Let’s be honest, movie nights are probably one of the easiest date ideas for long-distance couples.
You both grab your favorite snacks, hop on a video call, press play at the same time, and for a couple of hours, it almost feels like you’re sitting together on the same couch.
The only problem? Picking the movie somehow takes longer than actually watching it. 😅
If you’ve ever spent 40 minutes scrolling through Netflix only to give up and rewatch Friends for the hundredth time, you’re definitely not alone.
So instead of endlessly scrolling, we’ve put together some of our favorite movies based on your mood. Whether you’re looking for something romantic, hilarious, emotional, scary, adventurous, or full of plot twists, there’s something here for your next virtual movie night.
And because some movies hit a little differently when you’re in a long-distance relationship, we’ve also explained what each movie is about and why it might feel especially relatable when you’re loving someone from miles away.
❤️ 1. Romantic Movies That’ll Make You Fall in Love All Over Again
Sometimes you don’t need a fancy virtual date. A cozy movie, your favorite snacks, and a video call are more than enough.
Here are three romantic movies that are perfect for couples.
🎬 About Time (2013)
About Time follows Tim, a young man who discovers that the men in his family have the ability to travel through time. Instead of using his unusual gift to become rich or famous, Tim uses it to improve the moments he spends with the people he loves, especially his relationship with Mary. As the movie goes on, Tim realizes that the most meaningful parts of life are not huge or dramatic moments. They are the ordinary days, conversations, dinners, laughs, and little memories shared with the people who matter most.
When visits are limited, even something as simple as getting coffee together, cooking dinner, or sitting beside each other on the couch can become a memory you hold onto for months.
About Time is a beautiful reminder not to spend your entire relationship counting down to the next visit. The little moments you share along the way matter too.
🎬 The Notebook (2004)
The Notebook tells the story of Noah and Allie, two young people from very different backgrounds who fall deeply in love during the summer. Their relationship is tested by family expectations, misunderstandings, time apart, and the different directions their lives take. Even after years of separation, neither of them completely forgets what they had together.
For long-distance couples, the story can feel especially emotional because so much of it revolves around loving someone while circumstances keep pulling you apart. It captures the frustration of distance, the uncertainty of not knowing exactly what the future will look like, and the hope that two people can still find their way back to one another.
🎬 Before Sunrise (1995)
Before Sunrise follows Jesse and Céline, two strangers who meet on a train traveling through Europe.
Jesse convinces Céline to get off the train with him in Vienna, and the two spend one unforgettable night walking around the city and talking about everything from relationships and dreams to fears, life, and the future. The catch is that they know they only have until morning.
That limited time together is what makes Before Sunrise so relatable for long-distance couples. When you finally get to visit your partner, time somehow seems to move twice as fast. A weekend can feel like a few hours, and before you know it, you’re packing your suitcase and heading back to the airport.
😂 2. Romantic Comedies When You Just Want to Laugh Together
🎬 Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Crazy Rich Asians follows Rachel Chu as she travels to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick Young, to attend his best friend’s wedding. Rachel expects a normal trip with Nick, but she quickly discovers that he comes from one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Asia. Suddenly, Rachel is surrounded by extravagant parties, enormous mansions, family expectations, jealous socialites, and Nick’s protective mother, who does not believe Rachel belongs in their world.
Crazy Rich Asians has also become the kind of movie people love watching while traveling. It has that perfect airport movie feeling because it is funny, visually beautiful, easy to get into, and filled with glamorous travel scenes. That makes it especially fun for long-distance couples.
For a lot of LDR couples, airports become a surprisingly big part of the relationship. You might spend hours flying across the country or across the world just to spend a weekend or a few weeks with your person. So whether you watch Crazy Rich Asians together during a virtual movie date or download it before your next flight to see your partner, it can feel like the perfect travel movie for an LDR.
🎬 Anyone But You (2023)
Anyone But You follows Bea and Ben, two people who seem to have instant chemistry when they first meet. Unfortunately, a misunderstanding quickly ruins the connection between them. Months later, they unexpectedly find themselves together again at a destination wedding in Australia. To deal with their awkward situation and everyone around them, they decide to pretend they are a couple. Of course, pretending to be in love gets complicated when some of those feelings start becoming real.
