Some storytelling tropes are so cliche because they resonate deeply within us. Take, for instance, the classic scene often seen at the end of romantic comedies, where someone rushes through an airport, a train station, or bustling city streets to declare their love just in time. This scene might happen in real life, occasionally, though usually not as dramatically or kinetically. The drama typically plays out internally. In film, this trope externalizes these inner emotions, rendering them cinematic. Whether or not these frantic pursuits happen in reality is less important than what they represent—a deep-seated desire shared by many.
In romcoms, this desire manifests as the pursuit of true love, but fundamentally it's about seeking meaning and fulfillment in life. Modern existence lacks a universal moral order or framework for meaning. While there was once a unified understanding, this began to erode around 1700, leaving individuals to find their own paths to fulfillment. During this shift, the novel emerged, focusing on ordinary individuals, their motivations, and their journeys toward their goals. This form of storytelling reflected and influenced how people perceived their identities as narratives—beginning, middle, and end—searching for meaning.
Alistair McIntyre stated, "The unity of a human life is the unity of a narrative quest," wherein fulfillment is the ultimate objective—achieving a life that feels complete and meaningful. Various paths can provide this fulfillment, such as religion, work, community, charity, art, or parenthood. Alongside these, modern culture, with the novel's rise, presented romantic love as another potentially universal path. Although love and romantic affection certainly predate modernity, what changed, as Charles Taylor notes, is the recognition of romantic feelings as an essential part of a meaningful life, filling a gap related to personal identity. In a sense, flawed individuals feel complete when their partners fill this void.
By the 1800s, romantic novels proliferated, followed by romantic comedy films in the next century. Despite lacking sophistication, these films, much like the novels, succeed as fantasies because romantic love—a modern construct—functions effectively. It provides an anchor in a chaotic world, offering psychological stability and meaning. Although it's not the only means to achieve fulfillment and involves complexities, such fantasies are straightforward, presenting singular goals achieved with certainty. The appeal lies in witnessing straightforward romantic quests amidst life's complexities.