Some people despise them, some love them: romantic comedies.
I can’t get enough of them. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, and the world in a cold, dreary state, watching romantic comedies provides the perfect way to escape from reality and get in the romantic spirit.
Whether you spend Valentine’s Day with your significant other, your best friends, your dog or just yourself, end the day in a good mood by picking out a rom-com to watch.
A couple of top contenders of mine that I recommend are “10 Things I Hate About You” and “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” There’s nothing better than getting cozy on the couch, lighting some candles and watching a feel-good movie.
Rom-coms feel more universal than dramatic romances because of their comedic aspect — everyone loves to laugh.
Maybe you find the jokes funny, or you’re the kind of person who simply enjoys making fun of the whole movie. A lot of people can appreciate watching characters do embarrassing things in front of someone they have a crush on, along with the typical witty jokes and flirting.
The chemistry of two people falling for each other is very human and draws people in when they watch. A lot of rom-coms focus less on plot and more on the connection between the characters.
Seeing someone try to be their best for another person, funny and embarrassing things happening along the way and the struggles of making a relationship work all come together to make these movies so endearing.
The joy that the couples feel as they fall in love and end up together in the end radiates through the screen and leaves me feeling warm and happy along with them. Rom-coms never get old for me because of this joy, and it’s why I continue to go back to my favorites again and again.
Rom-coms sometimes get a bad rap because they portray unrealistic situations and give people a false narrative of what love should look like. A guy and a girl meet, they have problems that real people don’t, they fix them and ride off into the sunset.
“Pretty in Pink” and “Sweet Home Alabama” are great examples, but that doesn’t make them unenjoyable to watch. I love those films. And that might be just what some viewers crave: a world that always has a warm and fuzzy happy ending with a few laughs in between.
Box offices used to be full of movies like this, until audiences grew tired of the repeating plot.
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More recently, rom-coms have made a return on streaming services like Netflix, where directors have started taking more modern, relatable approaches.
These rom-coms feature characters with real-life problems and attainable solutions. Two movies I’ve seen in the past couple of years live up to classic romantic comedy vibes, while still making viewers feel like their movie worlds could exist: “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Set it Up.”
The female protagonists aren’t perfect, both people in the relationship struggle to make love work and they have fears of being accepted, but the characters still say some sappy lines, declaring their undying love to keep the classic romantics happy.
Don’t let the clichés and bad reviews turn you away from a great romantic comedy; this genre will bring you a good laugh and happiness on Valentine’s Day or any day.
Maddy Daniels is a sophomore in journalism and mass communications and a staff writer. The views and opinions expressed in this review are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Collegian. Please send comments to opinion@kstatecollegian.com.