🎬 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
10 Things I Hate About You follows sisters Kat and Bianca Stratford. Bianca wants to date, but their strict father creates a rule that she can only date if her older sister Kat dates too. That leads to Patrick Verona being paid to win Kat over. What begins as a dishonest arrangement slowly develops into a genuine relationship as Patrick and Kat begin opening up to each other and discovering that there is much more beneath their first impressions.
😭 3. Movies That Are Guaranteed to Make You Cry
Okay… maybe don’t wear mascara for these.
Sometimes the best movie nights are the ones where you both end up crying and then spend another hour talking about the movie afterward.
🎬 Five Feet Apart (2019)
Five Feet Apart follows Stella and Will, two teenagers with cystic fibrosis who meet while receiving treatment at the same hospital. They quickly develop feelings for each other, but because of their medical conditions, getting physically close could be extremely dangerous. Even though they are in the same building, they are forced to maintain physical distance from one another.
Their situation is obviously very different from a traditional long-distance relationship, but the emotional frustration of loving someone you cannot physically hold can feel incredibly relatable. Five Feet Apart takes that feeling to a much more serious and emotional level, but the central idea of wanting to be close to someone and not being able to is something many LDR couples will understand.
🎬 The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
The Fault in Our Stars follows Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters, two teenagers who meet at a cancer support group and quickly form a deep connection. Their relationship takes them from ordinary conversations to an unforgettable trip to Amsterdam, all while both characters are dealing with uncertainty surrounding their health and their future.
For long-distance couples, one of the movie’s strongest messages is about appreciating the time you have with someone. When you only get to see your partner every few months, a single weekend, trip, conversation, or shared experience can become incredibly important.
This movie is a reminder to appreciate the moments you do get.
🎬 A Walk to Remember (2002)
A Walk to Remember follows Landon Carter, a popular and rebellious high school student who unexpectedly develops feelings for Jamie Sullivan, the quiet daughter of the town’s minister. At first, the two seem completely different.
But as Landon gets to know Jamie, their relationship changes him and teaches him what it really means to love someone selflessly. Without giving away too much of the movie, their time together becomes increasingly precious as the story progresses.
Just trust us on this one. Keep the tissues nearby.
💬 These kinds of movies usually lead to some of the best conversations afterward.
If the credits roll and neither of you wants the date to end yet, try Conversation Starter Roulette and keep talking with questions that are a little more interesting than, “So… what now?”
👉 https://ldrdate.ca/idea/conversation-starter-roulette/
😱 4. Horror Movies That Give You an Excuse to Stay on Video Call Longer
Let’s be honest, horror movies are way less scary when someone else is watching with you.
And when you’re long distance, there is another bonus. You now have a very reasonable excuse to keep your partner on FaceTime until you fall asleep.
🎬 Talk to Me (2023)
Talk to Me follows a group of teenagers who discover they can communicate with spirits using a mysterious embalmed hand. At first, contacting the dead becomes something they do for fun. But when one of them takes the ritual too far, the group realizes they may have opened the door to something they cannot control.
🎬 Smile (2022)
Smile follows therapist Rose Cotter after she witnesses a disturbing incident involving one of her patients. Soon afterward, Rose begins experiencing terrifying events involving people smiling at her in unnatural and deeply unsettling ways. As she investigates what is happening, she discovers there may be something much darker connecting everything.
🎬 The Conjuring (2013)
The Conjuring follows paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren as they help the Perron family, who begin experiencing terrifying supernatural activity after moving into an isolated farmhouse. As the strange events become increasingly dangerous, the Warrens discover that the family may be dealing with something much more sinister than they originally thought.
You will probably spend half the movie asking why the characters would ever go into certain rooms and the other half pretending you are definitely not scared.
👻 Pro tip: Stay on the video call after the movie ends. Nobody wants to walk around their apartment alone after watching The Conjuring.
🕵️ 5. Mystery & Thriller Movies That’ll Keep You Guessing
These are the movies where the fun does not stop when the credits roll.
You will probably spend another hour comparing theories, arguing about characters, and deciding who figured out the ending first.
🎬 Knives Out (2019)
Knives Out begins after wealthy mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead following his 85th birthday celebration. Detective Benoit Blanc is brought in to investigate, and almost every member of Harlan’s dramatic and dysfunctional family seems to have a reason to hide something.
As Blanc begins putting the clues together, the story turns into a clever mystery filled with secrets, lies, suspicious behavior, and unexpected twists. For long-distance couples, mysteries are especially fun because they turn a normal movie night into something interactive.
