As a typical Millennial having grown up on all the classics: 'He's just not that into you', 'Confessions of a shopaholic', 'The Proposal', '27 Dresses', 'Hitch' (the list is long...), I look back at this era of film fondly with a painful pinch of nostalgia - where has all the time gone? That's why the recent hype and talk around this well-known genre caught my attention like a bee to a flower. Did someone mention Paul Mescal is soon to join the Romcom club?
A couple years back my ears perked when 'Ticket to Paradise' featuring Julia Roberts and George Clooney came out on streaming platforms (talk about big industry names...!). I thought something's happening here. This was later on followed by the media storm around the much talked about 'Anything but you' starring Sydney Sweeney, as well as Jennifer Lawrence's performance in 'No hard feelings', and 'Your place or mine' featuring Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon. It doesn't necessarily mean that the last romantic comedy hadn't been made since we were all still braiding our hair and having sleepovers back in 2009, but the rise in popularity, buzz and investments these films and/or series are getting lately is something to note since their original decline back in the early '10s. Stylist magazine just recently announced the beautiful Simone Ashley (also known for her lead role in 'Bridgeton') is set to lead in Prime Video's new Romcom 'Picture This' series later this year. Although these tend to be a little formulaic and predictable (one Twitter user referred to them as being the fast food films of the industry), it's refreshing not knowing the plot or half the script of these newly made films (rather embarrassing that I can whisper half of '10 things I hate about you'). Even Normal People's heartthrob Paul Mescal is rumoured to be part of an upcoming Emily Henry book adaption. Crossing all fingers and toes. So is the good-old fashioned Romcom genre here to stay?
Contrary to the early 2000's "will they, won't they" run-of-the-mill plot that majority of us gobbled up featuring exceptionally good-looking Hollywood actors (although this is in someway still the case today of course) - there is a sense that this new generation embracing the comeback expect more diversity and authenticity, and rightfully so. No wonder 'My big fat Greek wedding' (2002) is still the highest grossing Romcom of all time with its more relatable and awkward characters, which clearly shows we were even craving this authenticity way back then. 'Crazy Rich Asians', 'Always be my maybe' and 'Bros' are also examples of more diverse and authentic casts that proved to be immensely profitable in recent years. They all challenged a genre that has mainly been led by the white heterosexual male gaze.
According to whats-on-netflix.com there are currently 48 romantic comedies available on Netflix, 25 of these were added on there as recently as 2022, and this number is growing. Streaming platforms, as we know, had a massive boom following the pandemic making content easily accessible to consumers on a subscription-based structure. This was also a time I found myself only wanting to watch feel-good content in an era of complete uncertainty and the need to escape back to simpler times, and I know I wasn't the only one. Perhaps this particular consumer behaviour gave these streaming platforms insightful data on what to invest in next regardless of whether these were to be released post-pandemic. “Without a shadow of a doubt, the reason that people tune into romcoms more during periods of crisis and stress is because of the distraction that these genres offer” says Emma Kenny, a UK-based TV psychologist. That same sentiment can also ring true around the recent popularity of reality-TV series based on the glamorous lives of the rich and famous that have been released one after the other (a.k.a 'Bling Empire', 'Dubai Bling', 'Selling Sunset', etc.), when in fact the world has been struck by economic crisis and hardships following global inflation increasing the cost of living and the continuous tragic updates coming from war-torn countries. Pure escapist content is perhaps being made to shut out the world's current unstable and uncertain future. This trend was possibly triggered by the global pandemic but with today's ongoing political climate there is perhaps still a need for day-to-day escapism that has been picked up and noted by these production companies and Hollywood at large.
This so-called Romcom Renaissance also begs the question whether the actual romantic aspect of these "chick-flicks" is what is having a moment. In this chaotic digital world offering endless choice and swiping on the latest dating app, perhaps the escapism and comfort lies in watching a set up situation of main character meeting a love interest with relative ease, main character creating conflict and this conflict being quickly resolved before the end of the film. Done deal, happily ever after?
According to Dr. Bella DePaulo on Psychology Today, the percentage of adults who are unmarried or not in a committed romantic relationship is increasingly growing, and most of them are unwilling to change their single status. Another study shows that more than a third of Brits say romantic comedies have changed their romantic expectations - is there a direct correlation? One would have thought with our newfound technology and dating platforms that finding a 'happily ever after' match would be on the rise? However entertaining a Romcom might be, are we facing a generation having grown up on the hollywood formula to have unrealistic views on love and long-term partnerships? According to Dr. Bella DePaulo, Romcoms ultimately send a message that no matter the obstacle, finding love means forgiving, ignoring, and accepting at the expense of everything including family, friends and career. I am no expert in love, but that to me sounds incredibly unrealistic and misleading to the frankly mundane reality of being in a long-term relationship. The grand gestures and sacrifices of a fictional character can't always be replicated in real life, it is at the end of the day only meant to be entertainment, not a blue print to what relationships should look like.
Regardless of how we look at it, the resurgence of these "happily ever after" films are very much welcome in my world. The formula is a formula for a reason, like in music, there is no shortage when it comes to perspective or new takes on love and relationships - and it works. We just need those fresh perspectives to keep going and the good old Romcom will prevail for years to come. Just don't take anything too literally.
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