How Have Rom-Coms Changed Since Their Debut?
Romantic comedies (or rom-coms) tend to be very iconic, well-known movies. They’re often a first choice when watching movies, from sleepovers to date nights. Oftentimes, these movies are held near to people’s hearts, and there are countless stories of couples meeting because of rom-coms which create core memories and experiences. So, what makes them so special? Rom-coms became more mainstream in the 1970s, but it’s been over 50 years since the term was coined, so how have these movies changed since then? Were they better in their prime, or has modernization improved the movies overall? To answer these questions, I watched a movie from each different time period and analyzed them based on plot, characters, popularity, relatability, and production quality.
Starting out strong in the 1970s, I watched Grease. Grease is a classic. It’s very popular and has even been adapted into a live musical. There are sequels, remakes, and still a somewhat thriving fanbase. Grease is based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and was one of the first modern movie adaptations of the star-crossed lovers trope. This doo-wop style musical is set in a 1950s high school featuring the two popular groups, the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds. It’s basically a cheesy, feel-good version of West Side Story. Instead of death, in the end, the couple drives a car into the sky and disappears. Although the plot isn’t necessarily original, it makes up for it in the characters’ personalities and actions. Each individual character has their own story, and it’s exciting to watch. Obviously, the CGI and camera quality are lower than in a modern movie, but it seems to be pretty good compared to other movies of the time period.
The 1990s are what’s known to be the Golden Era of rom-coms. It was the birthplace of so many famous tropes: the ‘betting’ trope (where one character pretends to like the other for money, but ends up falling in love: ie. 10 Things I Hate About You, She’s All That), the classic makeover montage (from ‘weird and unpopular’ to ‘pretty and hot,’ preferably with music playing, ie: She’s All That, The Princess Diaries), the big and embarrassing act of redemption (messing up and professing their love in public, ie: 10 Things I Hate About You, and many more. As a big fan of many of these movies, I found it to be particularly difficult to pick the movie I was going to review. I ultimately decided to go with Clueless because of its popularity and the way it sums up the general idea and feel of 90s rom-coms. Clueless is iconic. With the main character Cher’s personality, quirks, and gorgeous outfits, it’s hard not to watch. In the movie, Cher and her friend Dionne decide to do something good for other people, so they help two of their teachers find love and they ‘adopt’ a new girl into their group, showing her the tropes of high school. Along the way, Cher looks for love, ultimately choosing her ex-step-brother Josh. The plot is actually based on Jane Austen’s novel Emma and the movie is a loose adaptation of the book. Clueless definitely has its quirks, but the characters are relatable and interesting, the quality of the cameras and sets are top-tier, and it’s just overall a really good movie.
A lot has changed in the last 30 years, and those changes impacted the media heavily. With more technological and societal developments, movies recently are just different. Maybe it’s just nostalgia, but watching recent movies just seems bland. 30 years ago, movies were unique with a sort of spark that modern ones lack. That’s not to say there aren’t good movies, but it’s hard to recreate the feeling of movies like Clueless. Nevertheless, I watched Anyone But You, which was a huge success, especially with their advertising. It’s raunchy, it’s funny, and it has a really good soundtrack. The two main characters, Bea and Ben, have a wonderful first date, but it doesn’t end very well. They are both invited to an overseas wedding and decide to fake date to keep up appearances. They end up falling in love while keeping up the facade, and there’s a classic embarrassing redemption moment in the end. Unlike many recent movies, this one seemed like a sort of throwback to older rom-coms and classic literature, and I appreciated it. It has its stupid, funny moments, while also portraying a wholesome, sweet love story. As I mentioned earlier, the soundtrack is full of great music, which generally improves the experience of watching. The plot isn’t super original but it’s a nice twist on an older story, and the characters go through developments and are relatable. The production is high quality, and it’s definitely pleasing to watch.
Personally, I will always favor the late 90s/early 2000s movies over any others, but I think that modern movies are finally redeeming themselves and making a comeback. I encourage people to do the same thing I did for this article: watch a bunch of movies and pick their favorites. The general consensus is that while rom-coms used to be cheesy and meant for younger audiences, the plots have grown with the viewers and are now targeted towards older audiences and are easier to watch. There are always going to be cult classics and iconic films, but hopefully, the movies that are being released now will be classics in 30 years.
By Sophia Artigue