Pause halfway through and tell each other who you think did it. Compare clues. Make predictions.
🎬 Gone Girl (2014)
Gone Girl follows Nick Dunne after his wife, Amy, suddenly disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary. As the investigation unfolds, suspicion quickly falls on Nick, and the public begins questioning whether their seemingly perfect marriage was actually anything close to perfect.
The deeper the story goes, the more complicated and darker the relationship becomes.
You will probably finish the movie with very strong opinions, which makes it perfect if you enjoy virtual dates where the conversation afterward is almost as entertaining as the movie itself.
🎬 Prisoners (2013)
Prisoners follows a father named Keller Dover after his young daughter and her friend suddenly disappear. When the police investigation fails to give him the answers he desperately wants, Keller takes matters into his own hands while Detective Loki continues searching for the truth. The movie becomes an intense story about desperation, morality, uncertainty, and how far someone is willing to go for the people they love.
🕵️ If solving mysteries together sounds like your thing, your movie night doesn’t have to end here.
Try Unsolved Case Files during your next virtual date and turn your video call into a detective mission of your own.
🌍 6. Travel Movies That’ll Make You Dream About Your Future Trips Together
One of the hardest parts of being in a long-distance relationship is not always being able to explore new places together.
These movies will not replace a real trip, but they will probably add a few destinations to your future bucket list. ✈️
🎬 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty follows Walter, a quiet man who spends much of his life daydreaming about adventures instead of actually experiencing them. When an important photograph goes missing at work, Walter is forced to leave his routine behind and travel across the world searching for the photographer who took it.
His journey takes him through incredible landscapes and slowly pushes him to start living the adventurous life he always imagined.
Long-distance couples spend a lot of time talking about the future. You talk about where you will travel, what you will do together, which cities you want to visit, and all the adventures you will finally have when you are in the same place.
Do not be surprised if both of you start looking at flights before the credits finish.
🎬 Eat Pray Love (2010)
Eat Pray Love follows Elizabeth Gilbert after she realizes she is not happy with the life she has built. She decides to leave her familiar routine behind and travel across Italy, India, and Bali, searching for pleasure, spirituality, balance, and ultimately a better understanding of herself.
The movie is packed with beautiful destinations, incredible food, and plenty of travel inspiration.
🎬 Before Sunset (2004)
Before Sunset takes place nine years after the events of Before Sunrise. Jesse and Céline unexpectedly meet again in Paris after years apart and spend the afternoon walking through the city, talking about everything that happened since the night they first met.
The entire movie revolves around reconnecting after time apart and realizing how much someone can continue to affect your life even when you have not physically been together.
That makes it one of the most relatable travel movies on this list for long-distance couples.
🌎 Feeling inspired?
Turn your movie night into a mini vacation with our Virtual Travel Date idea.
Pick a country, explore it together online, grab some themed snacks, and pretend you have both escaped somewhere new for the evening.
👉 https://ldrdate.ca/idea/virtual-travel-date/
💕 7. Long Distance Relationship Movies That Just Hit Different
Some movies simply understand what it is like to miss someone.
These three are especially worth watching because long distance is not just something happening in the background. It is actually part of the relationship.
🎬 Going the Distance (2010)
Going the Distance follows Garrett and Erin, who meet in New York and start what they both assume will be a short-term summer romance. Things become complicated when they genuinely fall for each other.
At the end of the summer, Erin returns to San Francisco while Garrett remains in New York, forcing them to decide whether they are willing to attempt a relationship from opposite sides of the country.
The movie explores phone calls, expensive flights, awkward schedules, missed moments, jealousy, career decisions, and all the little frustrations that come with trying to maintain a relationship when you cannot simply see each other whenever you want.
🎬 Dear John (2010)
Dear John follows John Tyree, a soldier who falls in love with Savannah while he is home on leave.When John returns to military service, the couple tries to maintain their relationship through handwritten letters and occasional visits. As time passes, distance, changing circumstances, and difficult decisions begin testing their relationship.
Today, we have FaceTime, texting, Discord, and instant messages. John and Savannah rely heavily on letters, sometimes waiting long periods just to hear from each other.
