Jean (Lana Condor), a hopeless romantic whose life changes when her private love letters are sent out to her crushes, including her sister's ex. It's funny, sweet, has a great soundtrack, and the chemistry between the two leads, Lana Condor and Noah Centineo, is truly magic.
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Paddington
Everyone loves Paddington 2, but Paddington doesn't get enough credit for kicking off the film series. In the film, a London family takes in a lost bear, Paddington, who is addicted to marmalade, adorably clueless, and a bit of a menace to society. It's a charming family movie made better by Nicole Kidman's absolutely over-the-top appearance as a villainous taxidermist. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll be desperate to hug something fluffy.
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Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
If you've never watched Eurovision, it's an elaborate contest—one most famous for launching ABBA, which won in 1974—and this Netflix musical movie starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams perfectly captures its dramatic and slightly silly nature. It's just delightful in every way. 10/10 good vibes only.
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The Perfect Find
The key to a good romance movie is a lead you want to root for, and The Perfect Find has that on lock. Gabrielle Union stars as Jenna, a woman forced to restart her fashion career after a very public firing, but she's thrown a curve ball when she finds out that the young, hot guy she hooked up with is actually a co-worker...and her boss's son.
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Dumplin'
I'm a sucker for teen empowerment stories, specifically when body image is involved, so naturally, I love Dumplin'. Based on the YA novel of the same name, the dramedy is a coming-of-age story of Willowdean, a plus-size teen who organizes a rebellion against her beauty queen mother's Miss Teen Bluebonnet pageant. It's got a romance subplot, but what I love most is how the film depicts the ups and downs of mother-daughter relationships and BFFs.
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The Mitchells vs. The Machines
The Mitchells vs. The Machines is honestly one of the best animated films I've ever seen. It's a true family movie—fun for kids and adults alike—because it's genuinely funny and heartfelt. The movie follows the Mitchells as they roadtrip to drop their oldest daughter off at college, only to find themselves in the middle of an AI robot takeover. Who would have thought that the only thing standing between us and the end of the world would be a dysfunctional family and their very cute/ugly pug?
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Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
It's pretty much impossible not to fall in love with Marcel the Shell, even if you hadn't already been a fan of the viral Marcel the Shell short films. In the film, the tiny mollusk shell goes on a very big adventure to search for his family. It's a stop-motion delight about family and the need to belong. What's not to love?
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The Forty-Year-Old Version
Do you ever get the feeling that your best years have passed you by? Or that the time for achieving your dreams is over? Then you have to check out The Forty-Year-Old Version, a dramedy written, directed, and starring Radha Blank, that's all about finding your voice and embracing who you are, no matter how old or young you are. Blank is perfection, and the film will leave you wondering if you have some dreams you might still want to fulfill.
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Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Ok, a murder mystery isn't exactly what you might think of as a "feel-good movie," given that, by definition, it has to start with a murder. Or so you might think! Glass Onion, a pseudo-sequel to Knives Out, plays with the whodunit genre by only introducing murder midway through. It's a great film with a killer cast (hello, Janelle Monáe!) and a fun plot that just grabs you and doesn't let go until you've forgotten any and all stressors from the outside world.
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Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé
Is there anything more invigorating than watching Beyoncé put on the show of a lifetime at Coachella? Her set at the 2018 summer festival is incredible, and the fact that she saw fit to record the experience and share it with fans who couldn't go in person? It's just too good. We are not worthy!
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Shrek
Feel-good movies are like onions, they have layers...or at least, I like to think so! You know what else has layers? Ogres. More specifically, Shrek, the ogre voiced by Mike Myers who goes on a quest to rescue a princess from a tower so that he can have his swamp back. (IYKYK.) Consider this the definitive feel-good movie for millennials comforted by nostalgia. You're welcome.
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Girls Trip
It's impossible to watch Girls Trip without a smile on your face. There's just something about the combination of Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish (in her breakout role) that sparks joy, no matter what mood you're in. Fair warning: this is an R-rated comedy, and it really earned that rating. Needless to say, you'll never look at a grapefruit the same way again.
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Sing Street
If you've ever dreamed of being in a band, Sing Street is the movie for you. It follows Conor, a teenage boy living in 1980s Dublin, who is being bullied while his parents' marriage is falling apart. One day, on a whim, he asks his crush if she wants to be in his band's music video. There's only one problem: he doesn't have a band. Make no mistake, this movie has plenty of heartache, but it's really a heartwarming, sweet coming-of-age story that'll leave you feeling hopeful.
