Quick Read
- Thomas Brodie-Sangster, star of Love Actually, says modern romcoms feel rushed and lack the magic of earlier films.
- Streaming platforms have shifted production priorities, leading to lower budgets and faster scripts.
- Romantic comedies today often underperform compared to their late-90s and early-2000s counterparts.
- The actor hopes the genre will revive its former quality if studios focus on genuine storytelling.
The Enduring Charm of Love Actually
For many, Love Actually isn’t just a holiday staple—it’s a time capsule of romance from a pre-smartphone world. Released in 2003, Richard Curtis’s star-studded ensemble film wrapped together the lives, heartbreaks, and hopes of Londoners in the weeks before Christmas. But as the film marks its 22nd anniversary in 2025, one of its stars, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, is asking a question that’s been on the minds of romcom fans everywhere: why don’t today’s romantic comedies feel the same?
Brodie-Sangster, who played the lovestruck Sam at age 13, recently reflected on the genre’s evolution in an interview highlighted by The Guardian. He reminisced about the ‘simpler time’ when romcoms ruled the box office and audiences fell head over heels for stories like Notting Hill and When Harry Met Sally. For him, that era was marked by authenticity and a kind of cinematic magic that’s harder to find now.
Streaming’s Impact: Rushed Scripts and Shrinking Budgets
One explanation for the genre’s decline, Brodie-Sangster argues, is the rise of streaming platforms. Once, romantic comedies were studio priorities, shot on location, and given generous budgets. Now, with studios pouring resources into blockbuster franchises—think Marvel and DC—the romcom has been relegated to streaming services. There, the pressure to churn out content quickly means scripts often feel ‘rushed’ and production values diminished.
He notes, “They need to tap into the zeitgeist of what’s happening at this moment immediately, otherwise the public is going to be on to something else.” The result? Movies that chase trends instead of building lasting stories, with writers sometimes forced to deliver whatever they have just to stay relevant.
This shift is visible in the numbers. Materialists, a 2025 romcom starring Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal, earned about $108 million globally—a figure dwarfed by the likes of Love Actually ($245 million) or Notting Hill ($364 million) in their heyday. Meanwhile, superhero blockbusters rake in billions, reshaping studio priorities and audience expectations.
A Bygone Era of Romance
What was it about those 1990s and early 2000s films that captured hearts so reliably? For Brodie-Sangster, it’s partly nostalgia for a world less complicated by technology. “It was a kind of simpler time, and maybe that is more romantic,” he says. The absence of smartphones, social media, and instant messaging meant love stories could unfold slowly, with all the awkwardness and serendipity that real romance requires.
He cites directors like Nancy Meyers and Nora Ephron—masters of the genre whose films (You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle) balanced wit, longing, and genuine emotion. Their scripts didn’t just chase the latest trend; they took the time to let characters breathe and relationships develop.
It’s a cycle, Brodie-Sangster believes. “Things kind of go around and come around, fashions change and, when they’re done well, a good romcom can be brilliant. I hope that they will come back around.” But for now, the genre’s golden age feels like a distant memory.
Romcoms Today: Can Magic Return?
Is the magic truly gone—or just waiting to be rediscovered? Brodie-Sangster’s words invite a wider conversation. Streaming services, for all their speed and convenience, have democratized filmmaking and opened doors for diverse voices. But that same accessibility can encourage quantity over quality, with films too often designed for quick consumption rather than enduring impact.
Industry observers note that the economics of streaming favor low-risk, high-output models. With so many titles vying for attention, writers and directors are under pressure to ‘tap into the zeitgeist’—sometimes at the expense of craft. Audiences are left with romcoms that feel topical but disposable, lacking the heart and resonance of earlier classics.
Yet, the appetite for romantic comedy hasn’t disappeared. Love Actually itself remains a holiday favorite, with fans revisiting its interwoven stories year after year. Brodie-Sangster, now 35, says, “It’s lovely to be associated with Christmas. It’s not something I get bored of. It’s something I’m quite proud of and happy to have been a part of. I mean, love doesn’t really go out of date.”
There’s hope, then, that the genre’s best days aren’t behind it. If studios—and streaming platforms—can slow down, invest in strong scripts, and let characters truly connect, perhaps romantic comedies will find their spark again. As Brodie-Sangster suggests, the pendulum may swing back. Audiences, after all, never stop searching for stories that make them believe in love.
What Makes a Romcom Endure?
Looking back at Love Actually, the lessons are clear. The film’s enduring popularity isn’t just nostalgia—it’s the result of careful storytelling, memorable performances, and an understanding of love’s complexity. It’s not afraid to mix joy and heartbreak, humor and pain, in ways that feel honest.
New filmmakers can take inspiration from this approach. Instead of chasing fleeting trends, they might focus on what makes romance universal: vulnerability, hope, and the willingness to risk everything for connection. In a world that’s always changing, those ingredients never go out of style.
Assessment: The decline of romcoms in the streaming era isn’t inevitable—it’s a product of industry choices and shifting priorities. As Thomas Brodie-Sangster reminds us, the genre’s magic lies in genuine storytelling and emotional honesty. If creators and studios recommit to those values, romantic comedies could very well recapture the hearts of a new generation.