‘Anyone But You’ Showcases the Worst Thing About Modern Rom-Coms
Welcome to modern rom-com week at The Daily Beast’s Obsessed! In honor of two big romance releases this week—The Fall Guy and The Idea of You—we’re celebrating everything we love about the last 15 years of romantic comedies.
Remember when rom-coms actually looked good? When I think about all of the classic rom-coms that gave teenaged-me unrealistic expectations for my future love life, it’s the atmosphere that most often comes rushing back—the warm autumnal hues of When Harry Met Sally, the sun-kissed Californian glow of Clueless, and the soft, cloudy drowsiness of While You Were Sleeping.
These movies understood that the core of any great romance is its mood—the underlying emotional narrative, which imbues each encounter with its own temperature, taste, and smell. Why is it that now, whenever I watch a rom-com, it feels like I’m sitting through an extremely long and involved infomercial for allergy medication? The vibes are nowhere to be found!