There are certain moments in cinema that are just permanently seared into our collective consciousness. For an entire generation, one of those moments is a simple, fleeting hand flex. In Joe Wright’s 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, after Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen) helps Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) into her carriage, he walks away, stunned by the brief contact, and flexes his hand. It’s a tiny, perfect gesture that encapsulates everything we love about the story: the repressed longing, the electric spark of a forbidden touch, and the slow, seismic shift of a man realizing his entire worldview has been upended by a woman he thought he couldn’t stand.
Jane Austen’s 1813 novel is more than just a pillar of English literature; it’s a foundational text for modern romance. It gave us the blueprint for the enemies-to-lovers trope, the headstrong heroine who won’t compromise her beliefs, and the brooding, arrogant hero who is secretly a decent guy underneath it all. Its DNA can be found in countless stories across every genre.
So, what do you watch when you’ve already worn out your DVDs of the 2005 film and the legendary 1995 BBC series? You look for films that capture that same spirit. This list isn’t just about corsets and country estates. It’s about films that understand the core components of Pride and Prejudice: sharp, witty dialogue, a keen eye for social hypocrisy, class-based tension, and a central romance that feels earned, transformative, and utterly intoxicating.
Here are the 16 best movies to watch when you’re craving that P&P magic.
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Let’s start with the most obvious and quintessential modern adaptation. Helen Fielding’s novel was a deliberate, brilliant retelling of P&P, and the film perfectly captures its chaotic charm. Bridget is our flawed but lovable Lizzie Bennet, navigating the social minefields of London instead of Hertfordshire. Colin Firth is Mark Darcy because, well, he was already the definitive Darcy for a generation. The film swaps ballroom dances for awkward Christmas parties and handwritten letters for embarrassing diary entries, but the core structure is all there: the mortifying first impression, the disdainful comments, and the slow realization that your worst enemy might just be your perfect match.
Emma. (2020)
Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV
If you want to stick with pure Austen, Autumn de Wilde’s take on Emma is a visual feast that crackles with the same sharp-witted energy as Pride and Prejudice. Anya Taylor-Joy’s Emma Woodhouse is a “handsome, clever, and rich” heroine whose misguided matchmaking attempts create social chaos. The film’s genius lies in its impeccable production design and a tone that is both archly funny and deeply sincere. The dynamic between Emma and Mr. Knightley (Johnny Flynn) is a masterclass in slow-burn romance between two people who know each other too well to admit they’re in love.
Fire Island (2022)
Where to watch: Hulu
A sharp, hilarious, and genuinely insightful queer retelling, Fire Island proves how eternally relevant Austen’s observations on class, social circles, and snap judgments truly are. Written by and starring Joel Kim Booster, the film maps the plot of Pride and Prejudice onto a weeklong vacation to the iconic gay destination. Booster’s Noah is our Lizzie, navigating a clique-filled world where status is measured in abs and proximity to the best parties. It’s a story about chosen family and the sting of condescension from the wealthy lawyer Will (Conrad Ricamora), our Darcy. It’s one of the smartest adaptations of a classic text in recent memory.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Where to watch: Disney+
While technically an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, the romantic core of this ‘90s teen classic has pure Darcy and Lizzie energy. Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) is a fiercely intelligent and non-conformist outcast—a perfect stand-in for Lizzie Bennet. Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) is the brooding bad boy paid to date her. Their relationship, built on a foundation of witty verbal sparring and mutual suspicion, blossoms into one of the most beloved screen romances of its era. The moment he serenades her on the bleachers is the modern equivalent of Darcy’s first, clumsy proposal.
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Written by Emma Thompson (who won an Oscar for her screenplay), this is perhaps the most emotionally resonant of the ‘90s Austen adaptations. It follows the Dashwood sisters—the pragmatic Elinor (Thompson) and the passionate Marianne (Kate Winslet)—as they navigate love and heartbreak after their family is left destitute. While the romance is more about quiet suffering than witty sparring, the film’s sharp critique of a society where a woman’s financial security is entirely dependent on marriage is pure Austen. It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting film.
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Where to watch: Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video
Swap the British aristocracy for Singapore’s dynastic ultra-rich, and you have a film that absolutely nails the class anxiety and “you’re not good enough for our family” drama of Pride and Prejudice. Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is a smart, self-made NYU professor who discovers her charming boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) is heir to a massive fortune. She is immediately thrown into a world of social warfare where she is judged for not being “one of them,” with Nick’s formidable mother (Michelle Yeoh) as the story’s unmovable Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Where to watch: Available to rent or buy Amazon Prime Video
The ultimate enemies-to-lovers rom-com for the dial-up era. Nora Ephron’s film updates the 1940 classic The Shop Around the Corner for the dawn of the internet. Independent bookstore owner Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) and big-box chain tycoon Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) are bitter business rivals in real life, all while unknowingly falling in love with each other through anonymous email exchanges. The witty banter, the mistaken identities, and the eventual collision of their online and offline personas feel like a direct descendant of Darcy and Elizabeth’s letter-fueled courtship.
