Romantic comedies, also known as rom-coms, are some of the most popular movies with young adults and teenage girls. Rom-Coms have made a large comeback in past years and continue to make large appearances in theaters. In the early 2000s, many iconic rom-coms were produced, such as How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, 13 Going on 30, The Wedding Planner, and of course, The Notebook (The Dartmouth). To many, after the early 2000s, the rom-com production declined. Many began to shift their focus to other genres, but in 2018, a production of rom-coms sparked the eyes of many audiences. Movies like The Kissing Booth, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and the 2018 theater release Crazy Rich Asians made enormous profits in the rom-com industry.
The rom-com production and popularity have only kept growing from 2018. Most recently, Anyone But You was a massive hit for the rom-com industry. The 2023 film featuring Sydney Sweenie and Glen Powell, who are fan favorites, gathered a large audience of young teenage girls and adults. It makes people wonder what is so popular about rom-coms and why people love them so much. Rom-coms are centered around something that can be relatable to many, while still bringing out a good laugh from the audience. They focus on love, which brings many older audiences back to their early teen years and reminds them of their first loves. For teenagers, it makes them feel giddy and happy and reminds them of what could happen in their current situations (Uncaged).
Producers of rom-coms use tactics to portray a deeper message or serious topic in their movies, while still making them light-hearted with cliche aspects. Rom-coms are known to have simple storylines and happy endings, allowing for burdens or heavy things like trauma or loss to be lifted off viewers. As mentioned previously, rom-coms provide a sense of comfort with their predictability. They deal with universal emotions, representing real-life experiences that viewers can connect with on a deeper level (Psychology Today).
Now, let’s get into some of the most popular rom-coms and Christmas rom-coms.
1. The Notebook
First on our list is The Notebook, a worldwide favorite that is loved by many. The movie stars Ryan Gosling as Noah Calhoun, who falls in love with Allie, a rich and personality-filled girl. The two are desperately in love, but Allie’s parents discourage their relationship, and they get separated due to Noah serving in a war. Allie meets another man named James, and her love for Noah seems to end. When Noah returns, Allie is at the cusp of her marriage. However, it becomes apparent that their love for each other is anything but over. Bella Puskar (11) testifies to the movie’s appeal: “I love The Notebook. It is such a good movie, it isn’t too long, and the plot is so good.”
2. The Kissing Booth
Up next is The Kissing Booth. This film consists of 3 parts, and the first features Joey King as Elle Evans, Jacob Elordi as Noah Flynn, and Joel Courtney as Lee Flynn. Elle Woods finds herself face-to-face with her beloved crush when she signs up to run the kissing booth at the local carnival.
3. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
An original rom-com is How to Lose a Guy In 10 Days. This staple includes movie stars like Kate Hudson, who plays Andie Anderson, and Matthew McConaughy, who plays Benjamin Berry. This movie is about how Ben makes a bet with his friends that he can 100% make a woman fall in love with him in 10 days, but along the journey, he comes across Andie, who has her own ideas (Netflix).
4. Holidate
Holidate is a 2020 film starring Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey. This is about 2 single folks who are sick of being single on the holidays. These two strangers agree to be on each other’s plus-ones for a year and develop feelings for each other along the way (IMDB).
5. The Holiday
Last up on the list is a somewhat older film that is still loved. The Holiday is a 2006 film featuring Amanda, an LA movie trailer editor, and London, a journalist. Attempting to escape their romantic issues, the two swap houses for 2 weeks during the holiday season (Netflix).
