Filmmaking / Directing : Valentine’s Day & The Return of the Romantic Film by Ashley Renée Smith

Hey, Ashley Renée Smith! Your first paragraph reminds me that no genre is ever dead.

I think modern audiences want more unique Romance movies and shows, like genre mixes and Romance movies and shows about cultures that they don't usually see.

I haven't watched any Romantic films or series lately, but Merv, Relationship Goals, The Gorge, and Wuthering Heights sound interesting.

I wish I could've been a part of telling Hitch.

Ashley Renée Smith I’m not a big Rom-Com guy, but prefer some excellent Romantic Dramas from the ‘80s and ‘90s — SOMEWHERE IN TIME (1980), ABOUT LAST NIGHT (‘86), the rarely-seen PARADISE (from ‘92, starring real-life married couple at the time, Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith), but I must say, the GREATEST Romantic Comedy Script / Movie of all time is……… 1982’s TOOTSIE. That thing STILL RULES 44 years later!!

Have you seen it?

Bill, I have to be honest, the only one from your list that I've seen is Somewhere In Time, and I adore that film. I'm adding the others to my watchlist! What makes Tootsie's script so strong in your opinion?

I personally overwhelmingly favour the classics and whatever was made before 2015, since nothing after then stands out to me. I'll always love Notting Hill because it had an adorably awkward hero and way-out-of-his-league love interest that you nonetheless believed would get together despite all odds. It was fun and whimsical and yet very real.

A more recent one I enjoy is Crazy Stupid Love that's much more grounded and as a result much messier (man going through divorce gets a makeover helping him gain confidence, meanwhile his daughter falls for the same playboy who helped him). It also helps that it's designed to be rewatched; you appreciate how everyone is connected so much more.

I imagine audiences long for romances/romantic comedies that are unapologetically themselves, that make you feel something because they themselves feel that emotion. You don't have to make it big in scale, you just have to make it personal. And FUN. Love is messy, even painful, but it's also fun and heartwarming.

Romance is very much my bag, having written love stories as novels form before I got here. Unless it's Richard Curtis' rom coms or Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, emotional romantic films are my favourite eg, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Me before you, and A star is born, with maybe an unpopular choice of Passengers, as a favourite.

2025/2026 are proving to be banner years for romantic comedies—Anyone But You grossed $220M worldwide, Red, White & Royal Blue became Prime Video's most-watched rom-com ever, and studios have greenlit dozens of new rom-com projects. 2026 in particular is shaping up to be the year of the genre. As audiences shy away from darker dramas and rush to theaters for lighter fare both domestically and internationally, production companies are aggressively building their rom-com slates. This is why we've recently partnered with Evoke Entertainment to find the next Rom-Com hit.

The partnership, through Stage 32's Rom-Com Screenwriting Contest, will give the grand prize winner the opportunity to have their project fast-tracked to development and packaged by Evoke, one of the top management, production, and finance companies in Hollywood.

More info here: https://www.stage32.com/happy-writers/contests/5th-Annual-Romantic-Comed....

I think it’s both! From my conversations, the younger generation craves authenticity (oh the TikTok generation!) They want real, raw stories and relationships, but everyone still wants to be entertained and watch a movie…

the wish fulfillment / glossiness of epic love and the grand gesture. So if you can marry both (pun intended!) then you have a winning combo ❤️

I enjoyed "Shakespeare In Love? -- for drawing on a tragic couple finding love using the wit of William Shakespeare in his environment. I had fun using the ghost of Mark Twain in modern-day Virginia City, Nevada, for those same reasons in "The Christmas Twain." Whether classic or new, the concept has to be inventive-- making the oldest story on Earth new again.

Romantic dramas: Love Jones (1997) and Brooklyn (2015).

Romantic comedies: Tootsie (timeless) and One Fine Day (1996).

... So yeah, I guess I like the old stuff. The newer ones aren't all bad, but I wouldn't stop what I'm doing to watch them again.

A film with an interesting romance subplot was Far From Heaven from 2004.

Ashley Renée Smith you are speaking my love language…pun intended. The RomCom is def back and I’m happy about it. I will say that I talk to creatives a lot about the need for the next generation of Black / marginalized RomCom / Romantic films. I grew up on CLAUDINE, LOVE JONES, BROWN SUGAR and LOVE & BASKETBALL. They mean so much to the culture. Also , Black women are in our soft era…we’re done with the burn out and trauma. Produceable, character driven Romantic narratives is attractive in the marketplace. Love is universal and we need more of it in the world and on our screens!

