I’m picky when it comes to romantic comedies. I enjoy the genre, but there’s a fine line between charmingly sweet and overly sappy. So, when I find a rom-com that walks the line perfectly, I’m eager to shout about it.
That leads us to “Finding Emily,” a British rom-com that arrived in the U.K. in the spring and got a limited theatrical release in North America last month. Following this brief period in U.S. cinemas, it’s now available to buy/rent on Prime Video and Apple TV, and if you want a feel-good movie to boost your mood this week, there’s no better option around.
“Finding Emily” is the best rom-com movie of 2026, and you don’t have to take my word for it, either. The numbers don't lie; i’s the highest-scoring rom-com of the year on Rotten Tomatoes. This lovable little movie clearly has plenty of admirers. But it definitely hasn’t received the attention it deserves, so I’m here to make sure you find the time for “Finding Emily.”
What is ‘Finding Emily’ about?
![FINDING EMILY - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters August 28 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wc2UjmPzN8c/maxresdefault.jpg)
Young 23-year-old Owen (Spike Fern) works in a student bar in Manchester, England. While on shift, he meets Emily (Sadie Soverall) and becomes convinced he’s just experienced love at first sight. His attempts to contact her the next morning are thwarted when he realizes she’s given him the wrong number.
Undeterred and convinced the two had an instant connection, he sets out on a haphazard citywide quest to locate Emily. Along for the ride is an American psychology student, also named Emily (Angourie Rice), who, unbeknownst to Owen, plans to use his experience as a case study for her final assignment, proving that love leads to self-destructive behavior.
‘Finding Emily’ is the must-watch rom-com of 2026
The clue is in the name when it comes to romantic comedies. For a movie in the genre to work, it must nail the two fundamentals: romance and comedy (duh!).
In these key departments, “Finding Emily” is not found wanting. You can probably spot a mile off where the movie is going. As Owen’s quest to find Emily progresses, his chemistry with the other Emily, the one helping him in his search, is off the charts. Spike Fern and Angourie Rice play off each other well, with great comedic banter and a believable connection.
“Finding Emily” is also pleasantly funny, though extremely British. There's lots of dry sarcasm, painfully awkward moments, and characters fondly roasting each other. Even if one of its leads is an American student, this is a quintessential British movie, which does mean plenty of regional accents, so viewers in the States might need to watch with subtitles turned on!
Speaking of the region in which the movie takes place, the setting of Manchester, home of Oasis, Man Utd and the city’s iconic bee logo on almost every visible surface, is a fundamental part of the movie. The city is famed for its music scene, which is celebrated throughout “Finding Emily”; there’s even a cameo appearance from local indie band Blossoms.
In my opinion, “Finding Emily” is the best rom-com movie of 2026, and the numbers back me here. On the review site Rotten Tomatoes, “Finding Emily” is currently the highest-rated romantic comedy of the year with a strong 89% from critics and a slightly higher 90% viewer score.
This beats out its rom-com rivals like “Voicemails from Isabelle” (88%), “People We Meet on Vacation” (78%), “You, Me & Tuscany” (65%), and “One Night Only (43%). And it wipes the floor with Netflix's "Ladies First" (26%).
In fact, its RT score was actually several notches higher before its U.S. release over the summer. A flurry of more negative write-ups brought down the rating. I guess some American critics didn’t quite vibe with the British humor, or struggled to understand what Owen was actually saying!
“Finding Emily” is just one of the latest releases to arrive on premium streaming platforms this week. For alternative rental options and a roundup of new arrivals across the best streaming services, I put together a weekly guide to the top new movies you can watch; check it out.
Watch "Finding Emily" on Prime Video and Apple TV now
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