I'm not going to deny it--romantic comedies are one of, if not the most, cheesy movie genre of all time.
I love watching movies. While I will definitely go to the theater to check out the newest drama or superhero movie, I love whenever a new romcom comes out, and you can definitely count on me seeing it.
Movies that fall under the "romcom" genre usually follow the same plot, include the same characters, and prove to be as unrealistic as they are predictable. However, while some people may view these qualities as reasons to avoid any movie in this genre, it's these qualities that make me want to watch them even more.
While I do not want to speak for others, I think its safe to say that many people watch movies for an escape from their everyday lives. Through movies, the possibilities are limitless--you can be a part of a magical universe, the drama of a dysfunctional home, or the comedic events that come with having horrible bosses (do you know what movie I'm talking about?). You can escape from the hard times that life throws at you, even if it is only for two hours.
Like any other genre, romcoms provide this same escape, but maybe even more so. There are a bunch of movies that focus on a variety of stressful and high intensity situations. While this does in fact distract most of the viewers from their everyday lives, the movie itself sometimes ends with a less than satisfying ending.
Some people may be able to deal with that. They can accept that they will never know definitively what will happen to the characters they grew to know over the last hour and half of their lives. I, on the hand, absolutely hate when a movie ends with an unclear or open ending. I know I can tell myself what happens to these characters in the end, but it's almost as though there is a sense of affirmation when the creators and producers of the movie tell it for me.
That's why romcoms are so great. The endings of romcoms are given to the audience wrapped up in a bow--no loose ends, everything's answered and squared away--there are no questions regarding how they will deal with the problems introduced to them in the movie.
My life is unpredictable. So, seeing a movie that is predictable and unrealistic is a refreshing change to my everyday life. Romcoms provide a true, albeit quick, escape from the challenges I'm trying to work through, no matter how cheesy the movie may be.
