Date Ideas Inspired by Our Favorite Movie Scenes

by Adrian Johansen

We’d be willing to bet there isn’t a single person who hasn’t, at least once, watched a romantic scene in a movie and thought about how great it would be if that was what reality was like. While we use the silver screen to “escape” sometimes, there’s no denying that some classic romantic movie scenes can (and should) be brought to life. 

Imagine how many points you’ll score on your next date if you use a classic romantic film as inspiration. Or, if you surprise your partner by setting the stage of your date to look like their favorite movie. Whether you take advantage of a top romantic movie or think outside of the box, it’s never a bad idea to get creative with date night, especially if you’re both movie buffs. 

Movies can offer a great base for fun and romantic ideas. So, let’s take a look at a few scenes you can try to recreate, and how to make sure your inspiration is a memorable one that goes off without a hitch.

No, not that Hitch. 

Make it Private and Personal

Okay, so we can’t ignore Hitch completely, especially when the cooking class date is such a fun idea. While taking a class with your partner is a great way to learn something new together, you can also switch the narrative and go for something a bit more private. Plus, unlike Hitch, you’ll be able to control the ingredients and won’t experience any untimely allergic reactions. 

You don’t have to spend a lot of money or even go out on the town to have a memorable, romantic date. Take some ideas from your favorite movies for a wonderful date night in. You can even watch one of the films you’re trying to replicate. 

Stuck when it comes to ideas? Try some of these suggestions that movies got right: 

• Turning your home into a private theater like Jesse and Becca in Pitch Perfect.

• Recreate specific movie moments, like the “lift” from Dirty Dancing Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone try in Crazy, Stupid, Love.

• Have a game night with your closest friends and enjoy hilarious banter, like the characters in Notting Hill.

Some of the best date scenes in movies are the simplest ones. They’re also the easiest ones to recreate from the comfort of your own home, so let your creativity shine through, whether you’re on a budget or just want a quiet night in. 

Have Crazy, Stupid, Fun

If you and your partner are more on the adventurous side, there are plenty of date ideas from movies that can inspire you to have fun and try something different. Recreate Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Romeo & Juliet scene by getting steamy in a private pool or hot tub (though we recommend that’s probably the only cue you take from that movie). Or, get active and try a sport with your significant other, like:

• Paintballing from 10 Things I Hate About You

• Cricket from The Wedding Date

• Soccer from She’s the Man

• Football from Wedding Crashers

You can still be adventurous and want to have fun without getting too physical, too. Take a note from 500 Days of Summer, where the two main characters run around IKEA, pretending to “live” in the different room displays. If you and your partner have creative imaginations, a date that allows you to put them to good use will always end up being fun and memorable. 

Create a Classic Moment

Classic romance movies stand the test of time for a reason. While there are some stereotypes and tropes in romance films that essentially lie to us (the bad boy doesn’t always have a heart of gold, after all), you can really never go wrong with taking inspiration from movies that have made generations swoon. 

Go for a piece of pie like Harry and Sally (though, you might want to keep it down in public), or dress up in your finest clothes and go to an old-timey jazz lounge to feel like you’re stepping into a scene from Casablanca. 

Whatever you decide for your date, make sure you’re present and in the moment. The goal of a great movie is to take your mind somewhere else for a while. So, when you’re trying to recreate a scene with your partner, you should have the same goal in mind. Silence your cell phone and don’t look at it every five minutes, dress your best, and give them your full attention. If there’s one note you should take from any romantic film, it’s to make every moment as magical as possible, even when you’re doing something simple. 

When you put in the time and effort and you give your full attention to your date, you can rival any well-produced scene from the big screen. Keep some of these movie ideas in mind for your next date, and think about some of your own favorite films to draw ideas from for the future.