Entertainment
The Best Black Romance Movies, Ranked
List Rules
Vote up your favorite romantic love story films that feature people of color in primary roles.
Some of the most romantic movies ever made feature casts of Black actors and actresses. The top Black romance movies woo audiences with compelling characters and heartwarming stories. This is a list of the greatest African American romance movies including everything from Poetic Justice to Love & Basketball to The Brothers. There are also some great black rom coms on this list as well if you're looking for something a light-hearted romance.
What films will you find on this list of the best Black romance movies? Prince made his acting debut in Purple Rain, a movie about love and the music business. The film won an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. Why Did I Get Married? is another great Black love story. Angela Bassett starred as a woman in her 40s enjoying a relationship with a younger man in How Stella Got Her Groove Back. Other good films featured on this list include The Best Man, Two Can Play That Game, and Claudine.
Which of these dramatic Black romance or romance comedy movies are your favorite? Give the best movies about people falling in love a vote up and vote down any you think other fans should avoid. Be sure to check back for new Black romance movies as they are added to the list.
Ranked by
- 1Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Alfre Woodard
- Released: 2000
- Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) are two childhood friends who both aspire to be professional basketball players. Quincy, whose father, Zeke (Dennis Haysbert), plays for the Los Angeles ...more - 2Larenz Tate, Nia Long, Isaiah Washington
- Released: 1997
- Directed by: Theodore Witcher
Two urban African-Americans, Darius (Larenz Tate), an aspiring writer, and Nina (Nia Long), an aspiring photographer, share an instant connection after a chance meeting at a Chicago club. The two ...more - 3Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Regina King
- Released: 1993
- Directed by: John Singleton
Still grieving after the murder of her boyfriend, hairdresser Justice (Janet Jackson) writes poetry to deal with the pain of her loss. Unable to get to Oakland to attend a convention because of her ...more - 4Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Yasiin Bey
- Released: 2002
- Directed by: Rick Famuyiwa
Sidney (Sanaa Lathan) and Dre (Taye Diggs) can attribute their friendship and the launch of their careers to one single childhood instant ... witnessing the birth of hip-hop on a New York street ...more - 5Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut
- Released: 1999
- Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee
After writing a soon-to-be bestselling novel, writer and committed bachelor Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs) attempts to hide the fact that his saucy new book is loosely based on the lives and loves of ...more - 6Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton
- Released: 2010
- Directed by: Sanaa Hamri
Physical therapist Leslie Wright (Queen Latifah) lands the dream job of working with basketball superstar Scott McKnight (Common). All goes well until Leslie finds that she is falling in love with ...more - 7Omar Epps, Taye Diggs, Richard T. Jones
- Released: 1999
- Directed by: Rick Famuyiwa
Three old friends -- Mike (Omar Epps), Roland (Taye Diggs) and Slim (Richard T. Jones) -- recount memories of their shared childhood in Inglewood, Calif., as they prepare for Roland's wedding to his ...more - 8Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, John Amos
- Released: 1988
- Directed by: John Landis
Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) is the prince of a wealthy African country and wants for nothing, except a wife who will love him in spite of his title. To escape an arranged marriage, Akeem flees to ...more - 9Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good
- Released: 2012
- Directed by: Tim Story
For one reason or another, friends Dominic (Michael Ealy), Jeremy (Jerry Ferrara), Michael (Terrence J) and Zeke (Romany Malco) just can't seem to seal the deal with the women in their lives. When ...more - 10Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett Smith, Bokeem Woodbine
- Released: 1994
- Directed by: Doug McHenry
In a violent, drug-infested neighborhood in Houston, Jason (Allen Payne) dreams of something better. He works as a TV salesman and helps out his mother, and tries to steer his criminally minded ...more - 11Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs, Regina King