It feels like people want rom coms that not only have the happy ending, but possibly subvert the usual meet-cute, but I think the tricky thing is NO ONE REALLY KNOWS (Haha!!) and it might be a great time to experiment with a lot of takes on the rom-com.

Ashley, THANK YOU! So well researched and insightful.

I am not a romance movie/book person, but I am excited for WUTHERING HEIGHTS I read the book. I love it. I guess I like the classics. Bronte, Austen. and Romantasy. Me. personally hate Rom Coms but love the sweeping historical romances like FAR AND AWAY. Even TLOTR has a good love story.

Because I have been so involved in my TV hit series, Chrysalis - The Family Adventure(s), the only thing I can add to the conversation are the romances that occur in the series. Your contrast between classic and modern made me think of a scene in a recent episode in which Josh and Amanda are on the run from ICE. ICE is looking for her because someone spotted her late night secret visits to avoid his parents and got suspicious. She happens to be Latina, at least on her mother's side (nobody knows for sure who her father is but she got the name Wainright from one of the men banging mom in exchange for drugs). Aar, ICE goes looking for her, holding Josh's family hostage but when the ICE van with the "hostages" inside arrives in front of Amanda’s building, a bunch of the drug dealers meet the van with bullets and a deathly shootout occurs. Josh's mom asks Josh, "This is where your girlfriend lives?" and he says, "My girlfriend" and bolts from the vehicle managing to avoid detection by the two warring parties and make it to Amanda where he tells her they've got to bolt quickly. They're trying to make it undetected to Josh's sister's friend's house who says they can find legal protection for them. Along the way, Josh makes several comments indicating his love, i.e. his bolting from the vehicle to save her (only half true because his love was as selfish as it was giving as is all romance), and another line where he says he loves being on the run with her, and each time she affectionately brushes them off, at one time saying to him, "Oh not another one of your cheugy romanticisms". Clearly, she loves him for things other than his modus operandi. It's like he accidentally falls into this affair in spite of his tastelessness, which in a comedic sense is funny but not in a romantic one. But those are the things that draw people to each other. Perhaps this transcends date, but When Harry Met Sally is a great example of how it's the most obnoxious qualities, the things you can't stand about your partner that end up being why you love them so much. In my story, Josh is clearly the classic romantic, albeit almost tasteless because it's too romantic, while Amanda, who as you see has known anything but a smooth, easy life, is the modern part of this crazy love. Eventually, hunger pulls them into Santa Ana's only all-night diner where the cops get him while she escapes. That was Episode 69, On The Run, The Chase. Those who stay tuned will find out that their love is not fractured at all and in fact does last a good while though circumstances Eventually force their complete physical separation as he gets picked up for past crimes and booked. I'll let you know when it gets there.

I miss rom-coms like Jerry Maguire, and When Harry Met Sally they moved me. The characters I felt gave a great performance of what it is like to be in love. I believe that the rom-com has become stale and fake. Either the movies became overly sexualized or depressing. Everyone knows love stinks sometimes. Why not celebrate the fun side of love? I think the rom-com is returning because there is a whole new audience, and people like me want to reminisce about the heyday of rom-coms.

Ashley Renée Smith TOOTSIE is a master class film supported by a very tight script, an amazing cast (not one weak link in the entire bunch), 10 Oscar nominations (1 win- Best Supporting Actress for Jessica Lange) and a highly satisfying story of countless twists and turns. Plus, director Sidney Pollack works overtime by portraying the talent agent of Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) in the film. The attached video illustrates how Pollack was able to push the film to Oscar-caliber heights.

https://youtu.be/V80LvSl2FIE?si=BAyJsRTRUBnVAw2X

There's no particular era for me. If the story is told well, I'll like it. I love Rebecca with Sir Laurence Olivier. I love Woman Under the Influence. I love The Notebook which a line is taken from Woman Under the Influence, but it is used in a different way which is so wonderful. The Way We Were is really the first movie where the main theme was a romance that grabbed me. I love that movie and the tragedy of the inability for them to be together, even though they want to be. Then there's Pretty In Pink, being a teenager during the era of John Hughes make it just that more special. I've got love stories in all my scripts, because when things start getting going, some kind of distraction always makes it way into life, and that distraction is often, an unexpected love story.

