Why rom-coms suck

johnny_ultimate

or: A critical examination of the failings of the romantic comedy genre. Sorry, needed a catchier headline :pac:

Through forces entirely out of my control (ahem), I have had the misfortune to endure a couple of contemporary rom-coms lately, namely the likes of The Ugly Truth, The Proposal and He's Just Not That Into You. I won't bore you with the details of how I ended up watching these films, although in my defence I was tricked into watching the latter and was getting paid for watching the two others. These are three films that reminded me how horrific the rom-com has become.

DISCLAIMER: This thread is a general one in relation to modern rom-coms, but I must point out that I am by no means entirely dismissing the genre. Many of my favourite films could be labeled a romantic comedy, classic cinema still has wonderful examples of the genre, and even modern stuff like Jerry Maguire shows good directors can still work wonders within one of the most confined of all genres. This is referring to a very specific subset of contemporary, mainstream romantic comedies. I can't verify this with statistics, but I'm pretty much 100% of them feature either a) Gerard Butler b) Sandra Bullock or c) Jennifer Aniston. Someday all three shall star in a film together, and I officially predict that day to be Armageddon. END DISCLAIMER.

A couple of common criticisms have arisen when enduring these films. Although this is pretty bad practice, I am also assuming that the same is true of other particularly shrill rom-coms such as Leap Year or The Back-Up Plan. I feel relatively confident in my assumptions. Anyway, here are the major issues of why, and excuse my language here, these films suck ass:

a) Characters: With only a few exceptions, pretty much every character in these films are unlikable idiots. All women are portrayed as shrill, man hungry and shallow people whose only goal in life is to get impregnated and/or married as soon as humanly possible (90 minutes in most cases). Whoever the hell Gennifer Goodwin plays in He's Just Not... is a particularly irksome example of this. Men tend to be equally shallow and often misogynistic; Gerard Butler in the Ugly Truth an obnoxious case in point. How are we meant to root for these peoples, who incidentally tend to be our protagonists? Not only that, but...

b) Idiot + Idiot = Success? This comes down to the romantic aspect of the 'romantic comedy' label. Now, good romances tend to bring together two people the audience genuinely care for - I'll cite Bill Murray and Scarlett Johanson in Lost in Translation as the modern perfect cinematic couple. The 'good' couples can have flaws, but to really root for them you really need to believe they deserve to be together. I'll admit that these 'bad' couples also deserve to be together, but in the completely wrong way. To be honest, when most of these people end up together I consider it an extreme form of punishment, as opposed to a favourable romantic conclusion. I must say I felt sorry for Ben Affleck in He's Just Not... though. The only character with a shred of backbone in the whole film, he ignored Jennifer Aniston's childish demands to be married for the entirety of the film. Then, in a last minute reversal, he gives into the horrible excuse for a romantic partner (spoiler, if for some reason you couldn't guess this resolution by looking at the fricking poster) by agreeing to marry her. Poor Ben, you deserved better.

c) Why exactly do these people 'love' each other? This is a source of constant confusion to me in particular. Most of them end up bickering for 90% of the run-time, only to suddenly decide they want to spend their lives together. It's nice that you love Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, so why in the name of hell did you blackmail and bully him for an hour and a half I'll never get back? It's basically like if a cat was a chasing a mouse, then suddenly decided that the mouse wasn't actually food, and in fact a potential mate. It makes about as much sense as a recent Richard Kelly film,

i.e. none.

d) Comedy. This one's a bit more subjective, but honestly these films are about as humourous as that scene where Bambi's mother died. The situations the characters find themselves in tend to be broad, absurd and mostly crass distortions of social conventions. This can be done well (see: Spinal Tap, Monty Python) but when the film-makers clearly think a character using the word 'vagina' or accidentally seeing another one naked is a suitable punch-line, well I'm not laughing. I'm weeping for humanity.

e) Generalisations. I honestly think everyone in Hollywood has been overdosing on copies of 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus'. All of these films tend to base themselves upon the basic assumption that 'Gosh, aren't women and men like so crazy different?'. Yes, they are different, but that doesn't mean every man is an obnoxious idiot and everyone woman a manipulative dope. At worst, these films can be borderline racist: Leap Year anyone? (Note: I am fully aware that this now way too long rant is one big generalisation. How and ever...)

I'll wrap this up now with a final observation: these films fail primarily because they are completely unsuccessful at being either romantic or comedies. For me, it is the genre that sums up why Hollywood gets such a bad name: cheap, endlessly similar and generic trash dished up on an almost weekly basis. To me this is a damn shame, as there is little in cinema more effective than a good romance. Yet, having had the misfortune of witnessing these few abominations, the words 'rom-com' and 'Gerard Butler' are ones that have increasingly negative connotations that are even rubbing off on other, more talented people (Judd Apatow springs to mind).