🎬 Like Crazy (2011)
Like Crazy follows Anna, a British student studying in Los Angeles, and Jacob, an American student she falls in love with. After Anna overstays her visa, immigration problems prevent her from freely returning to the United States. Suddenly, their relationship is divided between two countries.
The couple tries to maintain their connection while dealing with flights, immigration restrictions, separate careers, other relationships, and the emotional exhaustion that comes from never knowing exactly when they will be together again.
Of all the movies on this list, Like Crazy may be one of the most realistic portrayals of international long-distance love.
🎨 8. Feel-Good & Animated Movies for a Cozy Night
Sometimes you do not want an emotional rollercoaster.
You just want something warm, comforting, easy to watch, and guaranteed to leave you in a good mood.
🎬 Soul (2020)
Soul follows Joe Gardner, a middle school music teacher who dreams of becoming a professional jazz musician. Just when Joe finally gets the opportunity he has been waiting for, an unexpected accident sends him into a strange world where souls prepare for life on Earth. There, he meets a soul named 22 and begins questioning what actually makes a life meaningful.
🎬 Up (2009)
Up follows Carl Fredricksen, an elderly widower who attaches thousands of balloons to his house and sets off toward South America to fulfill a dream he once shared with his late wife, Ellie. Things become complicated when he discovers an enthusiastic young Wilderness Explorer named Russell has accidentally joined the adventure.
Yes, everyone talks about the first ten minutes. And yes, you will probably cry.
But the larger story is about love, memories, adventure, and realizing that some of life’s most meaningful experiences are the ordinary moments you share with another person.
🎬 Luca (2021)
Luca follows two young sea monsters, Luca and Alberto, who discover they can appear human when they leave the water. The two spend an unforgettable summer exploring an Italian seaside town, making new friends, riding bikes, eating pasta, and dreaming about seeing the world beyond everything they have ever known.
It is a charming movie about friendship, curiosity, adventure, and wanting to experience more of the world
🎨 Watching something from Disney?
Make the night a little more interactive with our Disney Sketchbook Date.
Instead of only watching together, try drawing your favorite Disney characters afterward and compare your artistic skills, or complete lack of them. 😂
👉 https://ldrdate.ca/idea/disney-sketchbook-date/
🎄9. Make Movie Night Feel Like an Event
Watching Elf during the holidays? Turn it into an interactive Christmas movie date by recreating some of Buddy the Elf’s most iconic foods together.
Our Elf Interactive Movie Date has you and your partner prepare Buddy-inspired treats from your separate kitchens and enjoy them while the matching scenes play in the movie.
You can make hot chocolate or coffee for the “World’s Best Cup of Coffee” scene, create Buddy’s famous spaghetti topped with maple syrup, chocolate syrup, marshmallows, sprinkles, and candy, or put together a snack board inspired by Buddy’s four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup.
Then hop on a video call, count down from three, press play at the same time, and show each other your creations as you watch.
It turns a regular Christmas movie night into something you’re actually doing together, which can make the date feel much more special when you’re miles apart.
🎅 Try our Elf Interactive Movie Date here:
👉 https://ldrdate.ca/idea/elf-interactive-movie-date/
🍿 10. Movie Night Doesn’t Have to End When the Credits Roll
One of the best parts of watching a movie together is everything that happens afterward.
Talk about your favorite scene. Argue over which character was right. Compare your ratings out of ten.Talk about which character reminded you most of each other.
Or if the movie inspired you, surprise your partner with something thoughtful the next day.
It does not have to be expensive.
When you are miles apart, even a small unexpected gesture can completely change someone’s day.
If you need inspiration, we have already put together some of our favorite Surprise Ideas for Long Distance Relationships, including thoughtful gifts, unexpected messages, and creative virtual dates that can keep the excitement going long after movie night ends.
👉 https://ldrdate.ca/blog/12-surprise-ideas-for-long-distance-relationships/
🎡 Still Can’t Decide What to Watch?
Even after looking through all these movie ideas, you and your partner might still end up asking the exact same question.
“What do you want to watch?”
If neither of you can decide, turn choosing the movie into part of the date with our Netflix Roulette long-distance date idea.
Netflix Roulette is perfect for couples who are indecisive or do not always enjoy the same movie genres. Instead of debating what to watch, you let a random generator pick a movie or TV show for both of you.
Choose the region of your Netflix account, decide whether you want movies or TV shows, select a genre, or leave everything completely random for a surprise.
Then spin and see what you get!