- Released: 1998
- Directed by: Kevin Rodney Sullivan
Unlucky-in-love stockbroker Stella (Angela Bassett) jets to Jamaica with her gal pal Delilah (Whoopi Goldberg) for some fun in the sun. There, the 40-year-old working woman has an island fling with ...more - 12LL Cool J, Gabrielle Union, Duane Martin
- Released: 2003
- Directed by: Gary Hardwick
Eva has been in charge of her younger sisters ever since their parents died, many years ago. Eva's uncanny ability to interfere in her sisters' affairs has not endeared her to their spouses and ...more - 13Eddie Murphy, Halle Berry, Robin Givens
- Released: 1992
- Directed by: Reginald Hudlin
A cocky ad executive, Marcus (Eddie Murphy) has a reputation as a ladies' man. However, Marcus gets a taste of his own medicine when a merger finds him working under the beautiful Jacqueline (Robin ...more - 14Queen Latifah, Gérard Depardieu, LL Cool J
- Released: 2006
- Directed by: Wayne Wang
The discovery that she has a terminal illness prompts introverted saleswoman Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) to reflect on what she realizes has been an overly cautious life. So Georgia withdraws her ...more - 15Morris Chestnut, D.L. Hughley, Bill Bellamy
- Released: 2001
- Directed by: Gary Hardwick
Follows the hilarious path of four African-American men as they take on love, sex, friendship and two of life's most terrifying prospects -- commitment and honesty. Lifelong friends banded together ...more - 16Tyler Perry, Janet Jackson, Jill Scott
- Released: 2007
- Directed by: Tyler Perry
Eight married friends take their annual reunion vacation in the Colorado mountains. Revelations of infidelity involving one pair shatter the amicable mood, forcing the remaining friends to take a ...more - 17Vivica A. Fox, Morris Chestnut, Anthony Anderson
- Released: 2001
- Directed by: Mark Brown
When it comes to matters of the heart, keeping her man happy and committed is all in a day's work for Shanté Smith (Vivica A. Fox). Shanté is so adept at navigating the waters of romance that her ...more - 18Issa Rae, LaKeith Stanfield, Chanté Adams
- Released: 2020
- Directed by: Stella Meghie
When famed photographer Christina Eames dies unexpectedly, she leaves her estranged daughter, Mae, hurt, angry and full of questions. When Mae finds a photograph tucked away in a safe-deposit box, ...more - 19Martin Lawrence, Lynn Whitfield, Regina King
- Released: 1996
- Directed by: Martin Lawrence
Ladies' man Darnell Wright (Martin Lawrence) is used to getting his way with women. Although he is committed to marrying his longtime love, Mia (Regina King), he can't help himself when he meets the ...more - 20Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker, Minnie Driver
- Released: 2014
- Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Though she's been groomed for stardom all her life by an overbearing mother (Minnie Driver), singer Noni (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is having trouble dealing with her success. Feeling unable to cope any ...more - 21Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James
- Released: 2005
- Directed by: Andy Tennant
Dating coach Alex "Hitch" Hitchens (Will Smith) mentors a bumbling client, Albert (Kevin James), who hopes to win the heart of the glamorous Allegra Cole (Amber Valletta). While Albert makes ...more - 22Tyler Perry, Sharon Leal, Janet Jackson
- Released: 2010
- Directed by: Tyler Perry
In the Bahamas for their annual reunion, four couples are eager to share news about their lives over the past year. But when one's ex-husband arrives to break up her marriage and win her back, the ...more - 23Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall
- Released: 2013
- Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee
Nearly 15 years after they were last together as a group, college friends Lance (Morris Chestnut), Harper (Taye Diggs), Candace (Regina Hall), Quentin (Terrence Howard), Robyn (Sanaa Lathan), Jordan ...more - 24Angela Bassett, Paula Patton, Laz Alonso
- Released: 2011
- Directed by: Salim Akil
Sabrina Watson (Paula Patton) is a successful corporate lawyer who comes from an old-money family. When she meets Jason Taylor (Laz Alonso), she thinks she's found Mr. Right and eagerly accepts the ...more - 25Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Turner-Smith, Bokeem Woodbine
- Released: 2019
- Directed by: Melina Matsoukas
Slim and Queen's first date takes an unexpected turn when a policeman pulls them over for a minor traffic violation. When the situation escalates, Slim takes the officer's gun and shoots him in ...more
