Romantic comedy movies are characterized by lighthearted, comedic plotlines that follow two characters and show how romance triumphs over all obstacles. As Entertainment Weekly's Dana Schwartz would describe them, a rom-com is defined as a movie in which “..the film’s primary comedic tension derives from a central romantic relationship.” In the height of their popularity in the late 1990s to the 2000s, the genre was known for leaving audiences ‘swooning as if they had never seen the face of love,’ and even among newer generations, romantic comedies from that era are regarded as common favorites (Hughes). Some examples of well-loved romantic comedies from the time are How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), and 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). However, following the genre’s widespread success, the ratings, reviews, and popularity all began to fall as we moved into the 2010s. But what has led to this sudden trend of so-called ‘bad’ rom-coms?
Following the genre’s golden era, critics and audiences alike were increasingly discontent with the onslaught of new films that began to ‘feel overly predictable’ and star-studded in what was criticized as cheap attempts to garner a profit (Issa). No longer did the genre feel so cozy and comforting, and this was when romantic comedy films started their so-called death, or rather, a large drop in popularity and ratings in newer produced movies. Regardless of the fact, the film industry hadn’t entirely given up on making rom-coms, instead focusing on new elements of rom-coms that the former, now nostalgic movies lacked. In recent years, more and more rom-coms have again begun their takes on classic tropes like enemies to lovers, fake dating, love triangles, etc., but with an added element of diversity to it, appealing to the previously underrepresented audiences like POC and the LGBTQ+ community. But even these additions hadn’t resonated with all, as even though many praised the new representation, the audiences of many newer movies commented the writing still felt lackluster when compared to the golden era of romantic comedies. Fortunately, despite the romantic comedies still being considered dead by many, the genre felt revitalized to a certain extent with movies like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Someone Great, Crazy Rich Asians, and Anyone But You, all movies that received massive amounts of love and praise for enjoyers of the genre. While some may argue that the golden age of rom-coms from the late 1990s to the early 2000s is long gone, the genre has adapted to modern audiences, offering new perspectives and diverse representations that keep the spirit of romantic comedy alive. Though the revival may not fully capture the magic of its peak, it can still charm fans with fresh takes on familiar tropes. As a long-time lover of the romantic comedy genre, the main takeaway from this is to just know that while we may never see another golden era of rom-coms, that shouldn’t stop anyone from enjoying newer movies and keeping them relevant.
SOURCES:
コメント