The Best Anti-Valentine's Day Movies on Netflix

Is there ever a true fan of Valentine's Day? If you're single, this is the day you seriously consider getting a dog because no one gives you chocolates from the pharmacy on a whim. If you're in a relationship, you might find yourself thrust into the realm of the Love Olympics without warning. You might try to buy your way into an expensive restaurant, buy one of those giant cards that could swallow up a child, or just hope that your partner wasn't lying when they said you can totally skip the holiday this year (you should buy that pink stuffed bear just in case!). Regardless of your relationship status, Valentine's Day is sure to make you feel down, so why not release all of your bottled-up anger towards St. Valentine with a classic Anti-Valentine's Day film?

Many films about failed relationships, single people having a great time, and cautionary tales about not trusting every attractive stranger who knocks on your door may be found on streaming services. Love, in real life as well as on television, is strange, complex, and occasionally fatal. These are the best Anti-Valentine's Day films to watch, whether you're happily married and want to celebrate by caving into the whole sordid affair, or you're single AF and want to curl up for the evening with a glass of wine to prevent you from feeling like the homely sister in a Jane Austen novel!

It Follows (2014)

• Run Time: 1 hr 40 min | Genre: Horror Thriller | Director: David Robert Mitchell
• Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe

Do you need a good excuse for not being on the dating scene? A sleeper hit about a ghost with a sexual connection called It Follows will work wonders. This is a top-notch horror movie that blends psychological and otherworldly anxieties with an inventive plot and deft scripting. If you're searching for more spooks and fewer cuddles these days, check out this film, which is supported by a fantastic performance by the recently discovered scream queen Maika Monroe.

The Beguiled (2017)

• Run Time: 1 hr 34 min | Genre: Thriller | Director: Sofia Coppola
• Cast: Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Colin Farrell

Sofia Coppola's psychological thriller The Beguiled, which is based on the Thomas Cullinan novel, has a tense Southern Gothic look. The Beguiled, which is set during the Civil War, centers on an all-girl boarding school in the South where Colin Farrell's character, an injured Union soldier from The Banshees of Inisherin, seeks asylum. The Beguiled is a sensual melodramatic tale with a special visual appeal, starring Nicole Kidman (Bombshell) as the headmistress, Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man) as a teacher, and Elle Fanning (The Great) as a student. — Yael Tygiel

Someone Great (2019)

• Run Time: 1 hr 32 min | Genre: Romance Comedy | Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
• Cast: Gina Rodriguez, LaKeith Stanfield, Brittany Snow, Michelle Buteau

Someone Great, written and directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge), centers on Jenny (Gina Rodriguez), who is utterly upset, and her friends' attempts to lift her spirits by planning an extra special night to help her get over her recent split. Someone Great, which co-stars Michelle Buteau, DeWanda Wise, and Brittany Snow, offers a welcome, untidy perspective on bereavement and moving on. Someone Great offers a distinctive viewpoint on the enduring power of true friendships, conveyed through a dash of nostalgia, raucous humor, and deeply nuanced individuals that have a strong bond. A chic celebration of friendship, Someone Great features razor-sharp writing and clever dialogue. — Yael Tygiel.

Do Revenge (2022)

•  Run Time: 1 hr 58 min | Genre: Teen Black Comedy | Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
• Cast: Camila Mendes, Maya Hawke, Austin Abrams, Sophie Turner, Sarah Michelle Gellar

Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Do Revenge is a brutally witty dark comedy starring Camila Mendes (Riverdale) and Maya Hawke (Stranger Things). Do Revenge is a pastel dream that follows two misfit teenagers, Drea Mendes, and Eleanor Hawke, as they band together to defeat the bullies who are bullying each other. Co-written by Robinson and Celeste Ballard, the calculated notion is expressed through a purposeful color palette and pays homage to cinematic masterpieces while being clever and original. Do Revenge is a contemporary mashup of late 90s hits like Cruel Intentions and 80s hits like Heathers. — Yael Tygiel

Tallulah (2016)

• Run Time: 1 hr 51 min | Genre: Comedy Drama | Director: Sian Heder
• Cast: Elliot Page, Allison Janney, Tammy Blanchard

Tallulah, a hilarious and poignant Netflix original about moving on from horrible boyfriends and starting a family in the most unlikely of locations, puts platonic love front and center. Allison Janney and Elliot Page are deserving Valentine's Day partners for your Netflix and lounging-at-home night because of their outstanding performances.

