Romantic comedies are some of the most popular films Hollywood can make. When I was younger, I watched more than my fair share. They were funny (most of the time), entertaining enough to pass the time, and were literally produced for young teenagers like me. Some say romantic comedies give people false hope on how love will play into their lives, while others theorize they show how life can give you a happy ending. I loved them all when I was younger, so I decided to rewatch my favorites in order to see whether or not they were still good. Here are the results:
1. Clueless (1994)
Image Courtesy of IMDb
Thoughts Then: That I wanted to be Cher. I absolutely wanted to play matchmaker with rich teenagers in Beverly Hills. I also wanted her rotating closet, her plaid outfits, and her white Jeep. Cher seemed to be genuinely nice and always acted with good intentions. Plus, she just seemed so classy and cool.
Thoughts Now: That I want to be like Cher. I still love giving advice on relationships and although some of that plaid has dated a bit, I’m still jealous of her white Jeep. But now that I’m older, I realize how genuinely good of a role-model the character of Cher is. When she questions her confidence and falters in her decisions, it’s completely relatable. But despite people misunderstanding and underestimating her, she soldiers on. She’s totally intent on improving herself and the world around her.
2. Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
Thoughts Then: Oh, this movie was perfect in my thirteen-year-old eyes. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan loving each other from across a distance, dreaming of and pining after each other? Yes, please! I do remember finding it aggravating that Annie went all the way to Seattle and only said hello. The ending made up for that though. I really wanted to go to a high-spinning restaurant they went to, as well.
Thoughts Now: That this movie is still amazing albeit a little far-fetched. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have such electric chemistry, even without having a lot of screen time together. From an older person’s perspective, it seems crazy to fly across the country to interview and meet a stranger you’ve fallen in life with. However, people nowadays meet and fall in love online as strangers so maybe it can be said Sleepless was ahead of its time. And that timing at the ending? Perfection.
3. 13 Going on 30 (2004)
Thoughts Then: In honesty, I was really obsessed with this movie when I was younger. I was captivated by how glamorous grown-up Jenna’s life was and by how much fun a grown-up had.
Thoughts Now: Still good, although the fashion is beyond dated. While the movie is cute and fun, it does accurately show that despite hard work and really wanting it, some things don’t work out in your favor. It also showed that some people don’t change and that it feels really f*cking good to upstage a bully.
4. Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
Thoughts Then: I was six when I saw this movie and it was one of the first PG-13 movies I saw. I remember wanting to be just like Reese Witherspoon’s character when I grew up. She was sassy, confident, and super pretty. I don’t remember much else about when I first saw it, but I do remember thinking the beach scene at the end was like a fairy tale.
Thoughts Now: Whoa, did I not understand a lot of those jokes and innuendos when I was younger! I totally forgot Patrick Dempsey was in this and was pleasantly surprised. Reese Witherspoon is a great actress, but the character of Melanie is not perfect. The movie shows her flaws, but some of her actions are really beyond forgivable. I still love the fairy tale ending, though.
5. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Image Courtesy of IMDb
Thoughts Then: I was a little older when I saw Bridget Jones’s Diary for the first time, maybe like 16. I had read the book during vacation and was home alone on a sick day. I thought it was wonderful and loved the triangle between Bridget, Darcy, and Daniel. Bridget’s awkwardness was really relatable to me at that age.
Thoughts Now: Her awkwardness is still really relatable to me. I still love how Bridget wasn’t stick-thin, but I hate how much fat-shaming she goes through. Even her own mother does it. The film does a good job of showing how many wins and losses the year can bring a person. It also is a good example of how finding self-confidence and wanting to be your best self can bring good into your life.
After re-watching these films, I realized each had good and bad elements to it. The lessons might not be obvious and the plots might be a tad ridiculous, but each actress was special in her own way at showing how women can be.