Do they not make romantic comedies anymore?

Cafe Society
1

There once was a time when people ran to the theaters to see if Meg Ryan, Amy Adams, Sandra Bullock, Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks, Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson, Rene Zellweger, Diane Lane, Reece Witherspoon, Drew Barrymore or Scarlett Johansson would end up with Tom Hanks, Billy Crystal, Patrick Dempsey, Ryan Remolds, Hugh Grant, John Cusack, Matthew McConaughey, Richard Gere or even Justin Long.

Sure, for a minute there, we thought she might have ended up with that rich jerk (played by Tom Hanks, Billy Crystal, Patrick Dempsey, Ryan Remolds, Hugh Grant, John Cusack, Matthew McConaughey, Richard Gere or even Justin Long).

Or that he might still be harboring feelings for her sister or his ex (played by Meg Ryan, Amy Adams, Sandra Bullock, Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks, Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson, Rene Zellweger, Diane Lane, Reece Witherspoon, Drew Barrymore or Scarlett Johansson).

…but ultimately we knew they would get together in the end.

And there were literally dozens of these films. I could probably have made those actor lists twice as long and each one has like half a dozen of these films.
But it seems like they stopped making these films in 2009. Most of the actresses I mentioned are in their 40s and 50s now, past their rom-com prime. And the last closest thing to a Rom-Com Scarlet Johansen did was playing a disembodied computer voice.

I would have expected there to be dozens of movies with Jennifer Lawrence, Keira Knightley, Zoey Deschanel, Emma Watson, Emma Stone, Mila Kunis, Shailene Woodley, or Saoirse Ronan getting with Liam Hemsworth, Nicholas Hoult, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Shia Laboufe, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Ryan Gosling. And there are a few good ones out there (500 Days of Summer, Crazy Stupid Love, Friends With Benefits), but they seem more like exceptions.

Is it a generational thing? Do millennials not care about movie romance unless it involves vampires or some sort of future young adult dystopia?

2

Maybe you’re looking at the wrong actors. Try Anna Kendrick or Miles Teller.

3

I read somewhere that Hollywood is really only interested in movies that can become franchises, thus the endless superhero craptaculars.

Romantic comedies don’t lend themselves to sequels. No one wants to see When Harry Left Sally.

Occasionally, Hollywood will churn out a weepy family dysfunction film, or Holocaust picture to score some Oscars, but comedies don’t generally bring home Oscar gold, so screw that.

I’ll say it again. Entertainment today sucks.

4

Here are 94 romantic comedies released in North America since 2009:

http://www.ondvdreleases.com/best-romantic-comedy-movies/

Is this enough to convince you that you’re exaggerating?

5

Considering that using the same device as you linked to, there were 7 romantic comedies released in 2015 as opposed to 42 action movies, I’d say the OP has a point.

6

My point is that msmith537 is exaggerating. Yes, there are less romantic comedies than there used to be. No, they haven’t disappeared entirely. Why doesn’t someone try to find the number of romantic comedies released each year over the past, say, 35 years and we can see if there has really been that much of a change and just when the change happened?

7

Just went to Box Office Mojo and looked at the top 30 or 40 movies of last week. The only romantic comedy I saw was the Bridget Jones movie, which strangely is a franchise.

8

Why would a reasonable person look at that data and conclude that they’ve stopped making romantic comedies, which was the OP’s thesis, as opposed to the fact that they simply started making more action movies?

9

Why is this thread generating so much hostility?

10

It’s a plot requirement. There have to be obstacles to the parties getting together before the happily ever after ending.

11

Good question. If everyone would just ignore romantic comedies they really will just go away for good.

12

They all say that, but then one morning romantic comedies are standing outside their bedroom window holding a boombox playing Peter Gabriel and they’re forced to admit that deep down they’re really in love with romantic comedies.

13

When Harry Met Sally 2

14

Movies go through trends. Right now, it’s blockbusters and superheroes. But that will change (there are signs its already changing).

Romantic comedies are still made. And one day, one will become a major hit and the studios will jump back on the bandwagon.

15

The Washington Post recently had a batch of articles with different views on the status of romantic comedies.

The Rom-Com is Dead, and others.

(you can open the articles in a “private” or “incognito” window if you run out of free views)

16

Haven’t they made them all already?

DC sure is trying its best to change that.

17

Another article on the subject: The Romantic Comedy Isn’t Dead - It’s Just Gotten Raunchier

18

You romantic comedy lovers should be pleased to hear that there are at least 150 people* in Hollywood working on how to make the rom-com fresh again. Such as: the female protagonist is fat, the guy who ends up with the girl is not the most handsome guy, the heroine rejects all rom-com tropes…etc.

It is not dead. It is, however, unfresh, and likely to appear disguised as something else, probably an action movie.

*probably millions actually

19

Because comedies have become less and less funny, and the romantic ones are the major laggards.

I think Woody Allen once said you need a laugh every minute in a comedy. Anyone watch a George Clooney or Steve Martin rom-com and laugh, like at all?

20

The real question is why can’t people make a good horror film.

I mean, sure, there are some good ones. A few good apples in a disgusting barrel every year. But if you have Amazon, Netflix, HULU and others, you will see that soooooo many are utter crap.

And I don’t mean stupid. Stupid is expected. I’m talking about horrible cinematography, awful pacing, high-school-drama-class level acting, inane dialogue…

I would expect better films from NYU film students.
Thanks. Reaaaalllllly needed to get that out!