While many movie lovers like that Hulu has so many films to choose from, this can sometimes make the nightly task of choosing a film all the more difficult.
With that said, we thought we’d leave it to critically acclaimed reviews to help us narrow down a list of 6 highly rated films (all over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes) that are currently available to stream on the service (bonus: most of them are rom-coms just in time for V-Day!)
READ MORE: 6 Best Movies You Should Stream On Netflix Right Now—They Have Really High Ratings!
6 Critically Acclaimed Films To Stream Via Hulu:
1. The Worst Person in the World (2021)
This Norwegian rom-com/ drama will undoubtedly make you laugh, cry (and cry some more) as it follows the relatable ups-and-downs of one young woman’s journey from her late-20s into 30s adulthood. Starring Renate Reinsve as Julie, this film captures the unpredictability of life, how one’s career path can frequently meander, the growth that comes from heartbreak, what one learns from unrequited love, returning love, and so much more.
The movie premiered in competition at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival to global critical acclaim. Reinsve scored the award for Best Actress for her performance in the film at the festival, and at the 94th Academy Awards, the Worst Person in the World was nominated for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
2. Enough Said (2013)
While many rom-coms capture young love, this one centers around a middle-aged, divorced single parent named Eva (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) who finds an unexpected connection with a nice man named Albert (played by James Gandolfini in his last role). Eva eventually is faced with a dilemma as she becomes closer friends with Albert’s ex-wife Marianne (Catherine Keener), who often speaks about his flaws, quirks and drawbacks. Eva keeps her friendship with Marianne a secret while she continues to see Albert, who she still can’t get enough of.
This mature and at times heartrending flick will certainly make you chuckle and tear up, and features an epic cast with memorable performances. Both lead actors were praised after the film premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, and it scored a Golden Globe for Louis-Dreyfus (her first nomination for a film role), a Screen Actors Guild Award, two Independent Spirit Awards and four Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, as well.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
3. Palm Springs (2020)
With a Groundhog Day-like plot and witty, moving and unforgettable performances from Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti, this quirky, offbeat rom-com is the perfect film to snuggle up with on Valentine’s Day. Samberg stars as Nyles and Milioti as Sarah, two beachy wedding guests who find themselves trapped in a time loop that forces them to live through the same day over and over (and they are the only ones at the wedding who experience this).
Through their tumultuous (and hilarious) journey together, the two start to see each other in a different light. At the 78th Golden Globe Awards, Palm Springs garnered two nominations: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Samberg. It also won Best Comedy at the 26th Critics’ Choice Awards.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
4. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Based on the classic 1974 novel of the same name by James Baldwin, this romantic drama film stars KiKi Layne as Clementine “Tish” Rivers, a pregnant woman who aims to prove the innocence of her wrongly charged lover, Alonzo “Fonny” Hunt (played by Stephan James) before giving birth to their child. The poignant, visually stunning Barry Jenkins-written and directed film takes place in 1970s New York City and has an unforgettable love story with riveting performances from a stellar cast.
The film received countless accolades and nominations, such as Best Supporting Actress wins for Regina King (who played Tish’s mother Sharon Rivers) at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes. If Beale Street Could Talk was also nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Screenplay at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, along with Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score at the 91st Academy Awards.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
5. Love, Simon (2018)
This coming-of-age story revolves around Simon Spier (played by Nick Robinson), a closeted gay teenager who is growing up in an Atlanta suburb and dreams of discovering the identity of an anonymous classmate who he has fallen in love with online. Based on the 2015 novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, this film captures themes like growing pains, queer identity, young romance, first love, and so much more.
The plot thickens with Spier faces a blackmailer who threatens to out him to his entire high school, while he also has to balance relationships with family and friends. The movie (which also stars Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Garner, Katharine Langford and more) has plenty of LOL-inducing moments that will bring you back to your teenage days with many other more moving ones that will certainly tug at your heartstrings.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
6. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
To top off our list, we’re choosing the 2019 French historical romantic drama Portrait of a Lady on Fire, starring Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel as Marianne and Héloïse, two women who fall in love at the end of the eighteenth century. After Marianne, an artist, is commissioned to paint the portrait of aristocrat Héloïse, the two form a seemingly unbreakable bond. Marianne realizes that Héloïse is soon to be wed to a wealthy man, although this is against both of their wishes. The two then aim to cherish their time together as Marianne creates a stunning work of art.
With a thrilling love story, slow-burn romance, heartbreaking circumstances and knockout performances from both lead actresses, the Céline Sciamma-directed Portrait 0f a Lady on Fire unsurprisingly garnered many awards and nominations, including Queer Palm at Cannes, making it the first film directed by a woman to win the award. Sciamma also scored the award for Best Screenplay at Cannes, and the flick was nominated for Independent Spirit Awards, Critics’ Choice Awards and Golden Globe Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. In addition, it was selected by the National Board of Review as one of the top five foreign language films of 2019.
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
