Valentine's Day is this coming Monday, and in case you were looking for an excuse to stay inside, pop some popcorn, and watch a rom-com or two, we’ve got a list of Seattle-themed movies for you to choose from.


In alphabetical order, here are...

Six Seattle Rom-coms To Stream On Valentine's Day Weekend


10 Things I Hate About You -

Stream on Disney+

The 1999 film, a charming teen comedy based on Shakespeare's The Taming Of The Shrew, was filmed at several Tacoma locations, including Stadium High School. Bonus points for... a pre-West Wing Allison Janney, a soundtrack that Ben Wyatt would love, having your prom at The Paramount, paintball at Gas Works Park. Watch this if... you like Can't Hardly Wait or Pretty In Pink.


Love, Guaranteed -

Stream on Netflix

A 2020 film set and shot in Seattle, and one that we have not seen. One reviewer referred to it as "sufficiently harmless and blandly cozy, like a Hallmark Channel movie that somehow broke loose and found its way to Netflix." Watch this if... you're in the tank for the Netflix industrial rom-com complex and want something new to watch.


Safety Not Guaranteed -

Pay to stream on Apple/Amazon/Google

This is more of a sci-fi/rom-com than a straight rom-com, but it is charming, with good performances from Mark Duplass and Aubrey Plaza. It takes place in Ocean View, Washington, the southwest corner of the state. Watch this if... you like time travel, are looking for something a bit more serious than typical rom-com fare, or are a fan of Aubrey Plaza.


Say Anything... -

Stream on Cinemax or Pay to stream on Apple/Amazon/Google

Cameron Crowe's directorial debut is a great 1989 film about romance between Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack), a high school senior on the cusp of graduation, unsure of what he wants to do with his life, and Diane Court (Ione Skye), the valedictorian with a plan. Bonus points for John Mahoney (the dad from Frasier), the scene where they drive on the Alaskan Way Viaduct (removed in 2019), Joan Cusack playing the sister to Dobler (uncredited). Watch this if... you're a Peter Gabriel fan, like kickboxing, or generally enjoy coming-of-age films.


Singles -

Pay to stream on Apple/Amazon/Google

Another Cameron Crowe film, from 1992, and a great time capsule of peak Seattle grunge, is the story of two couples and their romantic challenges. Bonus points for an excellent grunge soundtrack and cameos by Eddie Vedder, Alice In Chains and more grunge icons, Seattleite Tom Skerrit playing the Seattle mayor, and lots of shots of 1990's Seattle. Watch this if… you like Kicking And Screaming or The Apartment. Remember: a compliment for us… is a compliment for you.


Sleepless in Seattle -

Stream on Amazon Prime/Roku

A Nora Ephron film about Seattle that is quite literally iconic - plastered on t-shirts and pillows at SeaTac International Airport to this day. The geography problems of this film aside (how does one get from Westlake to Alki by boat in the same amount of time it takes to drive? It’s not possible), this is one of the best rom-coms of all time, and Hanks and Ryan have great screen chemistry. Bonus points for Rob Reiner and Tom Hanks hanging out at Pike Place Market, Meg Ryan’s character breaking up with Bill Pullman’s character during Valentine’s Day dinner (spoiler, not sorry), and a great supporting cast (Victor Garber, Rita Wilson, Rosie O’Donnell). Watch this if… you haven’t seen it before, if you love Seattle or rom-coms.

 

And if you're looking for something to cook between/during/after your rom-com marathon, we have to recommend the Seared Scallops with Asparagus Risotto episode of our video series Bite Size Seattle. This is a great special occasion dish that has an excellent time-to-finished-product ROI. Check out the video and full recipe here.

 

Happy Valentine's Day from all of us at the JanusGroup.