13 of the Best ‘Galentine’s Day’ Movies to Stream Now
Celebrate your squad with this collection of hits and overlooked classics
Valentine's Day celebrates your partner, but on Feb. 13, you honor your girlfriends. Galentine's Day is a holiday whose origins date back to ancient times—specifically, a 2010 episode of the beloved sitcom Parks and Recreation in which Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) celebrates her support circle with waffles and gifts.
The holiday has since taken on a life of its own, and for good reason. As Knope explains on the show, it's all about "ladies celebrating ladies," and the sentiment is deeply felt in the proximity of the adjacent and often fraught holiday celebrating romantic love. To help you remember the women in your life, I've assembled a collection of movies you can watch with your gal pals to honor the holiday. Some are obvious classics, while others you may have missed. All are streaming now, or available for digital rental. Grab the popcorn and your best friends and enjoy.
Boys on the Side (1995)
An unlikely trio (Whoopi Goldberg, Drew Barrymore, and Mary-Louise Parker) take a road trip from New York City to Los Angeles but get sidetracked in Tucson, Arizona, when one has a health scare. Featuring a soundtrack filled with selections from '90s female singer-songwriters and an early appearance by Matthew McConaughey, this dramedy shows how friends can become our chosen family.
Where to stream: Plex
Whip It (2009)
Speaking of Drew Barrymore, the actress made her directorial debut in this comedy about the daughter of a former beauty pageant winner who finds her tribe on a roller derby team. In addition to Barrymore, the cast includes Elliot Page, Kristen Wiig, Alia Shawkat, Eve, and Juliette Lewis.
Where to stream: Cinemax, Digital rental
Troop Beverly Hills (1989)
There have been talks of a sequel to this late '80s cult classic about a spoiled socialite (Shelly Long) who becomes the leader of her daughter's Wilderness Girls troop, but it's hard to beat the original. It also features the acting debut of indie singer Jenny Lewis, who references the film in her video "She's Not Me."
Where to stream: Digital rental
Girls Trip (2017)
Featuring a breakthrough performance by Tiffany Haddish, this comedy about a self-help guru reconnecting with her friends (the Flossy Posse) on a trip to New Orleans features a bunch of hilarious scenes of their exploits, including one that will make you think twice about trying zip-lining.
Where to stream: Peacock, Digital rental
A League of Their Own (1992)
The studio marketing team put Tom Hanks front and center to promote this movie about the first women's professional baseball league. While he's hilarious as a down-and-out manager, Geena Davis, Rosie O'Donnell, Lori Petty, and Madonna give the movie its heart.
Where to stream: Digital rental
Booksmart (2019)
On the last day of high school, two nerds (Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever) try to cram all the fun they missed during the last four years into one night, with hilarious results. Labeling this the female Superbad is easy, but it's too intelligent and earnest to fit that model.
Where to stream: YouTube, Digital rental
Lady Bird (2017)
Beanie Feldstein also has a role in Greta Gerwig's directorial debut, playing the titular character's best friend. Lady Bird (Saoirse Ronan) is a 17-year-old Catholic school student awkwardly coming of age in Sacramento, the town she longs to leave. Hilarious and sincere, this Oscar-nominated film shows that Gerwig was a confident filmmaker long before she created Barbie's world.
Where to stream: Netflix, Paramount+ with Showtime, Digital rental
The Trouble with Angels (1966)
Two Catholic school girls give their hip Mother Superior and her staff of nuns a hell of a lot of trouble in this '60s comedy about questioning authority and finding satisfaction in life. Like Lady Bird, this film finds friendship and hilarity in a place seemingly devoid of it.
Where to stream: Digital rental
9 to 5 (1980)
Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda are three office friends who scheme to get revenge on their "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot" of a boss. The leading actresses have remained close in the decades since this film broke several box office records for a female-led production.
Where to stream: Digital rental
Clueless (1995)
A '90s riff on Jane Austen's Emma, the film follows the superficial Cher, who begins to find fulfillment in setting up her teachers and friends. However, she can't seem to make it work when it comes to finding love for herself. Featuring a cast of future stars (including the ageless Paul Rudd), Clueless transcended the teen film stereotype by giving its characters brilliance and depth.
Where to stream: Paramount+ with Showtime, Digital rental
The Joy Luck Club (1993)
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, this film's title refers to four Chinese immigrants in San Francisco who meet regularly to play mahjong and converse about their daughters. Cultures and generations clash in this heartwarming film, one of the first with a primarily Asian-American cast telling a modern story about their culture.
Where to stream: Digital rental
Now and Then (1995)
Chances are you first saw this movie as a kid at your friend's sleepover. Much like the male-centered Stand by Me, this one features an adult narrator recollecting a fateful summer when she and her three friends' lives changed, and catches up with them in present day to chart how far they've come.
Where to stream: Digital rental
Real Women Have Curves (2002)
America Ferrera made her film debut in this dramedy about a teenager in East Los Angeles struggling to escape from her overbearing mother and become her own person. In a memorable scene, she inspires those who work in her mother's textile family to do the same.
Where to stream: Max, Digital rental