With Valentine’s Day among us, we find ourselves digging through our favourite romantic comedies to watch. Usually, we dig through a selection of movies from the 1990s/early 2000s with popular choices like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Love Actually, or 13 Going on 30. Quite honestly, for a long time, the pickings were slim when it came to iconic rom-coms. We saw so many movies in the earlier decades and felt a huge lull in the making of quality movies through the 2010s. We only really had those holiday Hallmark movies or romantic comedies that just didn’t meet the cut to qualify as “iconic”. In the last few years, it feels like we’ve seen a great resurgence of the genre where huge iconic movies are finally making a comeback. These movies are bringing back that chemistry, romance, and drama we’ve all been starved for too long. Audiences have been waiting for the movies that give those warm and fuzzy feelings and amazing chemistry to watch on our screens, and I can safely say that those movies are finally coming back and in full swing.
We’ve been seeing more diversity in characters, cultures, and stories representing all different cultures and genders. Movies like Crazy Rich Asians, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and Wedding Season reflect the diversity that has been much needed for decades to represent love and stories for all audiences. As a brown girl, I know how deprived I have felt in the film industry, especially with romantic movie scenes not having representation on screen of girls that look like me falling in love or having others fall in love with girls like us. It’s only in recent years I have seen movies that show these things and the diversity beyond heterosexual white couples.
Something that stands out to me about the difference between romantic comedies of the past and those we’re seeing now is the messiness. Rom-coms of the 2000s felt more clean-cut, with classic tropes, and characters that generally didn’t have as much depth or uniqueness. They almost always feature straight white couples with matching characteristics meeting by some coincidence, and the rest follows from there. This wasn’t all bad though, they also had a more wholesome feel and were pretty funny. There is a reason they became the classics we all know and love today, but the messiness and the depth of characters in rom-coms today are different. Take To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before for example. While a teenage romance, it still did a great job at building the main character’s entire being and developed the personality thoroughly, from the way she thought to her decisions, by the end of the movie, you felt like you knew her. The characters are messy and have so many unique characteristics, ditching those classic tropes and character arcs of the 2000s. While the 2000s movies feel like a warm, comforting hug, the newer movies feel fresh and more alive. One is not better than the other, but there is a notable change between the themes we see in either era.
I’ll finish off this article by mentioning a few new-age rom-coms that I loved and would make great watches or rewatches for all of us this upcoming Valentine’s season.
1. Anyone But You
The first one is Anyone but You, released right at the end of last year, the movie is the classic fake dating trope with the characters going through an enemies-to-lovers storyline. This movie had great comedy and the chemistry between the lead actors was unlike other new age movies I have seen in recent times making this a definite “must watch”!
2. Wedding Season
As mentioned earlier, the second movie is Wedding Season. As a brown girl, this movie was wholesome, representative, and relatable. Again, with a fake dating trope, this movie was great because it had some funny moments paired with storylines that were culturally relevant, making it a very relatable watch!
3. crazy rich asians
Finally, also mentioned earlier, Crazy Rich Asians is another favourite. Released in 2018, the movie still encapsulates the new-age themes of the rom-com renaissance. The representation and unique storyline make this a heartwarming and wholesome movie with a great love story, making it worthy for the Valentine’s watch list!