Also apologies for the length of this post, but if at least one person decides not to watch 'He's Just Not That Into You' or whatever rubbish is pumped out next, than I hope that my misfortune will lead to some sort of good. If you are a fan of these films, there are better films out there, I assure you - check out the Apartment, Jerry Maguire, Before Sunset or countless others! I hate simplifying things to genre, but the contemporary rom-com is one 'genre' that needs to end, and fast.

.Moosejam

they do fair business at the BO though so I doubt things will change

sprinkles

Couldn't agree more with you! Had a similar rant here a while back after walking into the cinema to see the poster for Bounty Hunter... yet another completely predictable formulaic film with one of the popular (wooden) Rom-Com actors. Life is just too short. I avoid at all costs.

Edit: Here's my rant - the posters really f**king annoy me too

ztoical

I could write this same rant but replace the word film with book. I worked in a book store for a few years and would be driven mad by the number of chick lit soon to be a rom com film books that sold and how frantic people were when a new one came out cus they all seemed pretty much the same to me. They aren't well written, the characters are boring and they all end the same. As a woman they annoy the hell out of me cus no matter what the female lead has going for her work, career, interest wise at the start by the end it will all be about being with some bloke who has treated her like crap right until the last chapter. I will at least give the likes of mills and boon books a bit of credit [very very small bit] cus at least they usually have some porn bits in them but the stuff by Bertie's young one, dear god, how can anyone read that crap?

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

the contemporary rom-com is one 'genre' that needs to end, and fast.

I agree but also realize some friends will be out of work . Rom-coms from a studio point of view are prob some of the easiest films to make production wise cus they are so cookie cutter as far as characters, location, plot etc and tend not to have very complicated camera shots or set ups. My friend was the A camera 1st on both Bride Wards and The Bounty Hunter and I think summing up how crap they are he couldn't remember which one was which...they just blurred into "crap generic chick flick"

johnny_ultimate

ztoical wrote: »

I will at least give the likes of mills and boon books a bit of credit [very very small bit] cus at least they usually have some porn bits in them

Indeed, the typical rom-com would be vastly improved by pornographic interludes. Actually, Sandra Bullock is usually involved, so maybe that isn't the best idea.

I agree but also release some friends will be out of work . Rom-coms from a studio point of view are prob some of the easiest films to make production wise cus they are so cookie cutter as far as characters, location, plot etc and tend not to have very complicated camera shots or set ups. My friend was the A camera 1st on both Bride Wards and The Bounty Hunter and I think summing up how crap they are he couldn't remember which one was which...they just blurred into "crap generic chick flick"

Yeah there is an industry around it, I think it isn't going to suddenly collapse. Jobs are jobs at the end of the day, I hope to hell all the people making them know they are mass-producing crap. It does concern me though how popular these things are - it is a more an issue that there is so much stuff out there that is better. It's a damn shame people settle for crap, but people settle for a hell of a lot of crap in reality.

Also, since The Bounty Hunter brings together two members of the unholy rom-com trinity, your friend is basically assisting the Horsemen of the Apocalypse


@sprinkles - I totally agree on the poster issue. I've said it before, and you said it in your post to, but the vast majority of these films can be reasonably guessed just by looking at the poster!

ztoical

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Yeah there is an industry around it, I think it isn't going to suddenly collapse. Jobs are jobs at the end of the day, I hope to hell all the people making them know they are mass-producing crap. It does concern me though how popular these things are - it is a more an issue that there is so much stuff out there that is better. It's a damn shame people settle for crap, but people settle for a hell of a lot of crap in reality.p

O they know the films are crap but their view is they are crew not creatives -it's the writers, directors and actors that come up this crap. They just point the camera where they are told and that's it. They are considered very good jobs from their point of view as union rates are always good on them, they are usually simple to film, rarely run over [though Bride Wars tested one my friends as it ran several weeks over and involved a few weeks of night shots but they were shooting in central park right by his apartment so wasn't all bad] It's work on these or work on one of the Law and Orders if you live in New York. Very easy to say just don't make them but a job is a job and when it's pretty much freelance contract stuff that's putting food on the table you take whats going.