My favorite rom-com is Fools Rush In from 1997...I also rewatch When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail every year. There’s just something about that late ’80s/’90s era... The characters feel flawed, specific, even a little neurotic... and that’s the magic. The love stories unfold through conversation, restraint, and emotional tension rather than concept alone.

I grew up in the era of the teen rom-com. So movies like Ten Things I Hate About You, Drive Me Crazy and She's all That hold a special place in my heart. The characters are so messy...And vulnerable. But there's also this lens of pop-culture that provides entertainment value.

I'll also shoutout to Trainwreck (2015) and Something Great (2019) from the last decade-ish as memorable and unique for their times.

I think the challenge with some modern rom-coms is lack of authenticity or feeling overly produced and the narrative feeling too cleanly structured/sanitized. When character feels engineered instead of lived-in, the romance doesn’t land the same way and the comedy falls flat.

Hey Ashley Renée Smith Breakfast at Tiffanys, When Harry met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, Somethings Gotta give, You've got mail, Nights in Rodanthe, Paris can wait, Under the tuscan sun I could go on and on. I love rom coms. Nobody wants this dialogue is crazy good and it's such a joy to watch. I have major concerns about films like It ends with us that deal with domestic abuse and are not romantic at all.

On the TV side I think the most recent example we have to take note of is the immense success of Heated Rivalry. Several factors are in play here. Based on IP with an existing rabid fan base that longs to be taken seriously. Unflinchingly authentic, grounded storytelling that doesn't try to gloss over the rough parts of life. Very complex relationships that are hard to define and change over the course of the series. An interesting, immersive world with built-in stakes, which is a key ingredient of any show and cannot be ignored in romance. A feel-good ending that nonetheless feels plausible as a possible outcome of the story, even if that is HFN rather than HEA.

Maurice Vaughan Now I’m curious, what about Hitch makes you wish you were part of it?

I just wrote a rom-com last year and need to ge notes on it soon. Hopefully, Stage32 can help me out.

Bana, I love how clearly you know your lane with this.

Notting Hill is such a great example of that “classic” romantic energy. It’s whimsical, yes, but it’s also emotionally grounded. I really resonate with what you said about romances being unapologetically themselves.

@Wendy, Do you think romantic dramas have an easier time feeling timeless than rom-coms? Or do you feel like the emotional intensity is what keeps them resonating for you?

And since you’ve written love stories in novel form, do you find yourself drawn to more internal, character-driven romance on screen because of that?

@Geoff, I love seeing actual numbers tied to the comeback. When you point to Anyone But You doing $220M worldwide and Red, White & Royal Blue breaking records on Prime Video, it stops being a “trend” conversation and starts being a marketplace reality. In a cycle where darker prestige dramas have dominated for years, there’s clearly an appetite for chemistry, escapism, humor, and emotional payoff again. And if 2026 is shaping up to be a banner year, that’s a real opportunity window for writers who are ready.

@Kristy, Marrying both really does feel like the winning formula. Give them characters who feel like people they know, navigating modern realities, but don’t forget to deliver the magic that makes romance worth watching on a big screen.

I’m curious from your perspective as an exec: when you’re reading scripts or pitch materials, what’s the first thing that signals to you that a rom-com has successfully balanced both? Is it voice? Dialogue? Character flaws? The way the conflict is structured?

@Tom, You nailed it, the concept has to feel inventive. We all know the core beats of romance. The question is how you twist the lens so we experience them in a way we haven’t before.

@Sheila, I think what you’re pointing to is rewatch value. A lot of the older romances feel designed to linger, not just to trend for a weekend. What do you think gives those older films their staying power for you, the writing, the pacing, the performances, or something harder to define?

@Michael, do you think the film works more because of the forbidden dynamic, or because of how carefully it mirrors the melodramas of the 1950s?

@Whitney, it is so great to see you in this conversation! And from a marketplace standpoint, you’re absolutely right. Character-driven, producible romantic narratives are attractive right now. They travel. They connect. They invite repeat viewing. And when they’re rooted in authentic lived experience, they feel fresh, not formulaic. I’d love to see more writers leaning into that space with confidence. Stories that honor culture and community while also embracing softness and pleasure.

What themes or dynamics do you feel are still underexplored in the next wave of romantic films?

