In recent years, you could argue that it’s felt as if the rom-com genre has simply died. The formula for a perfect rom-com has been completely disregarded… boy, who is a handsome, charming yet sensitive guy, meets girl, who is beautiful and has her quirks and has the most rom-com job ranging from a baker to a writer. Their meet-cute is always unrealistic yet endearing and the last 20 minutes of the movie involve some epic love confession or act of love that somehow resolves everything.
That is not to say every rom-com released in the modern century is completely horrible. There have been some rom-coms that bring back the easiness and simplicity associated with the genre. Movies like “Set It Up,” “Wedding Season” and “Rosaline” have revived the genre. They manage to hit the nail on what a rom-com should feel like.
But what determines the standards of the perfect rom-com? Even with these recent releases, I still find myself choosing to rewatch a classic early 2000s rom-com. It’s not just with American movies, I still have a long-held love for the Bollywood movies I watched growing up that can’t be replicated with the new, modern Bollywood flicks.
There is a certain lightness to the early rom-com that can’t be replicated with the recent ones. There is also a nostalgic factor to them. The early 2000s rom-coms are set in an era with fascinating styles and old heartthrobs which make the movies all the more enticing. With this logic, one can argue that 50 years down the line we’ll have articles released talking about why early 2020 rom-coms truly captured the essence of the genre. There’s also the fact the movies are filled with tropes. They are predictable and easy to follow; we know that the characters are gonna end up with the perfect happily ever after.
There’s also one downfall to consider with the early 2000s rom-coms. Most of the movies have subtle misogynistic undertones associated with them. They’re not passing the Bechdel test anytime soon. However, I still enjoy these movies. I have a love held for Patrick’s mini-concert for Kat in “10 Things I Hate About You.” I still have dreams about Andi’s iconic yellow dress in “How To Lose a Guy In Ten Days.” The unconventional parents’ trope was the best thing to happen in “Life As We Know It.” You can still have a love and appreciation for these movies while also acknowledging their faults.
Not to mention, maybe the reason why people seem to feel as if recent rom-coms are not hitting the same as earlier ones is because they have become more progressive. Society shifts alongside its values. Pop culture is one of the fastest-changing values. Much of the media consumed a decade ago followed certain narratives that were heteronormative and defined what a traditional romance should be like. Now, rom-coms have more complex female characters and have included more diverse storylines that stray away from the typical, heteronormative storyline we see present in early 2000s rom-coms.
The rom-com genre has seemed to evolve to include the fact that love stories exist everywhere and in everyone. It has extended its genre to audiences who in the past would not have seen themselves depicted in these love stories.
You can still have an appreciation for earlier rom-coms — I know I do — while still acknowledging the faults. The genre has become more progressive and has altered the formula for the perfect rom-com, which is not a bad thing because everyone deserves to feel that they can exist in these cute love stories.