- Primary Subject: Streaming Guide for movies like (500) Days of Summer
- Key Update: In February 2026, the cult classic (500) Days of Summer returned to Hulu, sparking a renewed viral debate over whether Tom or Summer was the "villain" of the story.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 11, 2026
- Quick Answer: You can stream (500) Days of Summer on Hulu as of February 2026; other similar "anti-romcoms" like Past Lives and Ruby Sparks are on HBO Max and Hulu.
If you loved the non-linear and realistic storytelling, the Expectations vs. Reality sequence, or the bittersweet deconstruction of the "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" trope, these films offer a similar blend of indie charm and romantic realism to (500) Days of Summer. And here are 9 other movies just like it!
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind follows Joel and Clementine in a sci-fi romantic drama, wherein the couple undergoes a medical procedure to erase memories of their failed relationship. Think Black Mirror for the fantasy sci-fi bit of the story.
Just like 500 Days, the film explores a non-linear narrative of a failing relationship as it literally breaks down why we tend to cling to memories of people who aren't right for us.
Purchase or Rent: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Someone Great (2019)
Just like (500) Days of Summer, the 2019 Netflix film uses a vibrant, music-heavy look at a breakup. It also uses flashbacks to show the "good times" in a fostering relationship as the protagonist struggles to accept that the relationship is over.
Streaming Platforms: Netflix
Celeste & Jesse Forever (2012)
If it's the messy part of romcoms you're into, Celeste & Jesse Forever explores the "messy" transition from soulmates to just being friends after undergoing a divorce.
Streaming Platform: Tubi
Purchase or Rent: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight Trilogy (1995-2013)
Unlike how (500) Days unfolded, Before Sunrise finds two strangers in a foreign place, and leads their "talking stage" to a literal level by being an almost entirely dialogue-driven film. The Before Sunrise trilogy feels just as intimate and "real" as Tom and Summer's IKEA trips, as it focuses on unraveling their connection over 20 years.
Streaming Platform (Before Midnight): Amazon Prime Video
Purchase or Rent: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Past Lives (2023)
Past Lives, which received 2 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, is a modern masterpiece about "In-Yun" (fate) and the people we almost ended up with. Combining the Realities vs. Expectations trope with Right Person, Wrong Time ache, Past Lives sheds light on the painstakingly slow-burning love that the universe uses to prepare soulmates for when they need each other.
Streaming Platform: HBO Max
Ruby Sparks (2012)
When it comes to deconstructing the "Dream Girl", Ruby Sparks takes it on a fantastical level, wherein the titular character is actually the "dream girl" that the male lead writer created from his manuscript, only to realize that despite the fictional work, he still can't control a real person's agency to become exactly the person he wants in life.
Streaming Platforms: Hulu, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video
Annie Hall (1977)
Annie Hall was the blueprint for the modern "anti-romcom." It begins with the breakup and spends the rest of the movie analyzing what exactly went wrong through fourth-wall-breaking and surrealism.
Streaming Platforms: The Roku Channel, MGM+, Amazon Prime Video
Blue Valentine (2010)
(500) Days of Summer followed Tom through his rose-colored glasses in his relationship before the truth struck him hard in the end. Blue Valentine went through the same thing, except it's a much darker take on the theme of Expectations vs. Reality, contrasting its beautiful, harmonious beginning with its agonizing end.
Purchase or Rent: Amazon Prime Video
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a realistic romance in its way. This coming-of-age story subverts romantic expectations, considering that the "dying girl" in question led Greg, a self-loathing high school senior, to fall in love with her, despite the unconventional friendship and Rachel's circumstance in dealing with leukemia.
Purchase or Rent: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
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