I blame the writers for having no imagination.

johnny_ultimate

ztoical wrote: »

O they know the films are crap but their view is they are crew not creatives -it's the writers, directors and actors that come up this crap. They just point the camera where they are told and that's it. They are considered very good jobs from their point of view as union rates are always good on them, they are usually simple to film, rarely run over [though Bride Wars tested one my friends as it ran several weeks over and involved a few weeks of night shots but they were shooting in central park right by his apartment so wasn't all bad] It's work on these or work on one of the Law and Orders if you live in New York. Very easy to say just don't make them but a job is a job and when it's pretty much freelance contract stuff that's putting food on the table you take whats going.

I blame the writers for having no imagination.

Yeah when it comes to film sometimes you've get to take what you get. I think the South Park joke about porpoices determining Adam Sandler movies isn't too off the mark. I'm guessing most writers are just given a vague outline and told to run with it. If you're just the cameraman like your friend, you could definitely look it as just a job. The creatives are the ones to blame, although even then I'm sure it's up to the studio to greenlight generic Kate Hudson Movie 76.

Basq

Superb post johnny_ultimate.

This is one genre I REFUSE to endure anymore. My girlfriend loves rom-com's but they're for girly nights out with her friends or watching when I'm at least 3 rooms.. no, make that 3 houses away. I will not watch them anymore!

I have a lot of problems with rom-com's I've watched in the past - most of which you have outlined in your opening post - but the big thing is the writing and characters.

Characters are both stereotypical and wafer-thin - men are bastards for the first half of the movie (and will typically be having endless one-night stands) while women are doe-eyed princesses (and are typically a real pushover).. yet they'll turn into goons for each other before the credit rolls. The male lead always has a goofy friend and the female lead always has a sensible friend - but both offer great relationship advice.

The writing is lazy - along with one-dimensional characters, we are subjected to them some unbelievably clichéd dialogue.

The male lead's dialogue can be summarised as follows: "Why buy the cow when you get the milk for free?", "we'll never BE together. You're intolerable!" and "I never believed I could love someone until I met you!".

The female lead's dialogue can be summarised as follows: "you're a ghastly terrible man!", "I believe there's a part of you somewhere in there that wants me too" and "you had me at hello!" (OK.. that last one, maybe not so much!).

An absolutely horrible genre which unfortunately I can't see changing anytime soon!

MrSir

Nearly all romantic comedies these days just hang on the 'will they won't they?' premise that would be excusable if the films managed to be funny,charming,nice.Which they aren't.These rom com's are just filled with over the top slapstick with no sense of restraint that feature sterotypical characters who no one can relate to.What ever happened to the good old days of the apartment?

thegoodgirl

As a girl who loves Roms Coms I agree completely with you. The oldies are def the best.

The only one recently that I actually liked was It's complicated. I have to say it was funny. and had a steller cast (Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin). The film mostly worked cause the actors in themselves are credible.

But the rest have been pure muck. Which is very sad for me. I need a new genre to watch. I am not even bothered to go see sex and the city 2, talk about flogging a dead horse.

podgemonster

Completely agree with the OP. These are the most predictable movies made these days.

Hugh Grant is the King of Rom-Com. Whats that film where Hugh Grant plays that charming funny English bloke who hooks up with the female lead?? Hmmmmm? Oh wait ever single movie hes been in (apart from Extreme measure w/Gene Hackman, not a bad show tbh).

I also think Twlight sage books and movies fall into these categories too, maybe not the comedy but the terrible hopeless gut wrenching romance.

MrSir

thegoodgirl wrote: »

The only one recently that I actually liked was It's complicated. I have to say it was funny. and had a steller cast (Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin). The film mostly worked cause the actors in themselves are credible. QUOTE]

Ewwwww Nancy Meyers?I hate her films of property porn and characters who laugh hilariously at their own jokes(Well thats my opinion).The best rom-com I've seen lately was Adventureland.Just a very sweet movie really.

johnny_ultimate

basquille wrote: »

The male lead's dialogue can be summarised as follows: "Why buy the cow when you get the milk for free?", "we'll never BE together. You're intolerable!" and "I never believed I could love someone until I met you!".

The female lead's dialogue can be summarised as follows: "you're a ghastly terrible man!", "I believe there's a part of you somewhere in there that wants me too" and "you had me at hello!" (OK.. that last one, maybe not so much!).

Freaks & Geeks quote = win F&G is a perfect example of how do romance and comedy well, actually. Very funny, characters viewers can relate to, flawed but lovable couples who usually end up together because they should, or more regularly fall apart because they should.

The stereotypes are frustrating, and I'm sure there's some people out there who believe Leap Year is how male/female interaction should be. Scary. It also doesn't help that most of these films are extremely mean-spirited, seemingly unconcerned with constantly torturing their characters for cheap laughs.

podgemonster wrote: »

I also think Twlight sage books and movies fall into these categories too, maybe not the comedy but the terrible hopeless gut wrenching romance.

