If you loved the intense romance and emotional rollercoaster of After, you’re probably craving more movies that deliver the same feels. The story of Tessa and Hardin’s tumultuous relationship struck a chord with audiences, making After a massive hit.
Luckily, there are plenty of other movies out there that explore similar themes of young love, self-discovery, and overcoming obstacles. Whether you’re in the mood for a tearjerker, a steamy romance, or a coming-of-age tale, these 19 movies like After are sure to satisfy your craving for an emotional love story.
1. The Kissing Booth
The Kissing Booth follows Elle, a quirky teen whose friendship with Lee is put to the test when she falls for his older brother Noah. Like After, it’s a story of forbidden love and the challenges of balancing romance with other relationships.
The chemistry between Joey King and Jacob Elordi is electric, making their onscreen romance totally swoonworthy. And with two sequels already out, you can really dive deep into this story.
2. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
What if your secret love letters somehow got mailed to your crushes? That’s the mortifying situation Lara Jean finds herself in To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. To cover up her true feelings, she and one of the letter recipients, Peter, decide to fake date each other.
Of course, real feelings soon get in the mix, leading to a sweet and heartfelt romance. Like After, TATBILB shows how an unlikely couple can bring out the best in each other. And the two charming leads, Lana Condor and Noah Centineo, make it impossible not to root for them.
3. The Fault in Our Stars
Get your tissues ready, because The Fault in Our Stars is a certified tearjerker. Hazel and Gus are two teens who fall in love after meeting in a cancer support group. Despite their health struggles, they form a deep and meaningful bond.
It’s a story about living life to the fullest and cherishing every moment with the ones you love. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort give stunningly vulnerable performances that will leave you in a puddle of emotions, much like After’s most heart-wrenching scenes.
4. Five Feet Apart
Can you fall in love with someone you can never touch? That’s the central question in Five Feet Apart, a romantic drama about two cystic fibrosis patients who must always stay six feet apart to avoid cross-infection.
Despite the distance between them, Stella and Will form an unbreakable connection. This movie is a poignant reminder that love can overcome even the greatest of obstacles. Keep the Kleenex handy for this one.
5. The Notebook
An undisputed classic of the romance genre, The Notebook tells the decades-spanning love story of Noah and Allie. From their summer fling as teenagers to their reunion years later, their relationship is tested by disapproving parents, World War II, and class differences.
But through it all, their love remains as passionate and unyielding as ever. Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams’ chemistry is the stuff of movie legend. If you’re a hopeless romantic like many After fans, The Notebook is required viewing.
6. A Walk to Remember
Based on the Nicholas Sparks novel, A Walk to Remember is a coming-of-age romance between a rebellious teen and a minister’s daughter. Landon is a “bad boy” forced to do community service, which leads him to unlikely love with bookish Jamie.
But their relationship faces the ultimate test when tragedy strikes. This movie expertly balances teen romance tropes with deeper themes of faith, redemption, and living life to the fullest. There won’t be a dry eye in the house by the end.
7. Love, Rosie
Rosie and Alex have been best friends since childhood, but timing and circumstances always seem to keep them from becoming something more. Love, Rosie follows them through the ups and downs of their lives as they drift apart and come back together over the years.
It’s a relatable story about missed opportunities, enduring friendship, and the messy realities of adulthood. Like After, it shows that the path to true love is rarely a straight line. But it’s a journey worth taking.
8. The Last Song
Ronnie is a troubled teen sent to spend the summer with her estranged father in a quiet beach town. Though she’s initially resistant, she soon opens her heart to love with Will and reconnects with her dad and her passion for music.
But just as things are looking up, tragedy upends Ronnie’s world. The Last Song is a poignant coming-of-age story about family, first love, and overcoming grief. Miley Cyrus shows her dramatic acting chops, and her chemistry with Liam Hemsworth is genuinely touching.
9. The Spectacular Now
The Spectacular Now is a raw and realistic look at the joys and pains of young love. Sutter is a charming but aimless high school senior who unexpectedly falls for “nice girl” Aimee. Together, they bring out new sides of each other – but Sutter’s drinking problem threatens to derail their future.
Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley give naturalistic performances that capture the soaring highs and devastating lows of teenage romance. It’s a quietly powerful film that will resonate long after the credits roll.
