The 20 most heartwarming LGBTQ+ movies and TV series

Mid-Century Modern has been billed as a contemporary take on The Golden Girls, focusing on three gay men who move in together after one of their other friends passes away. The series is very much in the tradition of other sitcoms, but it also has a heart of gold. It also grapples with many of the issues facing gay men of a certain age, and there’s even a death of a major character that reminds the characters of why their bond is so vital.

Starring heavy-hitters Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara and directed by noted Hollywood auteur Todd Haynes, Carol tells the story of Carol and Therese, two women who find love in 1950s America. Though the film acknowledges the pressures and homophobia of the Cold War era, it also is notable for giving its two characters a happy ending, one in which these two extraordinary women manage to forge their own path forward, leaving behind the men with whom they have never been able to find true happiness or fulfillment.

The Hulu film Fire Island is a gay reinterpretation of the classic Pride and Prejudice story, and it’s notable for its hilarity and Asian American representation. The central romance is between Noah and Will, who begin as enemies but slowly discover how much they mean to one another. The film breathes fresh life into one of the cinema’s favorite literary classics. In addition to being very funny, it’s quite heartwarming to see new and diverse types of stories emerging in LGBTQ+ cinema.

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is one of those LGBTQ+ films from the ‘90s that can truly be said to be a classic of the genre. Focusing on two drag queens and a transgender woman as they traverse the Australian outback, it’s the kind of film that is all about joyous queer fun and heartfelt emotions. Though all cast members are at the top of their games, Terence Stamp is particularly powerful as the grieving transgender woman Bernadette. 

The Wedding Banquet of 2025 is one of the few remakes that actually manages to be a proper homage to Ang Lee’s original film while updating it and making it feel relevant for the 21st-century present. Its story of queer found family feels particularly poignant in these troubled times. Moreover, it is also an embarrassment of riches when it comes to its cast, which includes Bowen Yang, Lily James, Kelly Marie Tran, and Han Gi-chan, and it manages to be both very heartfelt and very hilarious. 

Bottoms is one of those films that really leans into its own ridiculousness, and it features Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri as a pair of high school lesbians who end up creating a fight club in a desperate attempt to get with their crushes. While it might be a very silly and campy film, it also has a heart of gold, and it has more than a few poignant moments. The film is a timely reminder that comedy has the potential to tell stories that are both deeply resonant and relevant, even while not losing sight of the fact that their primary goal is to make people laugh.

Running for three seasons, Somebody Somewhere was one of the most underrated shows on HBO. The emotional center of the story is the friendship between Sam and Joel, the former of whom is a cabaret singer who comes home to her small town in Kansas, where she connects with the latter, an openly gay Christian man. Theirs is truly a match made in heaven, and though their friendship has its ups and downs, particularly once Joel gets into a relationship, they both know that it’s the sort of bond that can never be broken.

Though Looking was prematurely canceled after two seasons, with a feature film to conclude the story, it was still a refreshing look at the lives of three gay men in their 20s and 30s as they navigated life in the 21st century. Jonathan Groff, Frankie J. Alvarez, and Murray Bartlett all gave terrific performances, as did Raúl Castillo, Russell Tovey, and Daniel Franzese. There’s an emotional authenticity and honesty to Looking that sets it apart from many other LGBTQ+ shows, and it deserves its place in the queer TV canon.

Love, Victor, the TV spinoff of Love, Simon, takes place in the same universe but focuses on Victor as he, like Simon, comes to terms with his sexuality. His most enduring romance is with the charming but troubled Benji, and the series follows them and their friends as they navigate the fraught territory of teenage life. Through its three seasons, it explored a number of important issues, including the conflict between faith and queer acceptance and the struggles with addiction that many young people face.

Love, Simon demonstrates the extent to which the closet still remains a potent force in the lives of many LGBTQ+ youth. The heart of the story is, of course, the titular Simon, who has to navigate the travails of high school life while also coming to terms with his sexuality and trying to find love. It’s a sweet and generous film that invites the viewer to love and care about its protagonist and features some nuanced performances from Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel.