Frances Ha (2012)

• Run Time: 1 hr 26 min | Genre: Comedy Drama | Director: Noah Baumbach
• Cast: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner

Greta Gerwig's character Frances is wild, free, and surprisingly single. In this fascinating story of a contemporary New York woman, love interests come and go, but for Frances Ha, self-realization turns out to be the ultimate aim. Pay attention if you're searching for the Baumbach choice on the list that's less sad.

August Osage County (2013)

• Run Time: 2 hr 1 min | Genre: Tragicomedy | Director: Tracy Letts
• Cast: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor

Enjoy a movie about a group of strong ladies who, following the death of their father, aren't hesitant to battle their way to the top of the family tree. August: Osage County's verbal exchanges transport you into the heart of a vicious family conflict where romance is the furthest thing from the characters' thoughts. They're like little tidbits of a lost Tennessee Williams drama.

Chloe (2009)

• Run Time: 1 hr 36 min | Genre: Thriller Drama | Director: Atom Egoyan
• Cast: Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Max Theriot

It's always a treat when an old-fashioned sexual thriller appears because they haven't produced many in the twenty-first century, especially when it features a cast as strong as this one. In the film, Julianne Moore plays Catherine Stewart, a woman who, suspecting her husband David (Liam Neeson) of adultery, hires a shrewd, powerful, and expensive call girl named Chloe (Amanda Seyfried) to woo him and test his loyalty.-Soon after Chloe begins telling Catherine seductive stories of temptation and treachery, the two are trapped in a complex web of shifting sexual attraction and emotional power relations. Atom Egoyan's portrayal of Chloe, despite her often cerebral and neurotic nature, is attractive at times, and she has a keen eye for subtle nuances in the complex story of infatuation. -- Foutch Haleigh

Wine Country (2019)

• Run Time: 1 hr 43 min | Genre: Comedy | Director: Amy Poehler
• Cast: Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Maya Rudolph, Paula Pell, Emily Spivey, Ana Gasteyer, Tina Fey, and Jason Schwartzman

Check out Wine Country if you're searching for a light, enjoyable film to see. Though it might not be the tightest or most thematically rewarding comedy, Amy Poehler's feature film debut is a strong attempt with heart and plenty of laughs. The movie is based on a true journey that the actors and their friends went on to celebrate Dratch's 50th birthday, and that trip exposed their bond. Seeing how these SNL alumni actually interact with one another is part of the pleasure, as the actors merely portray somewhat exaggerated versions of themselves. This is a very simple film to watch, particularly if you're looking for something to do on a Friday or Saturday night with friends and wine. — Adam Chitwood

Marriage Story (2019)

• Run Time: 2 hr 16 min | Genre: Romance Drama | Director: Noah Baumbach
• Cast: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern

Let me warn you: Marriage Tale will break your heart. Not only is it among the greatest movies of 2019, but it's also the best movie Noah Baumbach has ever done. With Scarlett Johansson portraying the successful actress's wife and Adam Driver playing the successful theatre director's husband, the tale follows the divorce procedure from separation to finalization. The fact that the couple has a child adds to the drama, but Baumbach's film masterfully presents the narrative from both points of view, making you feel deeply sorry for both people regardless of your final opinion. Driver and Johansson deliver performances of their careers as Baumbach creates characters who are rich, nuanced, and, you know, real people. Furthermore, Baumbach skillfully illustrates how the two people's voices and their past love are lost during the actual divorce procedure, which is a pertinent topic. Marriage Story is a moving and profoundly human film that should not be missed. — Adam Chitwood

The Tinder Swindler (2022)

• Run Time: 1 hr 54 min | Genre: Documentary | Director: Felicity Morris

Everybody has encountered guys on Tinder who appear a little too wonderful to be true. images of a well-groomed life, a jet-setting lifestyle, and pricey watches and clothes. Some, however, are motivated by the possibility of meeting their dream man, and while some may quickly swipe left, others may do so enthusiastically to give it a shot. This is how Simon Leviev's scam started. The charming Simon entices ladies with presents, lavish travel, and protestations of love, and before long, they fall in love and send money to him when he is unexpectedly hurt by an attack from his "enemy." The Tinder Swindler's success is in demonstrating how easily a man can manipulate and scam women, tricking them into paying him hundreds of thousands of dollars under false pretenses. To the dismay of one critic, Simon is still a dangerous predator who uses his victims to support his luxurious lifestyle. In the realm of online dating, trust is not something that should be easily gained. The Tinder Swindler serves as a continual reminder that con artists will stop at nothing to pull off their scam. — Lacson, Therese

