A Gay Happy Ending for All
It's never a bad time to kick your feet up and watch a movie that celebrates queer love and joy. That's right -- not every gay movie has to end with heartbreak. So grab some popcorn, track down the remote, and get comfy. Here are 14 movies that will make you believe in happily ever after, along with where to stream them.
‘My Beautiful Laundrette’ (1985)
Daniel Day-Lewis and Gordon Warnecke star in this Academy and BAFTA Award-nominated film about a Pakistani Briton and his boyfriend opening a laundromat.
Available for rent on Prime Video.
‘Maurice’ (1987)
Romance, heartbreak, and, yes, happy endings abound in this Edwardian era love story starring Hugh Grant. It centers on a man recovering from rejection by his lover and coming to terms with his sexuality.
Available to stream on Tubi.
‘Beautiful Thing’ (1996)
This British romance is set in a South East London housing estate where two young men meet, connect over shared trauma, and fall in love.
Available for rent on Prime Video.
‘Big Eden’ (2001)
A man returns home to his small Montana town to finally address his unrequited passion for a high school best friend. He fears what it will mean to be gay in a small town, but the people of Big Eden might just surprise him.
Available to stream on Prime Video.
‘Latter Days’ (2003)
It's a classic love story of opposites attracting in this sweet romance about a party boy falling for a young Mormon missionary.
Available to stream on Tubi.
‘Touch of Pink’ (2004)
Alim, a closeted gay man living in Canada, has his life turned upside down when his conservative mother pops into town for a visit. He and his boyfriend are forced to play it straight, causing Alim to summon a vision of the ghost of Cary Grant -- yes, Cary Grant (Kyle MacLachlan) -- to help him cope with the stress and finally be his truest self.
Available to stream on Prime Video.
‘Shelter’ (2007)
A young surfer finds his plans for going away to college upturned when he has to tend to family obligations. Fortunately, he has the arms of his friend's older brother to fall into.
Available to stream on HereTV.
‘North Sea Texas’ (2011)
This Belgian film follows Pim, a young, sensitive gay boy who can't help but fall for Gino, the handsome kid next door. What begins as friends with benefits soon becomes much more for Pim.
Available to stream on Tubi.
‘The Way He Looks’ (2014)
Leonardo is a young blind boy who craves independence. But the arrival of Gabriel in his life changes the way he sees the world and himself forever in this Brazilian coming-of-age romance.
Available for rent on Prime Video.
‘Boys’ (Jongens) (2014)
Love blossoms between friends and relay race teammates Sieger and Eddy throughout the summer in this coming-of-age romance from the Netherlands.
Available to stream on Tubi.
‘Moonlight’ (2016)
This alternately heartbreaking and heartwarming coming-of-age tale brought home the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali. It also won Best Kiss at the MTV Movie & TV Awards. The film follows the life of a young black man named Chiron through three stages of his life while he struggles to accept his sexuality.
Available to stream on Showtime.
‘God’s Own Country’ (2017)
Johnny Saxby (Josh O'Connor) lives an isolated life on his farm in Yorkshire. He acts out in his off time with drinking and casual sex. However, his life is upended by the arrival of a Romanian migrant named Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu), who ignites a different passion within him.
Available to stream on Hulu.
‘Love, Simon’ (2018)
Simon (Nick Robinson) has a pretty nice, normal life with great friends and a supportive family. He just has one secret: He's gay and is unwilling to come out for fear it will upset his world. But his anonymous correspondence with a guy named Blue changes all of that as he begins trying to figure out who his mystery man is.
Available to stream on Amazon Freevee.
‘Fire Island’ (2022)
Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, and Margaret Cho star in this groundbreaking film based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. When a group of friends discovers that this will likely be their last summer spent on Fire Island together, they decide to make the most of it with plenty of partying and romance.
Available to stream on Hulu.
‘Heartstopper’ (2022)
OK, fine, this one's a bit of a cheat because it's a series and not a film, but it's so cute that it's a must watch this Pride Month. Based on the comic of the same name by Alice Oseman, this sweet coming-of-age romance follows teens Charlie and Nick as they discover that their friendship is something much deeper and sweeter.
Available to stream on Netflix.