Set in the UK in the 1990s, Beautiful Thing focuses on Jamie and Ste's teenage love as they grow up in a working-class part of London. Though the love between the two teens is obviously the heart and soul of the story, the film is also notable for drawing attention to the unique struggles of working-class young queer people. Fortunately, despite all of the struggles, the two young men manage to forge their own sort of happiness, and the film’s conclusion is especially optimistic and heartwarming. 

Based on the bestselling novel by Casey McQuiston, Red, White and Royal Blue focuses on the enemies-to-lovers story of Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the son of the President of the United States, and Henry, second-in-line to the British throne (Nicholas Galitzine). While they start off hating each other, once they finally admit their feelings, their love is passionate and heartbreaking at the same time. Though they have to overcome their fair share of troubles, their story really does prove that love wins.

While The Birdcage  might seem outdated from the point of view of 2025, there’s still much to enjoy. Among other things, it shines a flattering light on the lives of middle-aged gay men, and its main characters, Armand and Albert, really do love one another and have built a happy life together. There’s no shortage of laughs, of course, but at its heart the film is a love letter to the power and the durability of queer families. Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are a delight, and their chemistry is off the charts.

A Nice Indian Boy, as its title suggests, focuses on the romance between Naveen and Jay, the former of whom is the son of Indian immigrants and the latter of whom was adopted by Indian parents. Though they are opposites, they nevertheless find love with one another and have to overcome quite a few obstacles. Ultimately, however, they realize that the love they share is truly something special, and this film ends up being quite a tear-jerker, even as it is also very funny.

The 2022 film Crush is, in some ways, the definition of a feel-good and heartwarming LGBTQ+ film. Its main character is Rowan Blanchard’s Paige, an aspiring artist. Her life becomes quite complicated when, having joined the track team to get closer to her crush, she ends up falling for her twin sister. The film wears its heart on its sleeve, and it features a charming trio of leads in Rowan Blanchard, Auliʻi Cravalho, and Isabella Ferreira. It has a light touch, even as it thoughtfully explores the fraught territory of teen life.

Maurice, based on the novel of the same name by E.M. Forster, takes place during the Edwardian Era and primarily focuses on young Maurice as he grapples with his sexuality. Though he has more than a few ups and downs, he ultimately finds his own happy ending with the young working-class man Alec, and the two end up running off to build their own life together. As a result, the film is a powerful reminder that LGBTQ+ folks both existed in restrictive historical eras and still managed to find their forms of happiness with one another.

Released in 2007, Shelter focuses on the unexpected love that emerges between struggling artist and surfer Zach and his friend’s older brother, Shaun. The film expertly explores issues of sexuality, family, and finding oneself, with the romance giving Zach the chance to finally live a life that’s fulfilling rather than always being bound by duty. It’s a sweet little indie film that steals one’s heart and makes the viewer want these two young men to finally find love with one another and build their future together. 

Schitt’s Creek is undoubtedly the very definition of a feel-good show. The various members of the Rose family are a delight, but the romance between Daniel Levy’s David and Patrick Brewer really steals the show. Their relationship is truly something special, and watching them fall in love and start to build a life together is a true delight. They are truly couple goals, and the series gives viewers the chance to inhabit a world where homophobia and prejudice don’t seem to exist. 

Based on the hugely popular series of graphic novels by Alice Oseman, the Netflix series Heartstopper focuses on the romance of teenagers Nick and Charlie. The series is the type of show that definitely wears its heart on its sleeve, and from the very first episode, it wants the audience to root for this fledgling romance between its two LGBTQ+ characters. Moreover, it uses its very sweet and touching love story to explore bigger issues confronting young people, including eating disorders and bisexual identity.

Set in rural Kentucky, Boy Meets Girl focuses primarily on young trans woman Ricky, her best friend Robby, and their friendship and eventual romance. It’s a touching and heartfelt film, and it’s quite groundbreaking in the extent to which it depicts queer identity in rural America. Refreshingly, it also features a trans character whose arc isn’t tragic but instead deeply romantic, and it all adds up to a very romantic and charming film that demonstrates that a small-town America setting doesn't necessarily engender a sad story.