Top 21 Best Movie Couples of Each Year (2000-2020)

If you were a romance- and basketball-loving kid in the early 2000s, there was nothing more romantic than the prospect of playing a game of one-on-one for your lover’s heart. That pivotal scene in “Love & Basketball” is ingrained into the minds of so many of us for a ton of reasons, but the physical and emotional chemistry between Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps really sends it over the edge. Monica and Quincy are your classic, rivals to friends to lovers love story, with all of the hardships and pitfalls that entails. Their road to happiness isn’t easy, but they get there eventually, and leave it all on the court on the way.

2001: Christian & Satine “Moulin Rouge!” (2001)

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Dancing! Love songs! Elton John! 2001’s “Moulin Rouge!” is filled with anything and everything you could possibly want from a Baz Luhrmann film – including an epic romance for the ages. The story of Christian and Satine is full of drama right from the get-go; in typical Luhrmann fashion, actors Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor have to ratchet up the theatrics as high as they can go. But despite all that extravagance, the scenes – and most notably, the duets – between Satine and Christian are actually quite tender and grounded. “Come What May” stands out as a highlight, but honestly, when Ewan McGregor is looking at you like that – everything is a highlight.

You have to promise us one thing … promise us you won’t fall in love with this list. “A Walk to Remember” was 2002’s quintessential tear-jerker, and also gave us the best movie couple of the year in Landon and Jamie. Forced to participate in the school play as a punishment, bad boy Landon starts getting closer to preacher’s daughter Jamie, and – as these things tend to go – he falls in love with her. But, when Jamie reveals to Landon that she has leukemia, the two spend Jamie’s last months trying to cross numerous things off her bucket list. Even though we know it can’t last, watching Landon try so hard to make Jamie’s life special is really something.

In the early 2000s, fantasy/action couples were all the rage. We could have gone with Will and Elizabeth, the swashbuckling pair from “Pirates of the Caribbean”. But no one gave us more magic than Aragorn and Arwen from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. There’s nothing fantasy loves more than star-crossed lovers, and who’s more star-crossed than the exiled heir to the throne of Gondor and an immortal elf bound? Throughout the trilogy, Aragorn and Arwen meet obstacle after obstacle, but by the time we get to “The Return of the King” in 2003, these two lovebirds end up on top. Plus, they both are so beautiful, it hurts.

What’s more romantic than writing someone a letter everyday for a year? In 2004, absolutely nothing. That famous “kiss in the rain” moment is just one of many that make “The Notebook” so memorable. The movie’s main couple, Allie and Noah, perfectly embody the passion and excitement of a summer romance, the yearning that follows when it’s over, and the tenderness and pain that comes when you love someone through the hardest of times. Actors Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling had such electric chemistry in this film, it’s no wonder they ended up dating for a time afterwards.

Ang Lee’s Neo-Western romantic drama was a groundbreaking moment in queer cinema, telling the moving but also heartwrenching tale of two cowboys in love in 1960s Wyoming. In some ways, Ennis, played by Heath Ledger, and Jack, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, are opposites - with Ennis much more taciturn and closed off. But there’s also a loneliness central to both characters that Ledger and Gyllenhaal capture beautifully. Theirs is a classic story of love and passion in a world that wants to keep them apart. How this film didn’t win Best Picture is still baffling!

Another musical couple also caught our eye for this list (we love you, Gabriella and Troy). But one couple “broke free” from the rest. “Step Up” may have not been Channing Tatum’s first major role, but it’s certainly the one where he leapt and pirouetted straight into our hearts – and the one that introduced us to his sultry chemistry with co-star Jenna Dewan. The movie follows Tyler and Nora, who – despite their differences – find themselves dancing in a showcase together. There’s plenty of sexy dance sequences to enjoy, but the sweeter moments between Tatum and Dewan are adorable as well. It’s no wonder the pair were married for almost ten years.

Have you been dreaming of a true love’s kiss? Well, have no fear – “Enchanted” is here. This charming musical comedy shed light on the delight that is Amy Adams, and also her delightfully stuffy scene partner, Patrick Dempsey. When Robert meets Giselle – a cartoon princess who’s suddenly found herself projected into the real world – he’s curious, but skeptical about the overly optimistic woman in the puffy dress. Slowly but surely, Giselle draws Robert out of his shell with her infectious joy, while Robert introduces Giselle to some of the harder truths of the real world. The two balance each other out nicely, and their dance to Jon McLaughlin’s “So Close” at the ball is just lovely.

We know the obvious choice here is a certain teenager and her vampire boyfriend. But upon further reflection, we couldn’t give it to anyone except Jamal and Latika from “Slumdog Millionaire.” Torn apart by circumstance, childhood friends Jamal and Latika try to find each other over the years, but each time they do, they’re torn apart again. In one final act of desperation, Jamal goes on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” knowing Latika watches the show and might be able to contact him. The two finally reunite, and that final shot of Jamal seeing Latika at the train station is just beautiful.

That moment when a green card marriage suddenly gets real – that’s basically the entire plot of 2009’s “The Proposal,” a fun romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. When editor-in-chief Margaret Tate learns she’s going to be kicked out of the United States after violating the terms of her work visa, she convinces her assistant, Andrew, to marry her. Begrudgingly, Andrew agrees, and thus begins a hilarious romp that’s made all the funnier by the two comedic talents at its center. Bullock and Reynolds nail the comey bits, but they also really land their softer and sweeter moments, which in the end are what make the movie work.

