Trying to find a good movie to watch on Netflix is hard enough, but trying to find, specifically, a happy movie to watch on Netflix can be extra difficult. Sometimes you just need a pick-me-up, and the right film at the right time can do wonders to improve your mood. That’s the power of storytelling, especially on a feature-length scale, and Netflix isn’t lacking in films that make you happy without forsaking quality.
Below, we’ve assembled a curated list of the very best happy movies to watch on Netflix, from comedies to blockbusters to little-seen indies. So stop the endless searching and let us whittle the list down for you.
The School of Rock
Director: Richard Linklater
Writer: Mike White
Cast: Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Mike White, and Sarah Silverman
There’s absolutely no way to watch The School of Rock and not feel happy. Jack Black stars in this comedy about a man who pretends to be his roommate in order to get a substitute teaching job, only to discover the students of this preparatory school are all accomplished musicians. He decides to eschew the rulebook and focus on teaching them rock music, in the hopes of beating his old band at the local Battle of the Bands. Black is an absolute star, but the entire ensemble cast gets a chance to shine here. — Adam Chitwood
Chef
Director/Writer: Jon Favreau
Cast: Jon Favreau, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale, Sofia Vergara, Amy Sedaris, and Robert Downey Jr.
After Jon Favreau kicked off the MCU with Iron Man but before he revolutionized Star Wars on the small screen with The Mandalorian, he made the most personal film of his career: 2014’s Chef. Favreau wrote, directed, and stars in this comedy/drama about a chef who loses his job at an esteemed Los Angeles restaurant after getting into a fight with a food critic. He decides to go back to his roots and cook different food, buying a food truck that he operates with his young son. The film is very clearly inspired by Favreau’s experience with the critical derision of Iron Man 2 and Cowboys and Aliens, but even beyond the autobiographical nature it’s just a really sweet and warm film about family, friends, and finding (or rediscovering) passion in what you do. – Adam Chitwood
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Directors/Writers: Phil Lord and Chris Miller
Cast: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Bruce Campbell, Mr. T, Benjamin Bratt, and Neil Patrick Harris
Before filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller upended convention with wildly entertaining films like The LEGO Movie and the Jump Street films, they wrote and directed the delightful 2009 animated feature Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The film is a great feel-good movie as it’s absolutely in the same vein of Lord and Miller’s other films; a mix of goofy humor, gloriously intricate jokes, inventive visuals, and most importantly genuine compassion. Bill Hader voices a wannabe scientist named Flint who lives in a tiny town called Swallow Falls, which is thrown into peril when one of Flint’s wild inventions starts turning water into food, at which point it literally starts raining all sorts of delicious—and gigantic—treats. It’s a great film for all ages really, and a terrifically science-positive story. – Adam Chitwood
Let It Snow
Director: Luke Snellin
Writers: Laura Solon, Victoria Strouse, and Kay Cannon
Cast: Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, Liv Hewson, Odeya Rush, Jacob Batalon, Kiernan Shipka, Joan Cusack
If you’re in the mood for a feel-good movie that’s also a Christmas movie, Netflix delivered its own twist on Love Actually for the teen set with Let It Snow, a breezy holiday rom-com that finds a series of overlapping love stories on one fateful Christmas-season snow day. It’s a sweet film from top-to-tail, as interested in the dramas of teen friendship and domestic struggles as it the blossoming romances, and it’s filled with delightful performances from a knockout cast of young up-and-comers. A lot of the Netflix Christmas romances follow in the Hallmark channel vein, and absolutely no judgment if that’s your preferred thing, but for those who want an old-fashioned feel-good holiday romance, Let It Snow is just the ticket.– Haleigh Foutch
Enola Holmes
Director: Harry Bradbeer
Writer: Jack Thorne
Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Louis Partridge, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helena Bonham Carter
Enola Holmes is one of the best and most charming Netflix original movies thus far, and will absolutely put you in a good mood. Based on the book series of the same name by Nancy Springer, the period film follows Millie Bobby Brown’s titular character, who is the youngest Holmes sibling and has been raised nearly in solitude by her single mother. But when she awakes one day to find her mother is missing, she takes matters into her own hands and sneaks into London to solve the case. The film is tremendously fun as Enola fearlessly follows leads and hunts for clues, but it’s also a surprisingly touching mother-daughter story with legitimately feminist themes. The script actually takes time to consider what it means to be a woman in a man’s world in a way that’s organic (and important) to the story at hand. It’s one of Brown’s best performances, but Henry Cavill is also a delight as Sherlock Holmes himself. Once the movie ends you’ll be begging for Netflix to make many more sequels. – Adam Chitwood
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Director/Writer: Taika Waititi
Cast: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rhys Darby, Rima Te Wiata, and Rachel House
