PureWow

It’s that time of year when families are trading in their carved pumpkins and cobwebs for floral arrangements and autumn decor. Not to mention, there’s an influx of decadent Thanksgiving recipes that are already taking over our social media feeds, from sweet potato pie to mac and cheese. But aside from organizing the traditional family dinner, we thought: Why not make the holiday extra special by watching the best Thanksgiving movies on Netflix?

The streaming platform offers a variety of great options, whether you want a cozy romance, a heartwarming comedy or a movie that inspires gratitude. So, after you’ve devoured your second helping of turkey and stuffing (no judgment), consider following up with a Thanksgiving movie on Netflix that everyone can enjoy.

1. Friendsgiving (2020) 

• Starring: Malin Åkerman, Kat Dennings, Aisha Tyler, Chelsea Peretti
• Rating: R 

BFFs Molly and Abbey try to plan a low-key Thanksgiving dinner, but those plans go out the window when they get some surprise visitors, including Molly's estranged mother, her new boyfriend, her ex and a self-identified “shawoman.” Not surprisingly, chaos (and hilarity) ensues. 

2. When Harry Met Sally (1989)

• Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby
• Rating: R 

College grads Harry Burns and Sally Albright are constantly at odds—especially when it comes to the topic of male-female relationships. But after ten years apart, they reunite and realize that they must put their own theories to the test. Can their friendship stay strictly platonic, despite their growing attraction for one another?

3. The Curse of Bridge Hollow (2022)

• Starring: Marlon Wayans, Priah Ferguson, Kelly Rowland, John Michael Higgins
• Rating: TV-14 

If you’re still feeling the Halloween spirit but needing an option that will entertain the entire family, look no further than The Curse of Bridge Hollow. The film follows Sydney Gordon, a teen who inadvertently unleashes an evil spirit that causes Halloween decorations to come to life. Sydney must team up with her dad to stop them before they wreak havoc on the town.

4. Love in the Villa (2022)

• Starring: Kat Graham, Tom Hopper, Raymond Ablack
• Rating: TV-14

Love in the Villa revolves around Julie, a kindergarten teacher and hopeless romantic who goes on a solo vacation to Italy after going through a tough breakup. However, Julie is surprised to learn that her villa was accidentally double-booked, forcing her to share her much-needed alone time with a cynical stranger. 

5. Chocolat (2000)

• Starring: Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina, Lena Olin
• Rating: PG-13

Calling all chocolate enthusiasts! This charming romance drama follows Vianne Rocher, a single mom who travels to a small French village with her daughter and prepares to launch her own chocolate shop. The problem? Her store opens right at the beginning of Lent—and the village mayor is all too eager to paint her as the villain. 

6. Paddington (2014)

• Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Nicole Kidman
• Rating: PG

What better way to recover from a food coma than with a fun, feel-good comedy about an anthropomorphic bear? The film centers on a lovable bear named Paddington, who migrates from the jungle to London in search of a new home. While there, he gets taken in by the Browns—but there’s also an evil taxidermist who’s trying to capture him for his personal collection.

7. Yes Day (2021)

• Starring: Jennifer Garner, Édgar Ramírez, Jenna Ortega
• Rating: PG

If you’ve had to say “no” to the kids several times during Thanksgiving dinner, then perhaps they can live vicariously through the kids in this fun film. It follows married couple Allison and Carlos, who decide to treat their kids to a special “Yes Day,” meaning the children get to make up the rules for 24 hours. The result is a messy—but unforgettable—adventure, complete with a giant foam explosion.

8. Charlotte’s Web (2006)

• Starring: Dakota Fanning, Kevin Anderson, Beau Bridges
• Rating: G

Get your dose of nostalgia with this adaptation of E.B. White’s classic book. It follows Wilbur, a young pig who discovers that he’s heading to the butcher’s block. But thankfully, not all hope is lost. Wilbur enlists the help of a clever spider named Charlotte, who comes up with a plan to save her friend from his impending fate.

9. Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007)

• Starring: Max Baldry, Emma de Caunes, Willem Dafoe, Karel Roden
• Rating: G

Mr. Bean's Holiday features one of most iconic food scenes of all time, so it’s only fitting that we include this classic on the list. In the movie, Mr. Bean wins a vacation and ventures to Cannes, France, for a getaway. But chaos ensues when he’s mistaken for a kidnapper and a famous filmmaker.

10. The Lake House (2006)

• Starring: Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Dylan Walsh, Shohreh Aghdashloo
• Rating: PG

Bullock is Dr. Kate Forster, a former lake house resident who starts to correspond with an architect living two years in the past. Over the course of two years, they communicate by sending letters to one another in the lake house mailbox, yet their paths never intersect. Can their budding romance survive the time difference?

11. He’s Just Not That into You (2009)

• Starring: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly
• Rating: PG-13

We can’t resist a star-studded rom-com. This gem follows a woman named Gigi, who doesn’t know how to read her partners’ romantic signals. But fortunately, she meets a trusty guy friend to help her decode all the signs. Meanwhile, the movie also follows the love stories of eight other characters, who all share a connection with Gigi.