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Set It Up
By now, it's been pretty well established that if Glen Powell is on your screen, you're about to have a good time. What better way to sit back and relax than with the movie that put him on our radar as a leading man: Set It Up. This movie is a great choice if you're looking for something with more than one love story, since it's about two personal assistants who set up their bosses. *Chef's kiss*
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Moxie
Directed by Amy Poehler, who also has a supporting role, Moxie is about what happens when teenage girls band together to rebel against the patriarchal systems at their school, including sexist dress codes and the lack of discipline for harassment. Young leads Hadley Robinson and Alycia Pascual-Pena are super fun to watch, as is scene stealer Nico Hiraga. Prepare to fall in love.
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The Adam Project
Ryan Reynolds plays a time-traveling soldier hoping to change the past and save his future in The Adam Project. And to do that, he has to team up with his 12-year-old self. If you thrive on action movies but aren't exactly uplifted by gore, The Adam Project is a good compromise. As a family movie, it has all the fun action of adult fare and none of the blood. It's also a great mood-booster for 13 Going on 30 fans, as the film marked the reunion of stars Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner.
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Do Revenge
Hear me out on this one. Yes, it's a campy dramedy about girls getting revenge on an ex who spread revenge porn and a girl who viciously outed one of them. And, yes, it gets kinda dark, but overall, the vibes of this movie are just too good. There's something soothing about the way the film winks back to the teenage movies of the '80s and '90s that makes it impossible not to enjoy.
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The Half of It
The Half of It is definitely one of the more emotional movies on this list, but I promise that the heartache and sadness will be worth it in the end! The movie is about an unlikely friendship between outcast Ellie Chu (Lea Lewis) and Paul (Daniel Diemer) that blossoms when Paul asks Ellie to help him write love letters to his crush, Aster (Alexxis Lemire). The twist? Ellie also likes Aster, but hasn't been able to come out.
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Enola Holmes
Escapism is the name of the game when it comes to Enola Holmes, the surprisingly charming adventure movie starring Millie Bobby Brown. If you're looking for something with a little mystery, a little romance, and a lot of breaking of the fourth wall, this is the one for you. Bonus: The sequel, Enola Holmes 2, is also a great feel good movie, so this is basically a 2-for-1 pick.
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Wedding Season
Yes, it's another rom-com, and no, I have no regrets. Wedding Season is a pretty by-the-numbers romance about two single adults with meddling parents who decide to fake a relationship to get through an Indian wedding season without being bothered by their families. You can probably see where this is going, but this feel-good movie isn't trying to reinvent the wheel; it's just putting a new spin on it by bringing in South Asian American cultures, all while being absolutely delightful!
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The Lovebirds
The Lovebirds was one of the early loses of the pandemic that had to move from a theatrical release to a Netflix one, and, sadly, in the chaos it kind of got lost. But, it is still on Netflix, and it is still hilarious. How could a movie starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae do anything but make you feel good?
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Yes Day
When parents decide to bond with their kids by doing a "Yes Day," where the answer to their children's requests is always the affirmative, it goes about as off the rails as you'd imagine. This family movie might be a little too sweet at times, but there's just no way of watching it and not feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
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No Hard Feelings
Jennifer Lawrence bares it all in this R-rated comedy about growing up, even when you don't want to. Unlike other movies on this list, No Hard Feelings is definitely not family-friendly, so please do not press play on this unless you're alone or watching with people you feel very, very comfortable with.
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Footloose
Sometimes, you just need movie comfort food. Enter: Footloose, the 1984 classic about a kid who moves to a small town where dancing is illegal. The movie is ridiculous but also undeniably charming, thanks to star Kevin Bacon. And no matter what you think of the movie itself, the final scene will have you dancing in your room. I guarantee it.
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Single All the Way
Michael Urie stars as Peter, a 30-something who brings his BFF, Nick (Philemon Chambers), home for the holidays in the hopes that it'll keep his family from meddling in his love life. It's a hopeless cause, however, as his mother sets him up on a hot blind date while other family members decide to show Peter that the love of his life has been Nick all along. Not convinced? Just know that the ensemble cast includes Jennifer Robertson, Kathy Najimy, and Jennifer Coolidge.
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