To start on 'Supernatural Romance' (honestly - this is a real section in Chapters book shop) would take another couple of thousand words!

MrSir wrote: »

The best rom-com I've seen lately was Adventureland.Just a very sweet movie really.

A wonderful film alright, definitely benefiting from the warm sense of nostalgia and well-drawn characters, although for me was more of a drama. Yet another example of how romances can work well. There's countless positive examples - a few others that spring to mind would be the nice little surprise In Search of a Midnight Kiss from a year or two back or classic Woody Allen ones like Annie Hall.

EDIT: While I was writing this post I was listening to a song I'd never heard before that kept on repeating the words romantic comedy. Damn you, coincidences, and the Hold Steady!

liah

God, I hate that girls eat this shít up. All it does is propagate a stereotype and makes us as a gender look completely, utterly vapid. I hate rom coms and romance novels. With a passion. Waste of film and paper.

I wonder why so many girls play into this image of being.. well, dumb. Loving films that have no plot or redeeming qualities at all but "omg that boy in it is so cute!!!1" I mean like.. really? Really? Please tell me it's just an act. But if it is an act, it's even worse.

I fear for my gender.

johnny_ultimate

liah wrote: »

God, I hate that girls eat this shít up. All it does is propagate a stereotype and makes us as a gender look completely, utterly vapid. I hate rom coms and romance novels. With a passion. Waste of film and paper.

I wonder why so many girls play into this image of being.. well, dumb. Loving films that have no plot or redeeming qualities at all but "omg that boy in it is so cute!!!1" I mean like.. really? Really? Please tell me it's just an act. But if it is an act, it's even worse.

I fear for my gender.

I totally agree. The people who embrace this stuff, and in many cases embracing the values, obviously can't see past how shallow this garbage is. Gender roles are nowhere near as simple as these films preach, and the fact that the messages are constantly being repeated is worrying. Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with escapism on occasion. I know plenty of perfectly cinema literate girls who have 'girls nights in' watching this rubbish, but do so ironically and knowingly. Fair enough, there are plenty of nights where I will knowingly watch crap too (I have the occasional weakness for superhero movies, which can be as generic as anything too). But it is a sad fact that some girls watch these films, and only these films, which for me is a real shame.

Basq

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Freaks & Geeks quote = win F&G is a perfect example of how do romance and comedy well, actually. Very funny, characters viewers can relate to, flawed but lovable couples who usually end up together because they should, or more regularly fall apart because they should.

And let's not forget 'Freaks And Geeks' parodied this over-the-top vapid romantic dreck in the opening scene of the pilot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai1FHufz_HY

"I love you so much it scares me!"

ShagNastii

I remember when I broke up with a girlfriend a few months back and was really trying to think of negetives to get over her. I won't lie one of the biggest I told myself was for every The Wrestler or Gran Torino I gave her, all I got back was He's just not that into you or the ugly truth.

What a b*tch!!!

MrSir

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Freaks & Geeks quote = win F&G is a perfect example of how do romance and comedy well, actually. Very funny, characters viewers can relate to, flawed but lovable couples who usually end up together because they should, or more regularly fall apart because they should.

I love F&G!It really shows how easy romance should be.Just avoid cliches and make the characters likeable and connectable.OH and have Martin Starr.ALWAYS have Martin Starr.

davenewt

Well said Johnny!

Reminds me of something I came across the other day but didn't bother reading myself until now...

http://www.cracked.com/funny-4725-nicholas-sparks/

( via http://fontfeed.com/archives/screenfonts-april-2010/ )

ShiverinEskimo

You missed a common formula present in all Film/TV targetted at women.

The lead will always end up in a cringe-worthy embarassing situation.

I'm convinced this formula is what keeps girls hooked by playing out their worst fear of being embarassed in front of their friends/peers. Just look at desperate housewives for a prime example. One embarassing situation after another for the main characters.

Damn my loving of the champion's league - meant I always had to endure desperate housewives afterwards to keep things 'fair'.

