The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of the Romantic Comedy

Author: Scott Meslow

Synopsis

Just in time for Valentine’s Day. I found a book that is a veritable encyclopedia of romantic comedies. The title is apt. The book chronicles the heyday of the romantic comedy (When Harry Met Sally, Pretty Woman, Four Weddings and a Funeral), as well as more modern titles like Crazy Rich Asians and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. The book even includes a biographical breakdown of the reigning kings and queens of the genre.

Written in a humorous and insightful tone. Even a cynic like me can revel in the cinematic history, and yeah, even a bit of 90’s nostalgia. This book definitely gives recommendations for new titles to add to your Netflix queue.

Biggest surprise 

The movie Knocked Up was supposed to have a real baby for the climactic delivery scene. However, the baby would have needed to be under contract at the time of the birth which isn’t possible. So that plan was scrapped.

Is it Worth Your Time?

From Hollywood with Love does a great job of tracking the rise, and answers questions about the fall of the genre. Can you guess what it was… a combination of the globalization of mass media, and the rise of the blockbuster put the romantic comedy genre out of business. As movies become more international, subtexts that exist in languages and cultures, which are at the heart of romantic comedies, don’t always travel well. And if a move doesn’t have global appeal it is harder to sell. But what does travel well is blockbuster action movies that will appeal to multiple demographics and languages.

Where does the author leave the genre, and what will make the genre rise again? Turns out streaming is here to save the day. With Netflix, movies can be written for a specific audience and sequels spun up effectively. So don’t count the genre out yet. If you haven’t checked them out for a few years there might be something new out that will appeal after all.

Photo Credit: Harper Collins