by Smriti Vijay (’25)

“Rom-Com Reflections” analyzes popular romantic comedies, especially their largely unrecognized lessons about social issues. Often disregarded for their unchanging formulas and supposedly fanciful notions, rom-coms are rarely seen as pieces for deep consideration. I hope to take a more critical look at the underlying messages this media type can convey about the world today.

Rom-Com Reflections: difficult versus obedient women in “10 Things I Hate About You”

by Smriti Vijay (’25) | March 22, 2024 According to the theory of basic emotions and expressions by Paul Ekman, humans have six basic emotions—sadness, happiness, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust—that transcend cultural and social barriers. The perception of these emotions is also reportedly equal across groups of people: smiling indicates happiness, while widening eyes…

Rom-Com Reflections: college admissions stress in “Prom Pact”

by Smriti Vijay (’25) | March 1, 2024 Reminiscent of many of the classic rom-coms, the 2023 release Prom Pact follows senior Mandy Yang as she navigates the coming-of-age journey that is one’s senior year of high school. Unlike its counterparts, however, Prom Pact aims a magnifying lens at the college admissions process, providing insight…

Rom-Com Reflections: casual objectification and toxic relationships in “The Kissing Booth”

by Smriti Vijay (’25) | February 2, 2024 Based on the novel with the same name, the romantic comedy The Kissing Booth features high school junior Elle Evans and her best friend Lee Flynn organizing a kissing booth for a school fundraiser. Elle has harbored a secret crush on Lee’s older brother, Noah, for years,…

Rom-Com Reflections: the desperate seek for normality in “First Daughter”

by Smriti Vijay (’25) | November 17, 2023 Samantha MacKenzie spent her childhood throwing tea parties with her closest friends, just like every other little girl. She quickly adopted and grew out of classic preteen insecurities, but like all teenagers, continues to believe that the whole world is criticizing her every move. Even then, she…

Rom-Com Reflections: materialism and shopaholism in “Confessions of a Shopaholic”

by Smriti Vijay (’25) | October 6, 2023 The 2009 romantic comedy Confessions of a Shopaholic opens with protagonist Rebecca Bloomwood in a lust-filled stupor, walking by racks of clothing, arms adorned with shopping bags. Her wide eyes and incredulous voiceover paint an almost primal need for new clothes, akin to the initial delusion upon…