Listen, if a guy agrees to fight your seven evil exes, that’s a pretty big declaration of love … even if the guy is kind of a jerk himself. “Scott Pilgrim” may have blown it at the box office in 2010, but it’s slowly garnered a cult following over the years, much to the credit of its loser protagonist and the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers. Alas, things are never as they seem, and amidst battling nefarious angry-eyebrowed actors, bloodthirsty vegans, and pop star ex-girlfriends, Scott and Ramona have a rough time making things work. We’re not sure if these two would still be together today, but even so, we have to admit they made it worthwhile to watch while it happened.

All we have to say is …. FINALLY! It took seven books and eight movies, but Harry Potter’s best friends Ron and Hermione finally admitted their feelings for each other in the last film, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.” This is another couple that really had their ups and downs – when you’ve had a giant crush on someone since you were 11, but refuse to do anything about it, things are bound to go haywire. But as we watched them grow up, it became clearer and clearer they were destined. And what better place to have your first kiss than in an underground chamber after killing a piece of Voldemort’s soul? We couldn’t ask for anything more.

2012: Sam Shakusky & Suzy Bishop “Moonrise Kingdom” (2012)

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Kids feel and experience love just as strongly as the rest of us – maybe even more so, at times. And no one proved that more than Sam and Suzy in Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom.” Sam and Suzy start their love affair as pen pals, but after bonding over their deep feelings of sadness and loneliness, they do what we all wish we could – run away to a secluded beach. The fairytale doesn’t last long, and the two have to learn some hard lessons along the way, but the sweet, shy love between them never fades. Actors Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward absolutely kill it, and we’ll always adore them for making us remember the rush of young love.

Who would have thought that 2013’s top movie couple would only involve one physical being? Well, if you’ve seen Spike Jonze’s “Her,” you know that with Scarlet Johansson’s voice, anything is possible. “Her” follows Theodore Twombly, a depressed and lonely man facing divorce, who starts a relationship with Samantha, a Siri-esque, super intelligent OS. The warm and softhearted relationship that unfolds between the two feels unique to the sci-fi genre, and relies heavily on incredible performances from both Johansson and Joaquin Phoenix. Even though Phoenix spends most of his time on screen alone, Johansson’s voice has a lively quality and physical presence that allows the two to connect beyond the tangible.

When it was announced “The Fault in Our Stars” would become a film in 2012, the question of which actors would take over the roles of YA literature favorites Hazel and Augustus was on everyone’s minds. Luckily, Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort fit the bill perfectly. From the moment the two are introduced onscreen, they’re able to bring to life every beloved moment from the book in a way that’s rare for book-to-movie adaptations. Truly, it’s hard to imagine any other pair falling into step with each other as easily as they did. You could almost say, the stars aligned.

2015: Carol Aird & Therese Belivet “Carol” (2015)

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The forgotten gloves that launched a phenomenon! Todd Haynes’ film follows the burgeoning romance between Carol, a woman on the cusp of divorce, and Therese, a young aspiring photographer, in the 1950s. As you might expect, many things get in their way, but the movie ends on a strangely hopeful note, and the chemistry between Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara leaps off the screen. The two actresses are able to find sensuality in every touch and interaction, projecting the yearning they must feel onto audiences, and making this an instant classic.

2016: Mia Dolan & Seb Wilder “La La Land” (2016)

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Musicals: They give us dancing, singing, and most of all, pure unadulterated romance with a happy ending – well, most of the time. Things for Mia and Sebastian certainly start off bathed in L.A. sunshine in 2016’s “La La Land,” but as dreams and work get in the way, the pair have to deal with harsh realities they’d rather avoid. Mia and Sebastian might not get the ending we expected in this modern musical, but that just makes those moments they had all the more special. Pair that with lovely chemistry from Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, and you’ve got a musical couple for the books.

2017: Diana Prince & Steve Trevor “Wonder Woman” (2017)

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Comic book movies have plenty of memorable couples, but in 2017, Diana and Steve crash landed into our movie screens and hearts. “Wonder Woman” was notable for a lot of reasons – being a female-led superhero movie being at the top of that list – but it certainly didn’t hurt that its two leads had such fun chemistry. From their intense first meeting, to their flirty boat ride to London, to a heartbreaking goodbye, Diana and Steve proved that they deserve their spot on this list time and time again.

2018 gave us a ton of really amazing couples to choose from – we could have gone with the musical stylings of Ally and Jackson in “A Star is Born”, or the international escapades of Nick and Rachel in “Crazy Rich Asians”. But there’s just something about Simon and Bram that puts a huge smile on our faces. The two don’t actually spend much of the film’s run time together – Simon spends most of the time trying to figure out who his romantic pen pal is, and Bram spends most of his time hiding the fact that he IS that romantic pen pal. But who could forget that magical moment where they finally meet and kiss on the ferris wheel?

Get your tissues, folks – this one’s a tear jerker. In this 2019 drama, Will and Stella are two teenagers with cystic fibrosis who form a relationship despite not being able to get close enough to touch. This complicates things throughout their romance, but watching them make the most of what they have is truly special. Their first date is a highlight – although they’re technically supposed to stay six feet apart, Stella maintains just a five foot distance, telling Will she’s “taking that foot, for us.” It’s a lovely movie about the power that love can bring.

Think “Groundhog’s Day,” but just a tad weirder. 2020’s “Palm Springs” was a surprising delight in every way, but Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti’s lively chemistry gives the movie that extra something. When Sarah follows Nyles into a mysterious cave on the night of her sister’s wedding, she accidentally gets stuck in a time loop – cursed to live the same day over and over. Luckily, Nyles is stuck too. The two have a ton of fun being as reckless and silly as possible, but they also take the time to get to know each other. It’s a funny, heartwarming tale about facing the music and finding someone to face it with.