12. Yours, Mine & Ours (2005)

• Starring: Dennis Quaid, Rene Russo, Rip Torn
• Rating: PG

Whether you have a giant, blended family or a smaller group of relatives, you’ll appreciate this feel-good remake of the 1968 film. Yours, Mine & Ours revolves around Frank Beardsley, a navy officer and single father of ten who meets and falls for a widowed nurse, who’s also the mother of eight children. With the help of a mutual friend, they attempt to form one giant, blended family, but it’s not without its challenges. 

13. Midnight at the Magnolia (2020)

• Starring: Natalie Hall, Evan Williams, Hannah Gordon
• Rating: TV-G

Midnight at the Magnolia follows radio co-hosts and good friends Maggie and Jack, who decide that faking a romantic relationship will ultimately get their show syndicated. Of course, the pair get a whole lot more than they bargained for. (Yes, it’s predictable, but the effortless chemistry between the leads makes it a must-watch.)

14. Holiday Rush (2019) 

• Starring: Romany Malco, Sonequa Martin-Green, Deon Cole
• Rating: TV-PG

Eager to kick off the holiday season? Start with Holiday Rush, which follows a successful radio DJ who suddenly loses his job right before Christmas. Unfortunately for his wife and kids, he must scale back on expensive gifts. Could this setback be a blessing in disguise?

15. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

• Starring: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Dave Franco, Regina King
• Rating: R

Inspired by James Baldwin’s novel of the same name, this poignant movie chronicles the story of Tish Rivers and her childhood friend-turned-partner, Fonny Hunt. When Fonny gets arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, Fonny and her family fight to prove his innocence before welcoming their first child.

16. You Are My Home (2020)

• Starring: Alyssa Milano, Angel Parker, Cristián de la Fuente
• Rating: TV-PG

You might want to keep tissues nearby when you watch this touching drama, which tackles themes like loss, family, foster care and immigration. The movie is about an 11-year-old girl who gets separated from her mother by ICE agents. With the help of a kind social worker, she gets paired with a guardian who is also dealing with loss. As the holiday season draws near, the two form an unbreakable bond.

17. Wedding Season (2022)

• Starring: Suraj Sharma, Pallavi Sharda, Rizwan Manji, Veena Sood
• Rating: TV-PG

Tired of dealing with their parents’ incessant questions about marriage, Asha and Ravi—two single strangers who meet online—pretend to be each other’s dates at a series of weddings. Their arrangement gets complicated when they start to develop real feelings for each other.

18. A Very Country Christmas (2017)

• Starring: Greyston Holt, Bea Santos, Greg Vaughan
• Rating: TV-G

Single mom Jeanette Williams has a chance encounter with a country star named Zane, who moves to a small town for a break from fame. The pair form a bond as they start to bond with each other and—you guessed it—fall in love. Give this one a watch if you enjoy Hallmark, fairytale-like films.

19. A Week Away (2021) 

• Starring: Bailee Madison, Kevin Quinn, David Koechner, Sherri Shepherd
• Rating: TV-PG

This feel-good musical centers on a troubled teen named Will, who has been to several foster homes due to his rebellious behavior. When he’s forced to choose between juvenile detention and a Christian summer camp, he opts for the latter and winds up finding love and having a life-changing experience.

20. Are We There Yet? (2005)

• Starring: Ice Cube, Nia Long, Aleisha Allen, Philip Daniel Bolden
• Rating: PG

Nick Persons is a well-off bachelor who isn’t the biggest fan of kids. When he meets Suzanne, the woman of his dreams, he’s dismayed to learn that she has two rebellious young children. Determined to win her heart, he offers to take her family on a road trip. Can he pull it off before his patience runs out?

21. Home Team (2022)

• Starring: Kevin James, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider, Jackie Sandler
• Rating: PG

Just three years after his team wins the Super Bowl, Sean Payton, coach of the New Orleans Saints, gets suspended from the NFL due to his connection to the Bountygate scandal. When he returns to his hometown, he agrees to coach his 12-year-old son.

22. A Perfect Pairing (2022)

• Starring: Victoria Justice, Adam Demos, Luca Asta Sardelis, Samantha Tolj
• Rating: TV-14

After quitting her job as a wine company executive, Lola embarks on a mission to launch her own wine business. But she can’t do it without landing a major client. Determined to get her company off the ground, she travels to Australia and agrees to work as a ranch hand in hopes of signing her first client, but it proves to be way more challenging than she thought.

23. Monster-in-Law (2005)

• Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, Michael Vartan, Wanda Sykes
• Rating: PG-13

Charlotte is thrilled to marry Dr. Kevin Fields, the man of her dreams. But her enthusiasm wanes when she meets Kevin's problematic mother, who seems determined to make her son cancel the wedding. As much as we love J.Lo, Fonda is the true star of this laugh-out-loud comedy.

