Source : the age
There’s Billy Crystal’s Harry confessing his love to Meg Ryan’s Sally. Or the impassioned classroom poem from Julia Stiles’ Kat in 10 Things I Hate About You. Or Hugh Grant in … well, take your pick. As a genre, romantic comedies dominated film and TV in the ’90s and early 2000s. Since this golden era, rom-coms now seem more associated with cringe than comfort. But could the tide be turning? From “dom-coms” to “wrong-coms” to more conventional destination romances, there’s a plethora of romance on screen in more recent times.
I’m just a writer, standing in front of a reader, asking you to consider the resurgence of rom-coms with the following list of films and TV shows that have (or are about to) come out.
Office Romance (Netflix)
It wouldn’t be a list of rom-coms without Jennifer Lopez, who has 10 such titles to her name and counting. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on where you stand), her latest film doesn’t revolve around planning or attending a wedding. It does feature Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso) as her on-screen romantic interest and the lawyer recently hired to work for her company. What’s an airline chief executive to do when she falls for a staff member after instituting an office fraternisation ban? It’s a deeply relatable plot – for airline chief executives. This R-rated film will probably entertain, depending on your feelings towards British-American cultural differences, workplace ensembles, and extended work trips.
For fans of: The Office (US), Two Weeks Notice and J-Lo.
Alice and Steve (Disney+)
“No young woman wants a 50-year-old man creeping up to her,” Steve (Jemaine Clement) tells his best friend Alice (Nicola Walker) in a bar after attending the funeral of a mutual friend. And yet, a few short scenes later, it’s the very premise of the show. As Steve goes on to date Alice’s 20-something daughter, Izzy (Yali Topol Margalith), this “wrong-com” takes us to deeply uncomfortable places. Creator and writer Sophie Goodhart (Sex Education) puts Alice and Steve’s friendship at the forefront of this six-part series that will have you asking: “Are we meant to laugh at this part?”
For fans of: Flight of the Conchords, Peep Show.
Heartstopper Forever (Netflix, July 17)
Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and golden retriever in human form Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) are back in Heartstopper Forever. The feature film is the final instalment of the gay romance series, based on YA graphic novels by Alice Oseman. In this chapter, Nick heads to college as Charlie reckons with his last year of school without his boyfriend. If it’s anything like the series, the film will feel like a big warm hug with a side of adolescent drama. Long-distance relationships are rich fodder for rom-coms, but can Charlie and Nick survive this trope test?
For fans of: Young Royals, Sex Education and whatever the opposite of Euphoria is.
Voicemails for Isabelle (Netflix, June 19)
A woman leaving voicemails for her dead sister doesn’t sound like the premise for a rom-com, but it’s what drives the plot of Voicemails for Isabelle. Pastry chef Jill (Zoey Deutch) and real estate agent Wes (Nick Robinson) meet when Jill’s dead sister’s number is reassigned to Wes, of course. As she leaves messages about her life, work and grief to an unwitting stranger, that stranger – aka Wes – finds himself falling for her. The trailer makes direct reference to You’ve Got Mail, only it’s the “sick reboot” according to Wes’ friend, Andy. Indeed, director Leah McKendrick says Nora Ephron’s 1998 film was a big influence. There’s an interesting cast, too – including Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) and Lukas Gage (White Lotus).
For fans of: You’ve Got Mail (obviously), Love, Simon and interminably long voice memos.
Pillion (HBO Max)
The critically acclaimed film featuring Alexander Skarsgård as Ray, a dom in a relationship with the meek Colin (Harry Melling, of Dudley Dursley in Harry Potter fame), has now landed on streaming. Director Harry Lighton explores BDSM and relationships in a complex way; one of the more memorable scenes is the “meet the parents” moment between Colin’s mother and father and an unapologetic Ray. It’s perhaps an unconventional contender in the rom com category – but the film is tender, and ultimately, a love story (featuring boot-licking).
For fans of: All of Us Strangers, God’s Own Country and leather.
You, Me and Tuscany (Amazon Prime Video)
This destination rom-com is not exactly reinventing the wheel, but it’s no less enjoyable if you’re into two big stars falling for each other with central Italy as the setting. The stars in question are Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid) and Regé-Jean Page (Bridgerton), playing two people who get to know each other under a false premise. Halle’s character, Anna, spontaneously decides to fly to a relative stranger’s Tuscan villa, is caught inside said villa by the absent owner’s mother, lies and then pretends to be her future daughter-in-law. Oh, and Page’s character is the nephew. Confused? To be honest, I was too. Shhhh, just focus on the vineyard, cobblestones and rolling hills.
Not for fans of: Believable plot lines.
Off Campus (Amazon Prime Video)
Showrunner Louisa Levy’s (Death and Other Details) book-to-TV-adaptation has proved popular. By now, you’ll probably know the premise: college all-star hockey player Garrett (Belmont Cameli) and Hannah (Ella Bright) create a “fake” relationship to get Hannah’s crush’s attention. You can probably guess what happens next. Featuring Australian Josh Heuston (Heartbreak High) as said crush, it’s the steamy escapist rom-com your girlfriend is probably watching right now.
For fans of: The Sex Lives of College Girls, Heated Rivalry and pretending to enjoy watching hockey.
You, Always (Netflix)
What if best friends became lovers? It’s a familiar cinematic tale, but how many have you seen against the backdrop of Far North Queensland? When Ethan (Adrian Grenier, The Devil Wears Prada) realises he’s in love with his closest friend, Dr Jen Bell (Jessica De Gouw, The Union), it’s on. They happily get together with absolutely zero implausible obstacles in their path. Only kidding, that’s not how this kind of rom-com goes. Throw in a “hot author” (Desmond Chiam) and we have ourselves a love triangle. While the dialogue doesn’t exactly sparkle, the beautiful location of the tropical north coast does. One “fan” review on IMDB likened watching this to “eating the worst fast-food”. Isn’t that the ultimate comfort watch?
For fans of: My Best Friend’s Wedding, Ticket to Paradise and not using a single brain cell while watching TV.
Two Years Later (Paramount+)
Can eight dates with a person tell you if you’re meant to be with them forever? This question is not a prompt on a dinner party card set, but one that is at the heart of this eight-part Australian series. It’s written and created by Pete Bridges (Deep Water) and set in post-pandemic Brisbane, where Ryan (Brenton Thwaites) and Emily (Phoebe Tonkin, Boy Swallows Universe) come into each other’s orbit again after (spoiler!) two years. There’s chemistry, there’s flirting, there are difficult conversations and probably more pandemic chat than one is comfortable with. The rom-com unfolds as more of a drama as the episodes, and characters, unravel.
For fans of: Normal People, Love Me and meeting people on a bus.
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