Eric McKeever, Eric, I laughed out loud at “NO ONE REALLY KNOWS,” because honestly… that might be the most accurate take in this entire thread. Subverting the meet-cute is such an interesting pressure point. We’ve seen so many coffee-shop collisions and airport chases that now the audience almost anticipates the trope before it happens. So the question becomes: do you reinvent it, invert it, or skip it entirely? If you were to experiment, what would you flip first? The meet-cute? The third-act breakup? The grand gesture?

Thank you, Bradford Richardson!

Suzanne Bronson, you may not be a rom-com person, but you are clearly a romance person, just in a very specific flavor. Wuthering Heights, Austen, Bronte, even LOTR, those are epic, sweeping, often tragic and mythic love stories. They’re not built around banter and hijinks. They’re built around longing, destiny, obsession, sacrifice. The emotional stakes feel massive, sometimes even operatic.

That’s such an important reminder in this whole conversation: romance isn’t one thing.

Out of curiosity, what makes Wuthering Heights work for you in a way rom-coms don’t? Is it the intensity? The darkness? The inevitability of it all?

Marc Ginsburg You’re absolutely right to bring up When Harry Met Sally. The things that irritate us, the “obnoxious” traits, often become the texture of intimacy. It’s not about polishing characters into ideal lovers. It’s about friction. The friction is what makes it feel real.

John Radtke, I really appreciate this perspective. I also think you’re tapping into something important about tone. When rom-coms drift too far into hyper-sexualized spectacle or swing too far into bleak realism without emotional payoff, they stop feeling like a celebration of connection. And for a genre built on chemistry and hope, that’s a risky trade.

You’re right that love stinks sometimes. But it’s also ridiculous, playful, surprising, and deeply human. The best romantic comedies let us laugh at ourselves while still rooting for something sincere. That blend is harder to pull off than it looks.

Bill Brock if more modern rom-coms were built with that level of structural discipline and character depth, do you think we’d see them competing more regularly in awards conversations again?

Maria Brogna, I really love what you said about love as distraction. That feels true to life. When things start moving, when goals are in motion, when stakes are rising, love complicates everything. It’s rarely convenient. It rarely arrives when it should. And that tension between ambition and intimacy is such rich storytelling ground.

Out of all the love stories you mentioned, which one do you feel influenced your own creative voice the most?

Laura Notarianni Your point about modern rom-coms feeling overly engineered is such an interesting critique. When characters feel optimized instead of discovered, when their quirks feel curated for brand appeal instead of rooted in psychology, the chemistry can start to feel transactional.

Maybe that’s the real debate we should be having right now: Do audiences want high-concept romance again, or do they want hyper-specific, character-first love stories that feel almost messy and inconvenient?

If you had to pinpoint it, what’s one thing those ’90s rom-coms did structurally or tonally that you think modern writers should study more closely?

Marie Hatten you just listed a full comfort-watch rotation and I love it. And yes to Nobody Wants This. The dialogue really is the engine. It’s sharp, layered, and feels like people actually talking instead of delivering theme. I also really appreciate you bringing up It Ends With Us. What do you think is the line between a messy love story and one that crosses into something that shouldn’t be labeled romance at all?

I think it's probably a combination of at least some of those things, plus the intangibles. The first is that romance, even movie ones, rely on chemistry. The pairs have to match. And it can't just be two pretty people. (Or two actors who both happen to be hugely popular at the moment.) You have to believe the leads could be a couple that will last. Some of that is natural, but good characterization is what nails it, and the acting sells it.

Then, for me, if the attraction is plausible, the motivations and choices have to fall in line. (I think this is where 'Tootsie' shines most.) And that dictates the pace. In the hands of a good writer, it comes together like "Of course," but you're also pleasantly surprised.

Anna Marton Henry, Heated Rivalry really is a case study in how to do modern romance right, especially on television. You’re absolutely right about the IP factor. When you’re adapting something with a passionate built-in audience, you’re not just selling a love story. You’re honoring an emotional contract. That fan base already knows the stakes, already believes in the chemistry, and is waiting to see if the adaptation respects what made them fall in love in the first place. I LOVED it.

Do you think television, because of its longer runway, is better suited right now for these complex, evolving romances than features?

Sheila D. Boyd, I love what you said about believing they could actually last. That’s such an underrated metric. It’s not just about sparks, it’s about sustainability. Do these two people actually fit? Would they survive Tuesday, not just the meet-cute? Your point about plausibility is huge, too. Once the attraction feels real, the character choices have to track.

