If your Valentine’s Day plans currently involve pretending not to care about having no Valentine, then you’re in luck.
London might be cold and wet, but on screen it turns into a soft-focus haven for stolen glances and long walks that fix everything.
Whether you’re spending Valentine’s with your flatmates, your situationship, or just you and a takeaway waiting for a “u up?” text, these London-set pieces prove the city is really good at romance.
About Time (2013)
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If you’ve ever replayed a conversation in your head, About Time understands you.
It’s about a man who time travels to fix his dating mistakes only to realise that life is probably better when it isn’t perfect. The love between Tim and Mary feels simple and ordinary even with the sci-fi element- it’s hard not to be jealous.
Rye Lane (2023)
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This one actually looks like the London most of us live in. A modern Before Sunrise set in Peckham and Brixton, Rye Lane follows two strangers who spend a day walking and talking their way through heartbreaks and half-healed feelings.
It’s funny, amazing to look at and probably the most fun you’ll have watching a breakup recovery.
One Day (2024)
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If you’ve ever been told “timing is everything,” One Day will test that.
Emma and Dexter keep finding each other over twenty years of missed chances. It’s sweet and frustrating in equal measure, turning everyday London streets into a timeline of almosts. Definitely one for when you’re missing a certain somebody.
Bend it Like Beckham (2002)
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Set around Hounslow and Southall, Bend It Like Beckham is about friendship, family and following what you actually want.
It still feels totally watchable and somehow captures love in all its different shapes. Plus, if we’re being real, Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra have better chemistry than some of the couples on this list.
Man Up (2015)
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Dating in London can be awful, but this underrated classic actually finds the funny side.
A woman is mistaken for someone else’s blind date and just goes with it, because this is Hollywood. It’s fun, awkward and surprisingly sweet, a reminder that not every bad idea ends badly.
Notting Hill (1999)
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Still unbeatable. A bookshop owner meets a movie star and it doesn’t feel that ridiculous.
Notting Hill nails the grounded kind of love story that’s funny without trying and warm without being cringey. Every street it shows looks like somewhere you could actually fall in love.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023)
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If you love a period piece then this is for you. It might be all corsets and candlelight, but Queen Charlotte still feels modern.
It’s about love, power and refusing to be told who you’re allowed to care about. It’s emotional with just the right amount of drama.
All of Us Strangers (2023)
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Probably the saddest and most beautiful film on this list. Set in a quiet London tower block, it’s about love, grief and finding someone who feels like home.
It’s not exactly uplifting, but it’s honest and completely worth watching.
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
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This is the definition of a British rom‑com. Four Weddings and a Funeral gets everything right without overdoing it.
It’s witty, tender and shows that love stories don’t need perfect people, just the courage to try again after messing it up the first few times. There’s still hope!
Featured image via Unsplash/Youtube
