Seriously, when was the last time a rom-com felt unironically good? Was there actually something different in the air back then, or does this change reflect a cultural shift? Having analyzed the cultural climate in the distinct era of iconic rom-coms, I can say it is both. The modern rom-com, as shown by recent attempts, are stale and devoid of their key factor: charm. But what led to the death of the rom-com, and what used to make them so good?
Chances are, you’ve heard of at least one of these popular rom-coms: 10 Things I Hate About You, Sleepless in Seattle, Notting Hill, or Pretty Woman. One of our favorite examples of an iconic rom-com is the movie 10 Things I Hate About You, directed by Gil Junger. The film follows two sisters, Kat and Bianca Stratford, who are high school students. The two sisters deal with their differences in personality and ideals as Kat falls for Patrick, who was bribed into taking her out in order for her sister to be allowed to date. We watch as both sisters learn from their ways, become less extreme in the opposite directions, and experience romance for the first time.
With the genre being loose overall, rom-coms could appeal to various age demographics and be mixed in with other genres like fantasy, horror, thriller, and more. For example, movies like The Princess Bride have romantic and comedic elements, but also delves into fantasy and adventure, while movies like A Cinderella Story are aimed at a younger audience, as opposed to movies with a more mature target audience like When Harry Met Sally. Rom-coms were designed to be a good time for everyone, as they are typically focused on the lighthearted themes of romance and humor. That is what makes well-done rom-coms such classics: mass appeal and a lighthearted viewing experience.
The term “monoculture” represents the universality mentioned above. It means the homogenization of culture, and, in this case, refers to media and pop-culture. This meant that music, films, and other forms of entertainment were mass-marketed experiences rather than content to be enjoyed by specific groups of people with shared interests. Today’s algorithm-driven landscape is affecting the type of content being pushed to movie studios and production companies. Popular movies and music had more gravity, as everyone knew about them and discussed them with friends or coworkers because people weren’t as trend-driven as they are now. Rom-coms were iconic because they simply were enjoyable, not because they fit into a specific aesthetic or trend on the rise.
Although the number of lighthearted romantic movies released in recent years has significantly decreased, this is not to say there have been no attempts to create a modern version of the classic rom-com. One notable example is the 2023 film Anyone But You, featuring actors Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. Sweeney and Powell heavily leaned into the idea that the movie would bring forth a “rom-com renaissance,” but the difference is clear. The average modern rom-com lacks the cleverness, whimsy, and intelligent storytelling of their predecessors and fails to make up for these shortcomings through aesthetics or filmmaking. Instead of a clear, unique storyline and likable characters, Anyone But You takes various rom-com tropes and mashes them together until it feels more like a parody than a rom-com in its own right. This is a problem that the majority of romantic comedy movies exhibit: the reuse of tired plotlines without expanding upon or developing them in a new framework.
Rom-coms have, in part, lost their magic because they no longer feel like a cathartic escape from an already exhausting world. Modern rom-coms often mirror the very society audiences wish to escape from. In films like Anyone But You, characters are polished yet hollow, lacking the emotional depth that older rom-coms mastered. The conflicts feel manufactured, and the chemistry seems to be forced to create viral moments; it really reveals the shift in societal values where viral moments are more important than sincerity. It reflects a society that is obsessed with speed and trends, with these rom-coms feeling like they were engineered to be talked about online rather than felt.
The loss of rom-com magic is not just a cinematic shift but also a cultural one. While rom-coms once reflected love that was messy and human, as the media became more self-conscious and engineered, the genre has been replaced by formulas that are designed to trend. When rom-coms return to sincere storytelling and characters that don’t feel overly crafted, the magic may return.
