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These 11 Steamy Netflix Movies Are Best Watched After Bedtime

by Megan Walsh
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Netflix has more than its fair share of family fare, but sometimes when you're scrolling, you find you're in the mood for something less all-ages. If you're looking for movies on Netflix to watch after you put the kids to bed — movies that are a little more adult and on the sexier side — then look no further. These 11 movies run the gamut from Period Piece Sexy (which describes the phenomenon of your heart skipping a beat when two characters touch hands for the first time, fully dressed) to French Movie Sexy (i.e., all bets are off).

Netflix may have made a name for itself with cutesy and ultimately chaste romcoms, but it also has a selection of less PG flicks. That means the movies on this list are best saved for kid-free viewing, when you're after something just for you. Not all of them are explicit, but they all deal in topics and themes that are definitely not for children. After a day of cartoons, you might be interested in watching a film that's romantic, scandalous, or boundary-pushing. Some of the following films are all three.

Without further ado, here are 11 Netflix movies that are steamy enough to have you reaching for a cold drink.

Duck Butter

In Duck Butter, Naima (Alia Shawkat) and Sergio (Laia Costa) decide to fast-track their relationship with 24 hours of extreme intimacy. That means having sex every two hours as well as sharing their dreams, fears, and insecurities. But all that closeness may prove to be too much. It's a solid romance with two super charismatic leads with crackling chemistry.

Carol

Carol isn't sexy just because of the scene where its leading ladies, Carol (Cate Blanchett) and Therese (Rooney Mara), finally consummate their relationship. It's everything that leads up to that scene, too — the tension and yearning that spark from the minute Carol and Therese lock eyes across a department store.

Y Tu Mamá También

There was a time in 2001 where you couldn't sneeze without hearing about how sexy Y Tu Mamá También was. Now, thanks to Netflix, you can see for yourself if it lives up to the hype — or if it stands the test of time.

Laggies

Laggies is primarily a movie about how Keira Knightley's Megan is completely lost in her life (a little too relatable, especially when your name is also Megan). But her connection with Sam Rockwell's Craig is enough to earn it a spot on this list. Trust.

The Pass

The Pass started life as a play and it still feels like one, with long scenes heavy with dialogue and tricky emotional topics. It checks in with footballer Jason (Russell Tovey) at three key times in his life, seeing how he handles the fallout of his repressed feelings for teammate Ade (Arinzé Kene). Everyone's easy on the eyes and the acting is top notch.

Sleeping With Other People

Maybe you're looking for a more traditional romcom, but with an edge. In that case, Sleeping With Other People might be the movie for you. It stars Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie as a pair of former flames who reconnect later in life. But it's not as traditional as it sounds; it comes from writer/director Leslye Headland (also responsible for the incredible Russian Doll) so there's nuance to spare.

God's Own Country

God's Own Country follows the romance between Johnny (Josh O'Connor) and Gheorghe (Alec Secareau) on a Yorkshire farm. Critics have praised it for its thoughtfulness and warmth, so if you're after an emotional and tender love story, then here you go.

American Honey

American Honey is a coming-of-age story directed by Andrea Arnold (recently embroiled in Season 2 of Big Little Lies). It's a movie that's as complicated as it is appealing. Protagonist Star (Sasha Lane) tries to figure out who she is and what she wants while on the road with some disreputable people, including her burgeoning love interest, Shia LeBeouf's Jake. The resultant film is one you won't soon forget.

Moonlight

I probably don't have to rhapsodize much about Moonlight since odds are you've heard it before, but just in case: this movie wraps itself around your heart and doesn't let go, and it manages to make a shared look sexier than some love scenes.

Below Her Mouth

Below Her Mouth received mixed reviews in terms of its general dramatic quality, but the one things critics seemed to agree on was that it was definitely passionate. Its creative team was all women, too, which is definitely a plus.

Love

Let's end on a bang, and I am already sorry for that pun. The Gasper Noé-directed Love is about as far from family friendly as it's possible to be. It features unsimulated sex scenes shot in 3D for some reason, so if all you want a serious shock, then give it a try. It's definitely an after-hours film.

Every movie on this list might not work for you, but there's a chance one will be your perfect post-bedtime flick.

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