Before explosive CGI action movies took hold of the box office, rom-coms were must-watch for everyone in theaters. With low budgets and a simple plot, these films were fan-favorites, evoking a rollercoaster of emotions.
However, these types of movies are disappearing. The genre has become tired, and more importantly, these films are darker than we remember.
It’s often forgotten how questionable behaviors can lead to happy endings in this genre. For example, in The Notebook, Noah’s actions, such as risking his life to pressure Ally into dating him or persistently pursuing her even after she moved on, are obsessive and abusive behavior. These actions are justified as hard work to be with the love of his life.
Deception is also a central theme that rom-coms love to romanticize. There are hundreds of films in which deception lays the foundation of these relationships. The 1999 classic, She’s All That, is not very heart-fluttering if you recall that the film is based on a bet in which Zack plays with Laney’s feelings to keep his reputation.
These films have also lost their magic due to a lack of relatability. In The Proposal, even when Margaret is not the boss, she is the sole decision-maker, and her immigration process is at lightning speed, a luxury many wish they had.
So many people find these movies to be guilty pleasures despite the fact that they do not portray the healthiest relationships or realistic scenarios. But they evoke a sense of nostalgia and provide the perfect escape from reality’s less romantic and more vulnerable facets.
While newer rom-coms don’t enchant the public as they once did, the genre’s enduring appeal is undeniable. Audiences may tire of another Hallmark Christmas movie or Noah Centineo in another manufactured Netflix romance. Still, the charm of a well-crafted rom-com remains.
Movies such as Me Before You and 500 Days of Summer break the standard rom-com mold. Me Before You reminds us that a sad and heartwarming story can captivate millions; 500 Days of Summer also destroys the pending idea of someone being “the one.”
However, the rom-com genre may be on the brink of a renaissance. Anyone But You became an unexpected blockbuster recently, giving moviegoers a taste of the tried and true tropes that attract people to older rom-coms.
Recent success stories make it clear that romantic comedies still have a place in audiences’ hearts. The genre has had its highs and lows, but the question is, how long will it remain in the spotlight and in theaters?