Ashley Renée Smith I think the complexity of the relationships is definitely part of it, especially because B and C stories allow you to get into the other relationships (like family) more in depth. But a big difference is the same as the difference between features and TV in general, which is that features can do a "will they won't they" type of story, which doesn't work on TV so well as a primary storyline because the audience stops caring about a single central question pretty quickly. You need built-in unresolvable conflicts like (in this case) how can two such different people manage a relationship (they are in one 15 minutes into ep. 1), and how can they overcome the challenges their world presents, if at all. I also think ongoing series are uniquely suited to a "happy for now" ending like Heated Rivalry. My sense is that the feature audience really wants more specific closure.

The date doctor angle, Ashley Renée Smith. It's an incredible idea for a Rom-Com!

Thanks Ashley Renée Smith, yeah :) my parents and I like watching movies together some evenings and so many of the newer romances and romcoms are sadly rather forgettable ^^; their main draw seems to be the shooting locations rather than the story or even characters. It's like they're afraid to commit and feel the emotions we the audience are supposed to feel, which is just... strange lol. So I overwhelmingly prefer older stuff as a result. I have yet to get tired of a Julia Roberts romcom from the 90s. Part of it is indeed fuelled by nostalgia but in this case I also just feel like some of that old-school emotion really needs to come back. Otherwise, why should I fall in love with the romance if the film itself didn't, y'know?

I think we should all write what we love. I personally LOVE rom-coms, high-concept or low is fine as long as there is comedy and romance. How To Lose A Guy is one of my favorites and I use it in workshops I teach on rom-coms. I enjoyed Nobody Wants This but it's a totally different type--more witty banter than story but still likeable enough. Comedy and romance will always be here.

Ashley Renée Smith Nobody wants this is the most naturalistic dialogue . Oh my goodness I don’t think I can answer that question regarding It ends with us except to say the writer missed a lot of opportunities to handle what’s an incredibly complex issue . The line between love and coercive behaviour is so murky . Red flags like jealousy , wanting to be together all the time / know where someone is all the time can be rationalised as passion , love / caring . I think normalising any controlling / coercive behaviour is not acceptable at all and the way Ryle just walks away from Lily at the end is hard to believe .

Love that you're championing the romance genre—it's never truly gone, it just shape-shifts to reflect how we actually connect (or fail to) in each era. I think today's audiences crave the awkward, emotionally complex stories because they feel more honest; the glossy meet-cute can feel like a fantasy we no longer have the attention span for, while a messy, grounded connection gives us something to root for that feels attainable.

Audiences haven’t fallen out of love with romance. They’ve just become more attuned to truth over polish.

The classics still do it beautifully. But right now, the heartbeat is leaning toward intimacy, awkwardness, and emotional complexity, stories that feel less like a fairy tale and more like someone you might actually know.

Ashley Renée Smith A bit of both, it showed what a 1950s melodrama wouldn't show and used that same 1950s style and setting.

I think audiences may be seeking more relatable stories rather than escapism. It makes me wonder if previous focus on a "dream life" versus a current focus on loving ourselves in our personal identity and individual expression (pertaining to society) is a driving force behind that shift in focus. In previous eras we all wanted to escape. Now we all want to feel seen. Maybe that's why the messier, imperfect relationships are gaining ground... They are just more relatable (that's why for me. What about y'all?).

Love this question! And honestly, I think the "rom-coms are dead" crowd was always being a little dramatic, which, ironically, is exactly the energy a good rom-com needs.

For me, the magic is in the mess. The classics gave us perfectly choreographed meet-cutes and airport sprints, and I will never not watch those (Hugh Grant stammering his way through anything is basically my love language).

I think what we're really craving is the modern rom-com wrapped in the sincerity of 1980s comedies. Think about those films. They could be silly, chaotic, completely over the top, but then the third act hits and suddenly a character is standing there having a real, raw, heartfelt moment of awakening. That's the stuff that sticks with you. We got away from that for a while, trading genuine feeling for snark and surface-level charm, and I think audiences felt the difference.

Give us the butterflies, the banter, and the emotional baggage. But also give us that moment where someone finally gets it. That's where the genre lives and breathes. The genre isn't dead. It just went to therapy and came back stronger. lol

Turns out to be a timely topic, Ashley Renée Smith.

I can't say I'm hugely knowledgeable about romance films as a genre. But, for your second question, as to which era of romance hits harder for me: I don't think the era a film was made factors meaningfully into whether it resonates with me; it really depends on the individual story and how it's told in the film. That goes for not just romance stories, but all films.

