By Kate Connor (she/her)
The release of Anyone But You, directed by Will Gluck, starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell has reignited the internet’s love for romcoms with many claiming that “rom coms are back!”, but did romcoms ever go anywhere? And why is there this feeling of excitement at their apparent return to our screens and theatres?
The late 90s/early 2000s saw the birth of many romcom favourites such as Notting Hill, Bridget Jones Diary and The Holiday to name a few. Many claim this period as the “peak” of romcoms, and the influx of interest associated with Anyone But You is due, in part, to its 2000s-esque feel to it, as well as more modern additions.
What makes a romcom, a romcom?
There is a sense of familiarity that goes hand in hand with the genre; a comfortable predictability in watching two people fall in love on screen. The genre derives from two larger genres: romance and comedy, and so is (generally) more light-hearted than other forms of film. These films are there to highlight and remind us that love can overcome most obstacles.
Anyone But You goes back to basics with the well-known “enemies to lovers” trope; two characters who cannot stand each other somehow, over the duration of the movie, find themselves falling in love. This trope is recognisable (see: 10 Things I Hate About You, another favourite) and although mostly unrealistic there is some part of it that creates a longing for something similar; someone who sees the worst parts of you, and still falls in love with you regardless.
Did romcoms ever go anywhere?
The short answer is – no! Romcoms are, and have been, prevailing before and after their “peak” in the early 2000s. However, a possible reason for their disappearance from mainstream films, in recent years, could be attributed to the rise in female autonomy and an overspill from feminist movements. For years, decades, and centuries women have been used as plot points and as “reflection characters” (a character that brings something out in another character, usually the man). In trying to move away from the stereotypical “love interest” and move towards characters with more agency and control, romcoms have perhaps taken a bit of a backseat.
However, both can coexist in a romcom. In 2023 No Hard Feelings, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Andrew Barth Feldman, flipped a lot of romcom “norms” with Lawrence’s character as the older of the couple, and [spoilers!] the couple not being together by the end. Additionally, recent years has also introduced romcoms with different types of pairings to our screens with films like Red, White and Royal Blue (2023) and Love, Simon (2018).
Adaptations and their comfortability
Gluck’s movie finds its origins in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, and a variety of quotes from the play appear throughout. This is another common feature of “peak” romcoms; many were also classics reimagined, such as Clueless is an adaptation of Emma by Jane Austen.
But why do these stories live on? Perhaps it returns to the idea of familiarity, and hence why the genre is loved and full of so much nostalgia.
Reception and Criticisms
There are many who look down upon the genre and those who are not fans of romcoms seem to have a sense of superiority to those who do. Whenever a romcom does gain attention (critically or otherwise) there is always a strange aftertaste that comes along with the surprise at the success of such a movie. It leans into, for me, a misogynistic undertone. In a male dominated industry, that is the film industry, movies not tailored to that eye tend to be forgotten, such as with romcoms. Most recently this can be seen with the success of the Barbie movie in summer 2023. Though not exactly a romcom, the film experienced a lot of backlash and criticism from mostly male viewers who said the movie was “too woke” and “anti-men”, even though they were not the intended audience.
In all of Oscar history, only 10 times has a romcom ever won an award. Before Silver Linings in 2012 for Best Actress, the last time was 14 years prior with Shakespeare In Love. Perhaps 2024 will produce the next award winning romcom…who knows! Let’s hope for more romcoms, of all types, to hit the screens in 2024 – we all could do with more love in our lives!
Fourth year English and Creative Writing Student.
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