Sleeping with Other People is enjoying an unexpected second life on Netflix, where it’s quietly becoming one of the platform’s most talked-about romantic comedies. Written and directed by Leslye Headland — who would later co-create Netflix’s Russian Doll — the film takes the classic friends-to-lovers formula and reimagines it for adults who already know how much damage love can do.
“I always described it as When Harry Met Sally for people who’ve made a few more mistakes,” Headland said in an interview with Interview Magazine. That blend of humor and honesty is exactly what’s resonating now, especially as Netflix audiences crave rom-coms that feel emotionally authentic. Here’s everything you need to know about Sleeping with Other People — from its story and performances to the reasons it’s suddenly trending again.
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Sleeping with Other People: All the key details
- Title: Sleeping with Other People
- Format: Film
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- Genre: Romantic comedy / drama
- Release date: September 11, 2015
- Director / Writer: Leslye Headland
- Lead cast: Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie, Jason Mantzoukas, Adam Scott, Natasha Lyonne
- Produced by: Gloria Sanchez Productions – IFC Films
- Critical snapshot: Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer 64%
What Sleeping with Other People is about
The film begins with an awkward one-night encounter in college that sets the stage for two decades of romantic misfires. When Jake (Jason Sudeikis) and Lainey (Alison Brie) meet again years later at a sex-addiction meeting, they realize they share the same problem — serial infidelity and an inability to commit. They decide to be friends, swearing off any sexual involvement to help each other break old habits. But with emotions this unpredictable, can any arrangement really go as planned?
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Headland’s direction keeps the tone brisk and real, avoiding fairy-tale gloss. “It’s about two people addicted to their own patterns,” she explained to The Mary Sue, adding that she wanted to portray “what happens when self-awareness meets chemistry.” It’s a story that feels at once romantic and therapeutic, capturing the honesty and chaos of modern love.
Sleeping with Other People cast: the main characters
Jason Sudeikis plays Jake, a magnetic but emotionally guarded New Yorker whose charm masks deep self-doubt. For audiences who discovered him later as the empathetic coach in Ted Lasso, this earlier performance offers a glimpse at the emotional range beneath his comic exterior. “In terms of being a romantic lead, I just try to make everything believable,” Sudeikis told Nylon, a comment that sums up the film’s naturalism perfectly.
Opposite him, Alison Brie plays Lainey — open, self-destructive, and painfully aware of her own contradictions. Known to Netflix viewers for GLOW and her voice work in BoJack Horseman, Brie said she was drawn to playing “an adult woman who’s making mistakes and having sex and doing the things real people do” (Vanity Fair). The result is one of her most grounded and relatable performances. Together, Brie and Sudeikis create an on-screen chemistry that critics have compared to 500 Days of Summer and Love & Other Drugs — funny, flawed, and deeply human.
The supporting cast adds texture without distraction. Jason Mantzoukas provides rapid-fire wit as Jake’s best friend, Adam Scott delivers surprising menace as Lainey’s manipulative ex, and Natasha Lyonne brings wry commentary in every scene she touches.
What reviews say about Sleeping with Other People
Upon its Sundance debut, critics praised the film’s blend of raunch and sincerity. The Hollywood Reporter called it “funny, filthy, and disarmingly honest,” while Variety singled out its “grown-up approach to romantic comedy.” On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 64% critic rating and a reputation as a cult-favorite for audiences who prefer their rom-coms emotionally literate.
Why Sleeping with Other People is trending on Netflix
Part of the resurgence is timing. Netflix has seen strong performance from adult-oriented romantic comedies with sharp dialogue and authentic emotional beats — and Sleeping with Other People fits that perfectly. As Tom’s Guide notes, it’s “the perfect New Year’s watch” — breezy, heartfelt, and self-aware enough to feel like a story about renewal. Renewed interest in both Sudeikis (Ted Lasso) and Brie (GLOW) has drawn their streaming fans to explore this earlier work, boosting its current Netflix visibility.
Sleeping with Other People release date on streaming
Available now. Sleeping with Other People was added to Netflix in late December 2025 and began trending globally in January 2026. Watch on Netflix.
