What Happened to the Romantic Comedy?

Ah, the romantic comedy. Lighthearted fun, humorous situations, and of course, heartwarming romance. Two people meet, shenanigans ensue, obstacles are overcome, and at the end, true love seemingly conquers all (well, most of the time). Although our favourite rom-coms are beloved for their own quirks and complexities, this is the basic formula for this widely popular sub genre of film. 

Romantic comedies have been enjoyed by audiences for many many years. The popularity and reveredness of Shakespeare's plays such as A Midsummer Night's Dream is a testament to such. Old Hollywood enjoyed the success of rom-coms throughout its time. Often credited as being one of the first films to popularize the genre, Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert is a charming and lively tale of two opposing personalities who bicker their way into love. It was a box office success and critically acclaimed, winning all ‘Big Five’ awards on Oscars night—the first of only three films ever to do so. From there, the screwball romantic comedies of Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn dominated the silver screen. Fast-talking characters, snappy dialogue, physical comedy, and unlikely pairs drew big laughs and won hearts. Later, William Wyler’s timeless Roman Holiday (a personal favourite) introduced audiences to newcomer and star-in-the-making Audrey Hepburn, who, along with co-star Gregory Peck, created on screen magic as the princess and reporter who hopelessly fall in love while riding vespas and running from agents in fairytale esque fashion. The impact of these classic films is immeasurable, not just in the realm of the romantic comedy, but on cinema as a whole. While the popularity of the rom-com appeared to die down as New Hollywood ushered in an era of darker dramas and pushed boundaries, films like Annie Hall subverted typical tropes and traditional filmmaking techniques, redefining what a rom-com could be. The late eighties and nineties saw the comeback of rom-com in full force. When Harry Met Sally, arguably the gold standard for all rom-coms that would come after, became an instant classic. A perfect duo found in leads Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, witty one-liners, iconic scenes that you could act out in your sleep—the film succeeded in every single way. Films like Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle and Notting Hill followed and also became some of the most successful rom-coms. The eighties and nineties introduced us to the stars that would become titans of the genre such as Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant. All in all, the rom-coms from each of these distinct eras became staples of the genre and set the standard for what we expect a good rom-com to be. 

As we entered the twenty-first century, the rom-com seemed to take on a new definition. Though there’s an abundance of 2000s rom-coms, these films were usually brushed off as a stereotypical “chick flick” (a controversial term in of itself) and were not to be taken seriously—unlike their predecessors in the decades before. Obviously, there isn’t a set criteria as to what is needed to be considered a “serious” body of work, but during this decade rom-coms got swept under the rug and are hardly the focus point when we talk about the great films from this era. Does this have to do with the fact that most rom-coms of the 2000s reused the same tropes, focused on the same type of couple (mostly white and heterosexual), and featured every single cliché imaginable? Probably. Audiences had evolved and weren’t as interested in seeing the same type of movie every other year. However, there is clearly an appeal to 2000s rom-coms that is especially noticeable now when considering the rom-com drought we’re faced with at present. The nostalgic Y2K aesthetic, actors with actual chemistry, the silliness and easygoing vibe to these films. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, 27 Dresses, The Proposal, the list goes on and on. Were these movies lauded by critics and showered with awards? No, but for many they did end up as some of our favourite comfort films and are a reminder of simpler times. 

Although the rom-coms of the 2000s lost much of the critical acclaim associated with the genre in previous decades, the ones in recent years have led to some declaring the genre dead. For the past couple of years it feels as though the only rom-coms we’re getting are the cringeworthy ones with contrived plots churned out by Netflix every once in a while. And again, could these movies be used for some mindless entertainment? Sure. Maybe I’m harsh but most of these movies are the end product of a weak script and chemless pairing. However to Netflix’s credit, one rom-com of this era that did win the hearts of critics and audiences alike was Set It Up, directed by Claire Scanlon and starring Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell. Set It Up uses the familiar formula of the rom-com and with its own charismatic characters and playful antics, manages to evoke that nostalgic feel of a popular 2000s rom-com. The chemistry discovered between Deutch and Powell is a big reason as to why the movie became so popular, proving that the success of a rom-com is highly dependent on its leads. Set It Up is just one of the very few recent successes (To All the Boys I've Loved Before is one of the others that comes to mind) amongst a small group of candidates. In our current era, dominated by streaming services and big-budget franchise films, major movie studios just don’t seem to be interested in financing and making rom-coms as they once were. 

However, it’s not as though there is a lack of interest in making a rom-com from the perspective of actors and filmmakers. Stars such as Margot Robbie and Daniel Kaluuya have expressed interest in one day doing a rom-com reminiscent of the ones from the eighties or nineties. Recently we’ve seen some big names return to their rom-com roots, for example, Julia Roberts with Ticket to Paradise alongside co-star George Clooney. Similarly, writer-director Nancy Meyers has revealed plans for her new big-budget and star-studded rom-com, which was originally set to be distributed by Netflix but Meyers and the streaming service parted ways over budgeting, with another studio likely to pick up the project. All these recent developments suggest that there is hope for the rejuvenation of the big star rom-com. 

Based on much of the discourse around the rom-com, it seems as though people are nostalgic for an era where watching their favourite stars fall in love on the big screen in chaotic and amusing ways was the norm. Romantic comedies are popular for a reason and when done right, they can become some of the best movies. With that said, let’s bring on the rom-com renaissance.