Scre4m (2011)

• Run Time: 1 hr 51 min | Genre: Horror | Director: Wes Craven
• Cast: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Emma Roberts, Rory Culkin

Ten years have passed since the first Ghostface Killer atrocity in the fourth installment of the Scream series, Scre4m. Director Wes Craven, who created this carefully constructed mythology, reunites with actors Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette to conclude the Woodsboro saga, reprising their roles from the original trilogy. Following the same pattern as the first three films, Scre4m features several new characters portrayed by the biggest stars of the day, such as Hayden Panettiere, Lucy Hale, and Emma Roberts. Scre4m, a terrifying addition to the series, brings Craven's vision for these films to completion. — Yael Tygiel

Cam (2018)

• Run Time: 1 hr 35 min | Genre: Horror | Director: Daniel Goldhaber
• Cast: Madeline Brewer, Patch Darragh, Samantha Robinson, Melora Walters, Imani Hakim

Madeline Brewer plays Alice in Cam, a suspenseful thriller about ambition, identity, and survival in the internet age. Alice is a successful cam girl who wants to rise to the top, and things are going pretty well for her until one day she logs on to discover that her career and face have been taken by a happy doppelgänger. From then, Cam follows Alice through a bizarre rabbit hole as she looks for the person responsible for her new web clone and learns how to get her life back. As Alice's reality crumbles beneath her, Cam's anxiety and sense of powerlessness rise. Director Daniel Goldhaber and screenwriter Isa Mazzei are a dynamic creative duo that stages a stunning and disorienting descent through the pitfalls of internet identity and the intensity of ambitious careerism. They bring a refreshing sex-positive, non-exploitative approach to the often-untouched subject matter. — Foutch, Haleigh

She’s Funny That Way (2014)

• Run Time: 1 hr 34 min | Genre: Screwball Comedy | Director: Peter Bogdanovich
• Cast: Owen Wilson, Imogen Poots, Kathryn Hahn, Will Forte

In the greatest conceivable way, She's Funny That Way is evocative of vintage screwball comedy. The main character of the movie is Broadway director Arnold Albertson (Owen Wilson), whose life becomes complicated when his wife Delta (Kathryn Hahn), his wife's ex-lover Seth (Rhys Ifans), and a call girl Imogen Poots (whom Arnold recruited) are all cast in his latest production. The dynamics only become more intricate as new partnerships are created and secrets are disclosed throughout the movie. She's Funny That Way is a daring, funny, and intelligently written film that is skillfully directed and performed. — Taylor Gates

Berlin Syndrome (2017)

• Run Time: 1 hr 56 min | Genre: Psychological Horror Thriller | Director: Cate Shortland
• Cast: Theresa Palmer, Max Riemelt

Berlin Syndrome, a criminally underappreciated thriller directed by Cate Shortland, was released long before she finally made her long-overdue solo film telling the story of Black Widow. Theresa Palmer's character, Australian backpacker Clare, spends a day with a charming man she meets in Berlin while on vacation. First things go well: on her last night, he takes her on a tour of the city, they share a bed, and she stays the night at his house. Their relationship initially seems like a nice, carefree vacation affair, but when Andi (Max Riemelt) locks her in his flat the next day and won't let her out when he gets home, things take a turn for the worse. Berlin Syndrome then steadily and methodically increases strain from this point on. Every conversation between the two feels tense as if Andi might lose it at any time and murder her. It's impossible to not wonder how much longer Clare has and whether she'll be able to get out of Andi's flat unscathed. — Brynna Arens

Nocturnal Animals (2016)

• Run Time: 1 hr 56 min | Genre: Neo-Noir Psychological Thriller | Director: Tom Ford
• Cast: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Armie Hammer, Laura Linney, Andrea Riseborough, and Michael Sheen

Tom Ford, a writer, and filmmaker, won critical praise for his debut feature A Single Man, but despite being a stunning, suspenseful thriller in its own right, his follow-up picture was mostly overlooked. A twisting thriller called Nocturnal Animals follows Amy Adams, the owner of an art gallery, as she reads the latest book written by her first husband, Jake Gyllenhaal. The book's events unfold on screen as she reads it, and you start to make the connection between the gallery owner's real life and this ostensibly fictional story—including the reason her marriage ended in the first place. It's startling and eerie at the same time, building to an immensely ambitious conclusion that ought to provoke some spirited debate. — Adam Chitwood