Must-Watch List of New York-Based Rom-Coms on Netflix

What is it about New York City that makes it such a perfect setting for a romantic comedy? Is it because it houses millions of different people, hence, one has more chances of finding love? Probably. Is it because its fast-paced lifestyle can often lead to hilarious situations? Possibly! Or is it because despite the city's bustling lifestyle, it's still a very much a romantic destination? Sure! Perhaps all of these are the answers. Or maybe even, none of them are. Either way, the most successful rom-coms are set in the Big Apple. And here are some on Netflix that you can watch today!

 

Maid in Manhattan

One of the most quintessential rom-com tropes: the "Cinderella story." It's a surefire way to make audience swoon, even though it's fairly overused and overly predictable. Among all the New Tork-set rom-coms you can stream on Netflix, "Maid in Manhattan" is the most popular to have used this trope. Jennifer Lopez stars as Marisa, a single mother who works as a hotel maid in a swanky establishment in Manhattan. Here, she meets (and falls for) Christopher Marshall, a debonaire politician who's also the hottest bachelor in the city right now. But Marshall thinks of Marisa as a socialite guest of the hotel, not an employee. And this leads to a romantic fairytale-like move that will simply make you feel good! 

Source: IMDb

 

Sex and the City

Everyone knows the hit HBO series, "Sex and the City." And New York plays such a huge part in it that it's become its own character in the story too. Well, the city returns with the rest of the cast for the series' movie adaptation of the same name. This time, the iconic Carrie Bradshaw is finally with Mr Big, is now in her forties, yet still writes of love. This time, however, she tries to write about keeping love, with both the pragmatism and emotional roller coaster that comes with it. And as per usual, her own love life becomes the centre of her work yet again. 

Source: IMDb

 

Set It Up

What's it like to be a young professional pursuing your dreams in the Big Apple? Are you happy with your job? Do you have time for love and life? The Netflix original, "Set It Up," shows a fairly exaggerated yet comedic way on how it really seems to live, love, and work in New York City. Zoey Deutch and Glenn Powell play Harper and Charlie respectively. They both work as assistants right under the bosses of their company, both of which are ruthless and overbearing. In an attempt to make their lives much easier, they set up their bosses with each other. They soon realized, however, that life and love aren't all that easy to set up! 

Source: IMDb

 

Breakfast at Tiffany's

You can't say you're a movie-lover if you haven't seen "Breakfast at Tiffany's!" It's one of those must-watch films that define the Golden Age of Hollywood, starring one of its most illustrious stars, Audrey Hepburn. Her 'Holly Golightly' was the quintessential "quirky New Yorker" before the character trope even existed. A beautiful, slightly naive, but very confident society girl, she charms everyone she meets, particularly her new upstairs neighbour, Paul Varjack. Paul later realizes, though, that Holly is more than the beautiful and vampy spirit that she lets on. Behind that glamorous facade is a lost woman trying to find her way. 

Source: IMDb

 

You've Got Mail

In this day and age, when to meet someone online, it's better to try and see them in person first before you can say that you actually know them. But in the 90s, particularly in the rom-com classic "You've Got Mail," it seems that the protagonists had no problem getting to know each other over the dial-up internet. In "real-life," Meg Ryan's 'Kathleen' is angry at Tom Hanks's 'Joe' for putting her family-owned bookshop out of business. Little does she know, however, that the online penpal that she has fallen in love with is the same man she has sworn to hate for all eternity. 

Source: IMDb

 

Coming To America

Visiting the United States for the first time is always an adventure. And it makes for quite the laughs as well. But visiting New York City as an African prince tired of his country's traditional ways? Now, this makes for a great rom-com! Starring Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem. His country's tradition dictates that he has to marry a woman he has never seen. Tired of that old practice, he travels all the way to the Big Apple in search of that woman, one that he hopes to get to know more and fall in love with before he has to marry her. 

Source: IMDb

 

New Year's Eve

With an all-star cast starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Halle Berry, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Biel, Zac Efron, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Meyers, and more, of course, "New Year's Eve" will be on this list! If there's one holiday that New York does best, it's this one! The ball drop, the explosion of confetti, Times Square line dup with smooching lovers? It's the best day in the Big Apple. However, what the city is like leading up to it is a different story. This movie shows the different kinds of love people express during this fateful night. And how, even for just one night, it can make quite the difference in their lives. 

Source: IMDb

 

Someone Great

If you need further proof that New York is one of the best places for single people, watch the Netflix original, "Someone Great!" Here, Gina Rodriguez stars as Jenny Young, a music journalist who's about to move to San Francisco for a new job, Right before leaving, her long-term boyfriend dumps her, leaving her a wreck just days before she has to fly to the West coast. Not having her drama, her best friends, Brittany Snow's 'Blair' and DeWanda Wise's 'Erin,' convince her to have one last hurrah in the Big Apple. And in doing so, Jenny realizes that she has much more to give when it comes to love. 

Source: IMDb

 

Let's face it, New York City is the best place for romantic comedies to be set. The city itself is often a character in the story, making quite the impact in the lives of the characters and, in turn, the way the story goes from beginning to the end.