The good-girl-bad-boy dichotomy and the sweeping romance in “After” made it an instant hit with audiences. After falling in love with Hardin Scott and Tessa Young in the first novel, readers of the series got a chance to watch the characters come to life in the first film.
Since then, three additional films have been released in the franchise, the most recent being “After Ever Happy” in September. There will also be a fifth installment that has nothing to do with the books.
But if you've seen and liked every film in the After series, fret not. To keep the sparks flying, we've compiled a list of romantic Netflix films like “After.” Some of them center on dashing bad boys, while others highlight shy women who are just beginning to break out of their shells. Here are some recommendations for films to watch if you want to lose yourself in a passionate love story for a couple of hours.
10. The Kissing Booth
Elle (Joey King) and Noah (Josh Hutcherson) have a rather problematic teen relationship in The Kissing Booth, a Netflix original film (Jacob Elordi). The three films in the series follow Elle and Noah as they go on a roller coaster of emotions, from heated arguments to tender moments to a cliffhanger ending that will have you yelling at the screen for Elle to have more self-respect.
9. After We Collided
Fans of After would do well to pick up After We Collided, the sequel to After. At the end of the first film, Tessa leaves school to attend an internship interview at Vance Publications. Prof. Soto gives Tessa a confessional article penned by Hardin about his love for her just before she sets out on her new adventure.
Tessa reads it & then she & Hardin go to their favorite spot, a deck that overlooks the lake. It has been unclear whether or not they end up together until the release of After We Collided. Watching After We Collided will reveal where the narrative of Hardin & Tessa continues.
Without giving too much away, it's safe to say that When We Collided was a financial success, as it spawned not one but two sequels. As obvious as it may be, the show must go on.
8. The Notebook
The Notebook, based on Nicholas Sparks's best-selling novel of the same name, is a love drama with a lot of heart and a surprisingly sour aftertaste. Star-crossed lovers, helpless Noah and opulent Allie meet in 1941.
A man (Garner) who clearly loves her, even though she scarcely recognizes his identity, is following a woman with mild dementia around in the present day and writing down their narrative in a notebook. Definitely, one to add to your Netflix queue.
7. Everyday
Rhiannon (Maria Bello) meets a new person who embodies the spirit of A every day, and she falls in love with each one. Rhiannon has an unparalleled connection to A, who inhabits a new body every day. They search for each other daily, never knowing who they might encounter.
Inevitably, though, the strain of loving someone who transforms into a new person every day causes Rhiannon and A to face the most difficult choice they've ever faced. They're in a catch-22: they love one other, but they also want the security of a more conventional relationship.
6. To All the Guys I've Loved Before
To All the Guys I've Loved Before, also available on Netflix, is based on a book of the same name by Jenny Han. Lara Jean (Lana Condor), the protagonist of the 2018 romantic comedy, is a high school student who writes love letters to the boys she likes but never intends to send them. When the recipients of Lara Jean's letters finally see them, everything changes, and she finds herself falling for a person she never saw coming.
5. A Walk to Remember
A Walk to Remember is still a favorite among viewers who enjoy romantic comedies that follow the “opposites attract” paradigm. Shane West plays the role of the defiant bad boy, and Mandy Moore that of the shy girl. Community work for the former often includes participation in a spring play for the latter.
After the success of A Walk to Remember, which was based on Sparks's best-selling novel, the director and writer continued their streak with several romantic comedies. After Ever Happy's protagonists, like those in stories found on Wattpad, exhibit contrasting characters who ultimately learn to appreciate one another.
4. Call Me By Your Name
Sigh. The movie Call Me by Your Name will tear you apart emotionally if you haven't seen it yet. This is a great example of a forbidden love story, with Timothée Chalamet as Elio and Armie Hammer as Oliver. A romantic tryst develops between the two, who have a large age difference in the film, but sadly, it is not to be. It's a romance, but it's a lot more heartbreaking than After, and you'll probably be cursing at the screen by the end.
3. Cruel Intentions
Although the “truth or dare” moment in After isn't revealed to the public until the very end of the film, both Cruel Intentions and After center on a dare. Another resemblance is that Selma Blair appears in both films but in a completely different character.
This sleazy 1999 romantic drama is based on Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's 1782 classic Les Liaisons dangereuses and also stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Reese Witherspoon.
Rather than 18th-century France, as in the book, the film centers on privileged high school students in New York City. The film grossed approximately $76 million at the box office and inspired two sequels that were released exclusively on home video. Cruel Intentions is a must-see if you're looking for After's grittier, racier undertones.
2. Five Feet Apart
Stella, age 17, spends a lot of time at the clinic because she has cystic fibrosis. The timetables, boundaries, and composure with which she lives are put to the test when she befriends Will, an utterly beguiling high school student who suffers from the same illness.
There's a growing attraction between them, but they need to maintain a safe distance for the time being. With their relationship growing stronger, they feel more and more compelled to throw caution to the wind and fully appreciate the fascinating drama that is Five Feet Apart, which is now streaming on Netflix.
1. The Last Summer
Seeing teenagers struggle with the reality that high school is coming to a close and their lives are beginning to change irrevocably is fascinating. High school seniors have to face their wants, choices, and fate over the summer before they enroll in college.
The protagonists of The Last Summer are a group of teenagers who are all struggling with the same thing. When two potential partners attend different universities in the fall, it might be challenging to find love over the summer before school starts. In movies, a disastrous long-distance romance is a simple way to ruin freshman year.
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