10. The Vow
Inspired by a true story, The Vow is about a woman who loses all memory of her husband after a car accident. Determined not to lose the love of his life, Leo attempts to win Paige’s heart all over again – even as she feels like a stranger in her own life.
It’s a unique twist on the typical romance narrative, with added stakes and emotional heft. Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams have lovely chemistry and make you believe in the enduring power of love, much like Tessa and Hardin’s epic romance in After.
11. Dear John
Another Nicholas Sparks adaptation, Dear John chronicles the long-distance love story of a soldier and a college student. John and Savannah fall head over heels for each other, but their relationship is tested by his deployments and the challenges of military life.
It’s a heart-tugging romance that also pays tribute to the sacrifices of the armed forces and their loved ones. Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried make a picture-perfect couple you can’t help but cheer for.
12. The Lucky One
Zac Efron stars as a Marine who travels to North Carolina to find the woman he believes was his good luck charm during his tours in Iraq. He ends up falling in love with single mom Beth, but his secret could threaten their relationship.
The Lucky One is a sweet and soulful romance about fate, destiny, and taking chances. It’s the kind of feel-good love story that After fans will eat up with a spoon.
13. The Choice
Travis and Gabby are neighbors who initially clash but eventually can’t fight their attraction to each other. But their love is put to the ultimate test when a car accident leaves Gabby in a coma, and Travis has to decide how far he’ll go for love.
The Choice, based on the Nicholas Sparks book, is a romance that doesn’t pull any punches. It’s a tearjerker for sure, but it’s ultimately an uplifting story about the enduring nature of true love. Keep the tissues handy for this one.
14. Me Before You
When vivacious Louisa becomes a caregiver for prickly quadriplegic Will, she’s determined to prove to him that life is still worth living. In the process, they change each other’s lives in ways they never could have imagined.
Me Before You is a heartbreaker of a romance that also tackles heavy themes of disability, depression, and assisted suicide. But it’s also a celebration of living life to the fullest and opening yourself up to love. Like After, it shows the transformative power of an unlikely relationship.
15. The Longest Ride
Yet another Nicholas Sparks joint, The Longest Ride parallels the love story of a young couple with that of an elderly man reflecting on his marriage. It’s a multigenerational romance that’s equal parts passion and heartbreak.
As Sophia and Luke navigate the challenges of their own relationship, they find inspiration in Ira’s decades-long love for his wife. For fans of After’s epic romance, this movie delivers sweeping emotions and timeless themes of love and commitment.
16. Forever My Girl
Liam is a country music superstar who returns to his hometown for the first time in years for a funeral. There he reunites with Josie, the fiancée he left at the altar, and meets the daughter he never knew he had.
As Liam attempts to make amends and rebuild his life, he rekindles his romance with Josie. Forever My Girl is a sweet story of second chances, forgiveness, and the power of love to heal old wounds. If you’re a sucker for a good redemption arc, this movie will hit the spot.
17. The Best of Me
High school sweethearts Amanda and Dawson are reunited after 20 years apart when they return to their hometown for a funeral. Though their lives have taken very different paths, they soon discover their love for each other has never died.
But as they reconnect, secrets from the past threaten to tear them apart once again. The Best of Me is a decades-spanning romance full of passion, tragedy, and the enduring power of first love. It’s an emotional rollercoaster ride from start to finish.
18. Endless Love
Endless Love is the story of a privileged girl and a charismatic boy whose instant desire sparks a love affair made only more reckless by parents trying to keep them apart.
Jade and David’s romance is all-consuming, passionate, and more than a little dangerous. But they’re willing to risk everything to be together. If you loved the intensity and rebelliousness of Hessa’s relationship in After, this movie is right up your alley.
19. The Mountain Between Us
Stranded after a tragic plane crash, two strangers must forge a connection to survive the extreme elements of a remote snow covered mountain. When they realize help is not coming, they embark on a perilous journey across the wilderness.
The Mountain Between Us is a sweeping romance set against a harrowing survival story. Like After, it’s a story of two people finding love under extraordinary circumstances and against all odds.
Whether you’re looking for a tearjerker, a steamy romance, or an against-all-odds love story, there’s a movie on this list that will give you all the feels you crave after watching After.
From coming-of-age tales to second chance romances to survival love stories, these movies all have one thing in common: they celebrate the earth-shattering, life-changing power of love. They’ll make you laugh, cry, and believe in soulmates.
