From 1990 to 2015, 209 romantic comedies were released. Two hundred and nine. And the list I found didn\u2019t include all the movies I would count as romantic comedies. From 2015 to now, less than 10 romantic comedies have been made in the U.S. The year 2016 saw zero rom-com movies made in America. Many say the early 2000s were the rom-com\u2019s years in the spotlight \u2014 but why? Hollywood was pumping out an average of almost eight a year, with a record 18 in both \u201808 and \u201809.<\/p>\n
On March 17, model Chrissy Teigen tweeted, \u201cWhere are all the rom coms? there is a shortage of rom coms and thus a shortage of my happiness,\u201d which made me wonder: where have these beloved films gone? Why are some of America\u2019s most treasured movies now almost extinct, forcing movie-lovers to watch and rewatch old favorites every year? What would it take to bring back these movies we cherish so much?<\/p>\n
So, what killed the rom-com industry? Is it the cliches of the big-city career woman giving up her dreams for a man (see: \u201cSweet Home Alabama,\u201d or \u201cThe Proposal\u201d)? Or the characters who continually make the wrong choice and aren\u2019t that likeable, but still get the guy (or girl) in the end (see: \u201cThe Notebook\u201d)? Possibly.<\/p>\n
The light jokes, pleasing visuals, occasional teary moments and ultimate happy ending is appealing. Sure, some of the content is a little goofy, and maybe even frustrating, but I believe that viewers secretly crave this ridiculousness: it\u2019s a leap from real life, a time when your inner sap can escape and feel certain things that life doesn\u2019t provide. But that was then.<\/p>\n
A major contributor to this downfall could be that people connect on a different level than they used to. Teens and young adults communicate through social media or apps like Tinder. Yet the movies produced with such themes seem overly cheesy or just absurd. What do we want then?<\/p>\n
A big reason for the decline could very well be that the storylines became tired in later years, taking predictable themes from previous hits and replaying them with different actors. The modern rom-com watcher is desperate for a clever, witty flick with an all-star cast like in the past.<\/p>\n
Romantic comedies used to have big name actors like Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Aniston and Anne Hathaway. They practically boosted their careers. The \u201cPrincess Diaries\u201d franchise actually kick-started Hathaway\u2019s career, followed by \u201cElla Enchanted\u201d (2004) and \u201cThe Devil Wears Prada\u201d (2006). Without the old classic rom-com, we wouldn\u2019t have the likes of Anne Hathaway, who now acts in mostly high-budget dramas. Today, such actors wouldn\u2019t be caught in these films because of their recent stigma. What used to be cool isn\u2019t cutting it anymore.<\/p>\n
Films like \u201cHow to Lose a Guy in 10 Days\u201d (2003) and \u201cBride Wars\u201d (2009) hold a dear place in my heart. They are feel-good movies, they don\u2019t depress me at the end they don\u2019t require much thought afterward. I can sit and enjoy. I get sentimental when I watch \u201c13 Going on 30\u201d (2004) and \u201cA Cinderella Story\u201d (2004) because they take me back to simpler times, when it was easy to love this type of film, whereas the Oscar-winners and indie films of today make you feel a certain pressure to like a controversial or statement movie. And there definitely is a place in my heart for those movies. Maybe what American viewers want is authenticity.<\/p>\n
In \u201898 and \u201899, there were three romantic comedies among the top 20 highest-grossing in the box office. In recent years, rom-coms haven\u2019t even made the top 100. Then, the U.S. was the only money-maker for such movies, whereas starting in 2013, the market is almost entirely in China. The most recent rom-com produced was \u201cThe Big Sick\u201d (2017), it was the only of its kind in 2017 and grossed over $35 million in the box office. It was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.<\/p>\n
Taking \u201cThe Big Sick\u201d into account, I believe there isn\u2019t reason for the death of the genre. This film gives me hope for the future of the rom-com. Many of the great rom-coms of America\u2019s past were fantastic \u2014 they were truly beacons in many childhoods. To revamp this industry, it would take A-list actors and actresses to return to the rom-com screen for films that are actually unique. It would take a clever writer to create the kind of movie no one has seen before, fresh ideas and real plots that are genuine and reflect the modern age. It would take the crafting of characters who represent the modern woman: powerful, independent;\u00a0 not as inherently built on female insecurity. Maybe, it would take the idea that not everything in film has to be portrayed as a perfect love story, because in reality, everyone knows that life is much more messy, unpredictable and full of unknowns.<\/p>\n
Written by Claire Maxwell<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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