Mom-Coms Are Reminding the World That Single Mothers Still Date and We’re Here for It
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With movies like 'The Idea of You' and 'A Family Affair,' romantic comedies are taking a much-needed new form.
Netflix
Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah ScottFrom classic films like When Harry Met Sally… to modern-day flicks like Anyone But You, romantic comedies are beloved for being both hilarious and giving us a much-needed boost of oxytocin, a hormone responsible for positive feelings. These rom-coms, as they are also called, have the power to make us laugh and melt our hearts at the same time, and luckily, they aren't going anywhere. What's more, rom-coms are beginning to change shape. We haven't always seen a lot of mothers portrayed in films about falling in love, but lately, the tide might be starting to turn. It almost seems like the mom-com—rom-coms with mothers in the central role—are taking center stage. These moms are dating and falling in love–even with younger partners. It’s about time.That’s not to say that the rom-coms of our youths aren’t unforgettable. I mean, who didn't cackle at Kate Hudson's unhinged "love fern" moment in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days? Who didn't relate, even just a little, to being a Josie Grossie in Never Been Kissed? And who hasn't related to Julia Robert's (hilariously executed) scorn in My Best Friend's Wedding? They're all rom-com gold. Still, those beloved films are missing one crucial element: moms.Love stories involving mothers have always been lacking. Perhaps that's due to the fact that once we become mothers, it's almost expected that the rest of us—the parts that still exist, and make us creators, or businesswomen, or engineers, or, hey, relationship-worthy—are expected to fizzle out. "We're moms now! All we care about is raising kids! Put us out to pasture!" said no one ever. While we know that our worth hasn't gone anywhere, our stories have largely remained untold, especially when it comes to single moms who want to date. In no genre has that been more true than in romantic comedies. Thankfully, as the women of the world, who are screenwriters, actors, and also mothers, continue pushing back against ageist and sexist ideas, more nuanced motherhood stories are being told. We saw it in Anne Hathaway's portrayal of a just-turned-40 single mom who falls in love with an up-and-coming and younger musician in The Idea of You. There's also Brooke Shields in Mother of the Bride. And Now, Nicole Kidman is starring in a new rom-com, too, called A Family Affair, as a single mom who starts a fling with her daughter’s younger boss. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joey King (@joeyking)
Yes, mom-coms are having a moment. A big moment, too—The Idea of You was Amazon MGM Studios‘ biggest debut for a rom-com ever, with about 50 million viewers globally.Frankly, it's astonishingly overdue. As a single mom, who goes on dates, has fallen in love, and also, has dealt with an immense amount of heartbreak in nearly seven years of being on my own, I know that these stories have value. I know I'm not the only one who needs them. Mothers are humans, too. They go on dates. They fall in love. And, psst, psst, they even have sex. Holla! "As a single mom, who goes on dates, has fallen in love, and also, has dealt with an immense amount of heartbreak in nearly seven years of being on my own, I know that these stories have value."Sarah Bregel
Stephanie Kaloi, a culture critic for People who has interviewed celeb moms like Drew Barrymore and Kristin Davis, and is a single mom herself, tells Parents she's thrilled to see moms' romantic journeys playing out on screen. "Becoming a mom doesn't mean being a woman begins and ends with that role." She says that seeing moms celebrated onscreen is a necessary and "powerful reminder that we all deserve a love that feels like home to us—and that we can stay hot while raising kids." It's an absolutely essential reminder, indeed. Still, there's a sneaky thing that happens after we have kids. It's that society—and certainly Hollywood—often forgets we have any other purpose once we have children in our arms. We're here to say that our worth doesn't depend solely on being mothers. It never did, but finally, the entertainment industry is starting to catch up.Truly, there is so much to be said about a modern mother's plight when it comes to balancing her love of her kids with her own wants and needs. It's remarkable that the love stories of mothers, particularly single ones, are only just becoming more popular on the big screen. And in a strange new world of app-dating, and mental health challenges for so many, feminist men (hell yes!), and freaking AI-generated everything, believe us, our stories are just as funny, heartfelt, and downright important as those of the childfree. And they are just waiting to be told. For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents.
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