Three movies to watch if you love ‘Gilmore Girls’
When the Gilmore Girls cast reunited at the Emmys this year, fans everywhere were reminded why Stars Hollow still feels like home. Every being who watched it was filled with nostalgia.
Seeing Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham share the stage again was enough to send the internet into a frenzy. It is living proof that Lorelai and Rory will always have a place in our hearts.
For so many of us, the show wasn’t just about quick-fire jokes. It was about mothers and daughters figuring things out together, about themselves and about family in all its messy forms. It was a constant reminder about how the smallest moments can end up being the ones that matter most. That’s why we keep going back to it. It is warm and funny, and it feels like a hug.
But if you have already done your rewatch (again) and need something new to fill the gap, Netflix has some recommendations. These movies won’t replace Gilmore Girls, but they carry the same kind of heart and fun, whether it’s through strong mother-daughter stories, witty romance, or characters that feel instantly familiar.
So, pour yourself a giant cup of coffee and get comfy. Here are three movies that will give you that little spark of Gilmore magic.
Three Netflix movies for Gilmore Girls fans:
The Life List (Adam Brooks, 2025)
This movie is a recent release and did well on Netflix. It’s a drama that follows a young woman named Alex Rose (Sofia Carson), whose late mother leaves her a list of childhood dreams to complete. Yes, a proper bucket list. Alex makes it her mission, and as she works her way through it, she experiences moments of joy, heartbreak, and growth, while also learning more about who her mother really was. It is quite tender and hopeful and carries just enough lightness to balance out the heavy parts.
The Gilmore connection here is obvious: it’s all about the mother-daughter bond. Just like Lorelai and Rory, Alex’s relationship with her mom shapes her choices, even after she is gone. It is a reminder of how those ties never really leave us and how mothers, even with their flaws, leave behind lessons that stick.
Always Be My Maybe (Nahnatchka Khan, 2019)
If you have already watched this rom-com, you know how underrated this is. This film is a story of Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park), who were childhood friends and reconnect years later. While Sasha becomes a successful chef, Marcus is a failed musician still stuck in his old town. When they meet after years, they realise that the spark is still there, but so are their differences. Their chemistry of Wong and Park is unbeatable, and when it’s mixed with an unforgettable Keanu Reeves cameo, you get one of Netflix’s funniest love stories.
Fans of Gilmore Girls will love the back-and-forth banter that drives this movie. It’s smart and playful, which are the same qualities that made Lorelai’s one-liners and the Stars Hollow crew so fun to watch. Like the show, it proves romance is rarely simple, but it’s always worth the mess.
Set It Up (Claire Scanlon, 2018)
Set It Up has got to be one of the most-watched and talked-about rom-coms of our time. But in case you have missed it, here is the plot. So Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell play two stressed-out assistants who accidentally meet and then decide that the easiest way to get a break from their nightmare bosses is to set them up on a date. The plan backfires in the best way and leads to romantic sparks of their own. With one of the best-written sets of sharp dialogue delivered by excessively charming leads and plenty of feel-good moments, this is one of Netflix’s most loved modern rom-coms.
The connection to Gilmore Girls here is not direct. But the hilarious script and moments, along with ordinary struggles turning into something bigger, will remind you of the premise of the show. Lorelai and Rory’s quick-fire conversations set the bar high, and Set It Up carries that same rhythm into a love story.