24. Persuasion (2022)

• Starring: Dakota Johnson, Cosmo Jarvis, Nikki Amuka-Bird
• Rating: PG

Based on Jane Austen's namesake novel, the swoon-worthy romance follows Anne Elliot, who finds herself torn between following her heart and leaving the past behind after Frederick Wentworth, an old flame, comes back into her life. Bridgerton fans are in for a treat.

25. Hubie Halloween (2020)

• Starring: Kevin James, Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen, Ray Liotta, Rob Schneider, June Squibb, Kenan Thompson
• Rating: PG-13

The comedy horror, which was co-written by Sandler, follows Hubie Dubois, who volunteers to patrol his hometown during the Halloween season. When a real murder occurs, he realizes that Salem is facing a real threat and gets involved in the investigation. Does he have what it takes to save the town?

26. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)

• Starring: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart
• Rating: TV-14

Craving a charming teen romance? Meet your match. To All the Boys follows high schooler Lara Jean, who isn’t the type to confront her crushes. Instead, she writes them secret love letters, with no intention of sending them. However, Lara’s life is turned upside-down when her sister decides to mail them. 

27. Love Hard (2021)

• Starring: Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, Darren Barnet
• Rating: TV-MA

After meeting her dream guy on a dating app, an L.A. writer named Natalie decides to fly to his hometown to surprise her crush for Christmas. Upon her arrival, she quickly learns that she’s been catfished. (This will make you think twice about catching a flight to meet someone you’ve met online.)

28. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)

• Starring: Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Hugh Bonneville, Anika Noni Rose, Phylicia Rashad
• Rating: PG

When a toy inventor gets betrayed by his trusted apprentice, he loses everything, including his most prized creation. But three decades later, his granddaughter comes along and makes it her mission to save his life’s work. Jingle Jangle’s catchy musical numbers will have you up and dancing in no time.

29. A Jazzman's Blues (2022)

• Starring: Joshua Boone, Amirah Vann, Solea Pfeiffer
• Rating: R

There's nothing quite like forbidden love. Directed by Tyler Perry, the drama film follows Bayou and Leanne, who meet as teenagers and then fall in love, but they’re torn apart because of Leanne's disapproving family. Throughout their adulthood, they attempt to stay in each other’s lives, even though Leanne leads a new life passing as white.  

30. Fatherhood (2021)

• Starring: Kevin Hart, Alfre Woodard, Frankie R. Faison, Lil Rel Howery
• Rating: PG-13

Kevin Hart stars as Matthew, a father who must take care of his daughter alone after his wife tragically passes away during childbirth. Naturally, his loved ones go above and beyond to offer their support, but he soon realizes that his mom and mother-in-law might be getting in the way of him raising his own daughter. It’s not your typical Hart comedy, but you can expect plenty of funny, heartwarming moments.

31. Life as We Know It (2010)

• Starring: Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel, Josh Lucas
• Rating: PG-13

Holly Berenson and Eric Messer want nothing to do with each other after having the worst first date. But these two get the surprise of a lifetime when they learn that they must care for their godchild, Sophie, who recently lost her parents. After realizing that none of her relatives are fit to take care of her, Holly and Eric are forced to put aside their mutual hatred for the sake of the child. 

32. The Guide to the Perfect Family (2021)

• Starring: Louis Morissette, Catherine Chabot, Émilie Bierre
• Rating: TV-MA

The French-language film follows a couple in Québec as they struggle to raise their kids in the modern world. The story mainly revolves around their 16-year-old daughter Rose, an overachiever who secretly battles with anxiety and depression. Although the movie resembles a breezy comedy, it tackles deep issues like mental health, stress and harmful parenting techniques. 

33. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

• Starring: Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, Alan Ruck
• Rating: PG-13

Ferris Bueller, better known as the king of cutting classes, skips school with his friends one last time before he graduates. Unfortunately for him, the school’s dean, Mr. Rooney, is aware of his antics, and he sets out to catch Ferris in the act. Watch for the nostalgia and stellar sights of Chicago.

34. A Knight’s Tale (2001)

• Starring: Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, Shannyn Sossamon, Rufus Sewell
• Rating: PG-13

Heath Ledger is William Thatcher, a peasant squire who sets out to form a new identity as a knight after his master passes away. With the help of his fellow squires, Wat and Roland, he travels to England and France to fight in tournaments. Plus, he finds love along the way. 

35. Really Love (2020)

• Starring: Stephanie Allain, Kim Coleman, Latisha Fortune, Sanford Grimes
• Rating: TV-MA

Set in D.C, a struggling artist named Yusef Davis is determined to launch his painting career. But when he meets a brilliant law student named Chenai Hungwe, they pursue a whirlwind romance. As Yusef tries to balance this new relationship with his art, Chenai is already getting job offers from firms across the country. Can their romance survive long distance?

36. Rush Hour (1998)

• Starring: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Tzi Ma, Tom Wilkinson
• Rating: PG-13

Anyone who has seen this classic already knows that Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker have the absolute best chemistry. Part one of the franchise follows Inspector Lee and James Carter, an unlikely pair of detectives who are forced to work together after a Chinese diplomat's daughter gets kidnapped. Prepare to laugh your socks off.