Before Taika Waititi made one of the best MCU movies to date, and before he won an Oscar for Jojo Rabbit, he made a delightful New Zealand adventure movie in which a grumpy Sam Neill is forced to team up with a foul-mouthed child when the two are the target of a manhunt throughout the New Zealand bush. It’s based on an existing book, but in tone and execution Hunt for the Wilderpeople oftentimes feels like an adaptation of a Roald Dahl book we never knew about. It’s delightful and whimsical and a little terrifying, with Waititi’s playful anarchy filling the whole thing out for good measure. This movie is guaranteed to put you in a good mood. — Adam Chitwood
Always Be My Maybe
Director: Nahnatchka Khan
Writers: Ali Wong, Randall Park, and Michael Golamco
Cast: Ali Wong, Randall Park, Michelle Buteau, James Saito, Daniel Dae Kim, Karan Soni, and Keanu Reeves
Netflix brought the romcom back in a big way with 2018’s Set It Up, and the streaming service’s 2019 effort Always Be My Maybe is similarly charming and delightful. Co-written by and starring Randall Park and Ali Wong, the film follows a pair of teenaged best friends who have since drifted apart and are pushed together once more in adulthood, even though their lives have followed very different paths. Park and Wong are dynamite together, and the film takes time to breathe with some well-paced dramatic sequences. It’s also not lacking in scene-stealers, as Michelle Buteau is a hoot and Keanu Reeves once again proves his talent knows no bounds. Bottom line: this movie is guaranteed to put you in a good mood. – Adam Chitwood
Set It Up
Director: Claire Scanlon
Writer: Katie Silberman
Cast: Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Lucy Liu, and Taye Diggs
If you’re looking for a charming romantic comedy, but don’t want to rewatch something from a previous decade for the umpteenth time, you should definitely give Claire Scanlon’s charming Set It Up a look. The plot follows two beleaguered assistants (Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell) who decided to set up their bosses (Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs, respectively) in order to just get some precious free time away from their demanding jobs. However, with all their scheming, they start to fall for each other. You can see the romcom beats coming from a mile away, but they’re done so well and so effectively that you won’t mind. Plus, the film sizzles thanks to the outstanding performances from the dazzling Deutch and Powell, who should be the streaming generation’s Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. – Matt Goldberg
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
Director: Susan Johnson
Writer: Sofia Alvarez
Cast: Lana Condor, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, Noah Centineo, Israel Broussard, and John Corbett
If you’re looking for a fun, sweet, YA romance to brighten your day, you won’t do much better on Netflix than To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Based off the novel by Jenny Han, the story follows Lara Jean (Lana Condor), a teenager whose worst nightmares are realized when five letters she wrote to her secret crushes are sent out without her knowledge. When she’s confronted by her old crush Peter (Noah Centineo), she’s afraid it could get in the way of her current crush Josh (Israel Broussard), so Lara Jean and Peter resolve to fake a relationship so they can get with who they really want to be with. Naturally, pretending to be together starts to create real feelings between the two. The film is a joy from start to finish, letting you relive a time when who “liked” you was the most important thing in the world, but without any of the trauma high school entails. – Matt Goldberg
Wine Country
Director: Amy Poehler
Writers: Emily Spivey and Liz Cackowski
Cast: Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Maya Rudolph, Paula Pell, Emily Spivey, Ana Gasteyer, Tina Fey, and Jason Schwartzman
If you’re looking for a breezy, easy watch, check out Wine Country. While Amy Poehler’s directorial debut may not be the most thematically satisfying or airtight comedy, it’s a solid effort packed with sufficient laughs and a swell dose of heart, with a recurring theme of feel-good vibes throughout. The film is inspired by a real-life trip the cast members and real-life friends took to celebrate Dratch’s 50th birthday, during which their friendship was laid bare. The actors play only slightly exaggerated versions of themselves, so part of the fun is seeing what the dynamic between these SNL alums is really like. This is a really easy watch, especially if you’re looking for something to enjoy with friends (and wine) on a Friday or Saturday night in. – Adam Chitwood
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Director: David Dobkin
Writers: Will Ferrell and Andrew Steele
Cast: Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan, Dan Stevens, and Demi Lovato
If you think Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is just another “dumb Will Ferrell comedy,” think again. One of 2020’s most pleasant surprises, this musical comedy is surprisingly sweet and genuinely emotional – don’t be surprised if you find yourself welling up with tears by the end. The story follows a pair of lifelong friends and musicians from Iceland who are unexpectedly thrust into the Eurovision Song Contest, which tests their talents and their relationship to one another. Ferrell is hilarious as always, but it’s Rachel McAdams who steals the show here and proves yet again she’s one of the best comedic talents working right now. Oh and the songs? They’re spectacular. – Adam Chitwood
