This weekend, I walked into my home movie theater and purchased two tickets to the recently released Anyone But You starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. This occasion was one I had experienced throughout my childhood, whether it was on my living room couch or with a bucket of popcorn resting on the black leather seats in a dimly lit theater. Much of my life and expectations have been shaped by the stories I watched on screens. Take my car, for example, named “Elle Woods” after Reese Witherspoon’s character in Legally Blonde or my affinity for not only watching rom-coms but reading them too–with my bookshelves filled to the brim with the literary versions of an onscreen romantic comedy.
Growing up in the early 2000s, I was handed a wealth of classic films, often coined as “chick-flicks.” While chastised for their femininity at the time, these movies created a large cultural phenomenon. From iconic lines out of Mean Girls like “Get in loser, we’re going shopping” to even the recent trending sound on TikTok of Kate Hudson singing along to “You’re So Vain” from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. And while yes, these movies are predominantly watched by female-identifying audiences, they still create noise in this world. That is not surprising though, as we have observed throughout years that women tend to create the most impact in media. From Barbie and the Eras Tour last summer, what women enjoy is what shapes our modern culture.
So what makes these movies so special to women? Some would say that it is that they simply enjoy the gushy, cheesy love portrayed on screen–but I push back on that idea. This past week I have been watching all of the classics–from Bridget Jones’s Diary to The Notebook, and the one thing I see common in these movies is, of course, the female-centered gaze. For once, women are not viewed as an object. Take Star Wars for example, Leia a powerful leader, is still put in revealing and sexualized costumes. Not to dismantle all of our favorite classics like Star Wars, but it is important to see the implicit messages they are sending to young children. So–when I watch a rom-com and see women being loved and valued without being sexualized, it is a breath of fresh air. That isn’t to say a good rom-com can’t be good without sex, but it must also portray mutual respect between the love interests.
The 2000s and ‘90s, arguably were the pinnacle of rom-coms, providing young women a look into what respect and love should look like. Experiencing Anyone But You this weekend, reminded me just how important these movies can be, a formative experience for women and young girls everywhere, to be seen and to be respected in such a widely consumed form of media. One can only hope that these movies continue to make a comeback and allow young children to experience the magic I once had.
Five Rom-com Must Watches:
- 10 Things I Hate About You
- Dirty Dancing
- Legally Blonde
- Bridget Jones’s Diary
- Clueless