I think romance, when it happens, can be one of the most fundamental and impactful experiences in the real lives of many people. Enough people are touched by it at some point in their lives that romantic stories—including romance-genre movies and movies that include a romantic arc within a broader storyline—will always be there in some form and never truly disappear.

That said, some of the romance films I find intriguing that I continue to love include...

—Brokeback Mountain

—Carol

—Close (2022)

—Far from Heaven

—Harold and Maude

—In the Mood for Love

—Let the Right One In (2008)

—Little Children

—Moonlight

—Notes on a Scandal

—Passages (2023)

—Romeo and Juliet (1968)

—Stranger by the Lake

—Wuthering Heights (2011)

Some of them happen to strongly combine characteristics typically found in other genres, like suspense or thrills. And a lot of them have much to say beyond their romantic components. I suppose some of them may not even really be considered romance films by everyone.

Perhaps that complexity makes them that much more appealing to me...

You had me at How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days!!! I like the old school ones or newer cheesy ones :)

I really appreciate the romcoms from the 90s and early 2000s. Some of my favorites are The Proposal, Never Been Kissed, and The Wedding Singer. Even teen films like 10 Things I Hate About You and She’s All That are great. I also draw inspiration from 80s and 90s sitcoms that weave strong romantic threads into the comedy.

What I think these stories do especially well is let the comedy grow organically from character and circumstance, rather than forcing jokes. They also aren’t afraid to include heavier emotional moments, which creates contrast and gives the story heart. That balance of humor and sincerity makes them relatable—and endlessly rewatchable.

I’m currently developing a romcom script that borrows a few pages from these playbooks, and I’m having a blast with it. Long live the romcom.

I was remiss. I failed to mention one of my favorite movies: THE PRINCESS BRIDE. Romantasy!

Princess bride I just loved too!! I need to re-watch :)

Suzanne Bronson Your Love for THE PRINCESS BRIDE is…………… INCONCEIVABLE!!!!!

Sydney S Your Love for THE PRINCESS BRIDE is……… also “INCONCEIVABLE!!!

Ashley Renée Smith I don't like rom coms because they are so formulaic. The standard meet cute, the breakup, the grand gesture, the stereotypical jobs for the men and the women, the cookie cutter best friend, they are all the same. It's like a plug in formula. Just substitute actor and location.

I like Wuthering Heights and stories like that because, yes, the darkness has something to do with it. The uncontrollable passion, yet it's risky to be together. Also, the uncertainty of it. The lovers don't always get a happy ending like in a rom com. Gone With the Wind is another example.

To answer your question, I guess why I like stories like WUTHERING HEIGHTS because meeting the love of your life, doesn't necessarily mean Happy Ever After.

Ashley Renée Smith Ahh!! You’re right. That IS the debate!!

I think one structural element older rom-coms/90s type rom-coms handled so well was earned TENSION.

There was often real ideological conflict between the leads, not just situational obstacles. Their worldviews clashed, their flaws actively got in the way, and the romance felt inconvenient rather than neatly structured. In When Harry Met Sally, the entire story is built around a philosophical debate about whether men and women can truly be friends. In You’ve Got Mail, the central tension is capitalism versus sentimentality, big box versus indie, long before it becomes a love story. Even Notting Hill is about power imbalance.

Structurally, those films let conflict simmer…allowed characters to be wrong more than once, and created space for reaction beats that gave emotional moments weight. The humor complimented the vulnerability ya know.

Scripts get noted to death these days. I see it all the time. Characters that start with so many layers and quirks and opinions in a spec become algorithmically likable.

Ashley Renée Smith i was actually looking forward to seeing WUTHERING HEIGHTS until I discovered that 16-year-old Catherine Earnshaw would be portrayed by 35-YEAR-OLD Margot Robbie. THAT’S stretching it a bit. QUITE a bit. Wow. Talk about a Romantic COMEDY??!!

Haha Bill Brock You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means.

Suzanne Bronson i hated most romcoms until I wrote one. Not at all like the popcorn ones of which you speak. There have been a few blisteringly good ones though, but I see hundreds advertised every year which are not.

To Bill, Wuthering Heights isn't a romantic comedy. To the OG, I love rom-coms. I am always told they are dead, no one will ever buy them, etc etc.. but I don't think that's true at all. There are good ones all the time.

This is a good topic.... I still like 'the holiday' and 'love actually' but im a basic person. Easy pleased!!!