The thriller and romance genres are two of the most popular around, so it stands to reason that when you combine them into a romantic thriller, the results can be pretty explosive. Netflix, as the world’s most popular streaming service, clearly recognizes this winning combination and currently offers subscribers a selection of romantic thrillers that chronicle twisting tales of love, betrayal, and often a bit of murder.
Unfortunately, the subgenre is known for often producing duds (see “You Get Me” or “The Boy Next Door” as prime examples currently streaming on the Big Red service), which is why I’m picking out five romantic thrillers that you can watch on Netflix that manage to offer the best of both worlds. These flicks also straddle the line between comedy, sci-fi and murder-mystery so there’s likely one for every single taste.
These are the five best romantic thriller movies on Netflix that you can watch right now.
'Hit Man' (2024)
The summer of Glen Powell has drawn to a close but we’ll always have the memories. And while his role in the disaster flick “Twisters” scored the big box office dollars, his leading role in Richard Linklater’s “Hit Man” (which the actor co-wrote with the acclaimed director) was his real shining moment, at least, in this writer’s opinion. This Netflix original is the perfect blend of comedy, romance and thrills with a towering leading performance from Powell at its core.
Gary Johnson (Powell) is the most in-demand contract killer in New Orleans. But underneath the various fake identities, he’s actually a school teacher, moonlighting as a bogus assassin for the local police department. His role in these sting operations is simple, play the role and then get out, but the job gets a whole lot harder when he meets a young woman (Adria Arjona) looking for help escaping from her abusive husband. And so begins a twisting tale of lies and (mostly fake) murder.
Watch "Hit Man" on Netflix
'Rebecca' (2020)
The last time Daphne du Maurier’s novel “Rebecca” was adapted into a movie was by the Master of Suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock. That 1940 movie went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars. This Netflix attempt at bringing the classic tale to life wasn't quite as successful, but under the guidance of director Ben Wheatley, it’s still a pretty enjoyable romantic thriller, even if it will forever live in the shadow of its Hitchcockian counterpart.
Lily James plays a young woman who has just married a wealthy widower, Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer), after a whirlwind romance in Monte Carlo. Moving into her new husband's plush English manor, the new Mrs. de Winter finds herself fending off a figurative ghost as the shadow of Maxim’s first wife looms large, the elegant Rebecca. The disapprovment and scorn from the manor’s housekeeper Mrs. Danbers (Kirstin Scott Thomas) only adds to the drama.
Watch "Rebecca" on Netflix
'The Discovery' (2017)
“The Discovery” arguably skews a little closer to the romantic-drama side of the scale, but its engaging sci-fi story provides just enough thrills that I believe it merits inclusion on this list. Released in 2017, it was one of Netflix’s early original movie hits, and even though it’s since been relegated to the back of the streaming service’s library, it deserves to be dusted off and enjoyed once again, as it remains one of the platforms best movies.
Dr. Thomas Harbor (Robert Redford) is a scientist who makes the discovery of a lifetime when he uncovers definitive proof of the existence of the afterlife. While many choose to commit suicide upon hearing the news, some stay behind, in this existence, in an attempt to find new meaning to ordinary life. One of those lost souls is Harbor’s son Will (Jason Segel), and after an encounter with a mysterious young woman Isla (Rooney Mara), his life is changed, and the two begin to bond.
Watch "The Discovery" on Netflix
'All Good Things' (2010)
Before he was Ken, and before he declared that he would no longer take on “dark” roles anymore, Ryan Gosling starred in “All Good Things” a 2010 romantic thriller loosely based on a true story. Pairing Gosling with Kirsten Dunst proves to be a shrewd move, and the two leads get more from what proves to be quite ropey written material than you might expect.
David Marks (Gosling) is the heir to a real-estate empire and lives under the thumb of his powerful father (Frank Langella). But when he meets Katie (Dunst), he believes he’s finally found somebody who loves him for the person he is rather than his family’s wealth. The two set about marrying and building a life together, but David is not so easily able to unstitch himself from the family business, and what starts as the perfect relationship quickly deteriorates thanks to sinister outside forces.
Watch "All Good Things" on Netflix
'The Adjustment Bureau' (2011)
Selling “The Adjustment Burera” to sci-fi fans is pretty easy; the fact it's based on a Philip K. Dick short story will get genre fans on board. This romantic thriller stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, and it'll have you hooked from the very first scene. Damon and Blunt have great chemistry, and even if you don’t care for their romance, the twisting narrative will keep you guessing until the very final moments.
Politician David Norris (Damon) is rehearsing his concession speech following an election loss when he meets a mysterious woman (Blunt). Instantly taken with her, David has no means of contacting her after failing to get her name or number. But it’s no stroke of bad luck that he can’t see her again as David learns there is a mysterious organization trying to keep them apart. With fate itself working against their romance, David must defy the odds to be with her, or accept a predetermined path that means they can never be together.
Watch "The Adjustment Bureau" on Netflix