Belle (2013)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
For those who love the social commentary of Austen, Belle is essential viewing. Based on the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the mixed-race daughter of an 18th-century Royal Navy Admiral, the film is a powerful examination of class, gender, and race in Georgian England. Raised as an aristocrat but denied a full place in society due to her skin color, Dido’s journey to find her voice and challenge the system is deeply compelling. It’s a period drama with incredibly high stakes and a romance that is tied to the very fight for justice.
Rye Lane (2023)
Where to watch: Hulu
Sometimes, it’s all about the vibe. Rye Lane isn’t a direct retelling of any classic, but it perfectly captures the feeling of meeting someone and having your entire world electrified by their conversation. This vibrant, stylish rom-com follows Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah) over the course of a single day in South London as they help each other navigate messy breakups. The dialogue is effervescent and hilarious, the chemistry is off the charts, and the film’s visual language is as energetic as its leads. It’s the Gen Z walk-and-talk answer to Austen’s witty courtship.
Little Women (2019)
Where to watch: Starz, or available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video
Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel shares a deep spiritual connection with Pride and Prejudice. Its focus is on a headstrong, ambitious female protagonist, Jo March (Saoirse Ronan), who is determined to make her own way in the world as a writer. The film celebrates sisterhood, challenges the economic and social constraints placed on women, and features a complex, non-traditional romance that will leave you breathless. The tension, arguments, and ultimate understanding between Jo and Laurie feel like they were born from the same literary universe as Lizzie and Darcy.
The Proposal (2009)
Where to watch: Netflix
A classic of the “we hate each other but now we have to pretend to be in love” subgenre. Sandra Bullock plays a ruthless book editor who forces her long-suffering assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her to avoid being deported to Canada. The setup is pure farce, but the execution hits all the right notes: forced proximity in a remote location (in this case, Alaska), the slow thawing of a frosty exterior, and the discovery of a vulnerable person underneath the armor. It’s a high-concept rom-com that understands the simple power of putting two charismatic people who can’t stand each other in a room together.
Far from the Madding Crowd (2015)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Based on the Thomas Hardy novel, this gorgeous film stars Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene, a fiercely independent woman who inherits a farm and finds herself pursued by three very different suitors. Like Elizabeth Bennet, Bathsheba is determined to maintain her autonomy in a world built to deny it. The film is a lush, dramatic exploration of love and choice, anchored by Mulligan’s fantastic performance and a central romance with the stoic farmer Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts) that has all the slow-burn satisfaction of a classic.
Love & Friendship (2016)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
If your favorite part of Pride and Prejudice is the lacerating wit, you need to watch Whit Stillman’s adaptation of Austen’s novella Lady Susan. Kate Beckinsale gives a career-best performance as the deliciously manipulative and utterly charming widow Lady Susan Vernon, who schemes to secure husbands for herself and her daughter. The dialogue is relentlessly clever and hilariously cynical, delivered at a pace that demands your full attention. It’s Austen at her most venomous and, arguably, her most fun.
Stardust (2007)
Where to watch: Netflix
Hear me out. This fantasy adventure, based on Neil Gaiman’s novel, has a classic enemies-to-lovers plot at its core. A young man (Charlie Cox) ventures into a magical realm to retrieve a fallen star for his beloved, only to find the star is a living woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes) who is cynical and thoroughly unimpressed with him. Their journey together, bickering and bonding while being chased by witches and princes, is a fantasy spin on the same romantic arc. It’s a story about discovering that what you thought you wanted isn’t what you need at all.
About Time (2013)
Where to watch: Available to rent or buy in Amazon Prime Video
About Time is less about the combative courtship and more about capturing the warmth and deep, abiding love that lies at the heart of Austen’s happy endings. From writer-director Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Notting Hill), the film follows a young man (Domhnall Gleeson) who learns he can travel in time and uses his ability to win the heart of the woman he loves (Rachel McAdams). What begins as a high-concept rom-com evolves into a profoundly moving story about family, loss, and cherishing the ordinary moments of a life well-lived. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a warm hug.
Set It Up (2018)
Where to watch: Netflix
This clever Netflix rom-com understands the tropes so well that its characters actively try to deploy them. Two overworked and underpaid assistants (Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell) decide to set up their tyrannical bosses (Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs) to get them off their backs. While the main romance between the assistants is charming, the real P&P energy comes from the bosses—two powerful, guarded, and seemingly incompatible people who find an unlikely spark. It’s a smart, meta-commentary on the genre itself.
Conclusion
Whether you’re drawn to the swoon-worthy slow burn of enemies-to-lovers, the biting social commentary, or the timeless charm of strong-willed heroines and emotionally repressed heroes, Pride and Prejudice has shaped modern romance in countless ways. The films on this list don’t just mimic the aesthetics of Austen’s world—they echo its heart: wit, vulnerability, class tensions, and the thrill of discovering love in the most unexpected places. So when you’re in need of that same spark—the hand flex moment, the turning-point glance, the ache of realizing your pride or prejudice has kept you from happiness—these movies deliver. Each one captures a piece of that P&P magic and proves that, even centuries later, Jane Austen’s influence is as irresistible as ever.