A V A

i dont know weather this is relevant but i found 500 days of summer good the way everyting wasnt mapped out like other romance films and doesnt end the same as other romace films

Liam O

Went to see Date Night and the first half of it seemed to be following the trend and was reasonably unfunny dross but towards the end turned into a very funny movie with some fantastic cameos and some very nice small touches. It benefited by having 2 great T.V. comedy actors in the lead roles but also had reputable movie actors playing some extremely good roles. I wish more rom-coms were like it...

ztoical

A V A wrote: »

i dont know weather this is relevant but i found 500 days of summer good the way everyting wasnt mapped out like other romance films and doesnt end the same as other romace films

I watched (500) days of summer purely because Joseph Gordon-Levitt was in it. I think he's turned into a damn good actor in recent years and has put out enough good performances in some low budget/indie films to make me willing to give most films he's in a go [drawing the line at GI Jo] and I think it's a really nice little film that proves you can do something different with a rom com and make a good film. I think it works cus it doesn't star the standard rom com actors - the majority of the actors in it are coming from the more current indie LA film scene, it's the directors 1st film so it's not cookie cutter rom com stuff for him [though it is pretty clear from the on set he is coming from a music video back ground] and the writer based it off an actual relationship he had. I could understand and accept the relationship in the film, hell I've had the relationship in this film - from both sides. But the best thing about the film

they don't live happily ever after! no big declaration of love, no shot of them both running in the rain and embracing and going all gooy at each other, they meet, they shag, they date, they break up

johnny_ultimate

ztoical wrote: »

I watched (500) days of summer purely because Joseph Gordon-Levitt was in it. I think he's turned into a damn good actor in recent years and has put out enough good performances in some low budget/indie films to make me willing to give most films he's in a go [drawing the line at GI Jo] and I think it's a really nice little film that proves you can do something different with a rom com and make a good film. I think it works cus it doesn't star the standard rom com actors - the majority of the actors in it are coming from the more current indie LA film scene, it's the directors 1st film so it's not cookie cutter rom com stuff for him [though it is pretty clear from the on set he is coming from a music video back ground] and the writer based it off an actual relationship he had. I could understand and accept the relationship in the film, hell I've had the relationship in this film - from both sides. But the best thing about the film

they don't live happily ever after! no big declaration of love, no shot of them both running in the rain and embracing and going all gooy at each other, they meet, they shag, they date, they break up

Most importantly, it had Zooey :pac:

I agree though, (500) Days was a pleasant change from the usual fare. Two characters who you really want to see get together,

but at the same time you can't get rid of that niggling feeling that they aren't quite right for each other.

I also loved that they embraced some of the cheesiness that comes with the territory - the musical number is twee, yet fun and bubbly at the same time. Not every rom-com trope is necessarily bad, it's just the way they're used makes the difference between memorable and obnoxious. If you're working with Joseph Gordon-Devitt and Zooey Deschanel, I'm pretty sure you have a higher chance of success in any case! Just goes to show well-drawn characters can make or break a film of the kind too.

Really can't recommend this enough though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50r7VKl1pN8

Handsome Bob

I hate rom-coms and chick flicks because of what they represent. These days, unless it's a Judd Apatow movie, it's all just so infuriatingly shallow. The sleaze/creep is always played by (at best) peculiar looking characters. Whereas the alleged "good guy" is always a perfect looking adonis.

The female lead always seems to be some hard nosed cow that dismisses the male lead for being such an ass, only to then inexplicably embrace and declare their love for each other in a scene that would make you want to wretch.

I just ****ing hate them. :mad:

sink

Agree with OP in general but there are exceptions

Good modern Rom-Coms (imo)

Garden State
(500) Days of Summer
Juno
Adventureland
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

MrSir

This maybe getting off subject here but when watching Judd Apatow movies with the formula of 'ugly guy gets the attractive girl' it made me think that formula rarely works in the opposite direction.Is the world not ready to see ugly girls get with hot guys?
Oh and don't get the impression that I'm criticising Apatow's work here, his romantic comedies are the only funny and sweet rom-coms made today.

ztoical

MrSir wrote: »

This maybe getting off subject here but when watching Judd Apatow movies with the formula of 'ugly guy gets the attractive girl' it made me think that formula rarely works in the opposite direction.Is the world not ready to see ugly girls get with hot guys?
Oh and don't get the impression that I'm criticising Apatow's work here, his romantic comedies are the only funny and sweet rom-coms made today.

O there's plenty of films where the "ugly/geek/nerd" girl gets the guy but it's normally because she has some make over and it's discovered she's actually a pretty girl underneath and now that she's got a dress and make up on every guy wants her cus lets face it if you want someone they should like you for whats on the outside and you should be ready to change everything about yourself in order to get the guy after all girls that's the most important thing in your life not being yourself, having a career or interests outside of your guy :mad:....eh....sorry bit of rant there

MrSir

ztoical wrote: »

O there's plenty of films where the "ugly/geek/nerd" girl gets the guy but it's normally because she has some make over and it's discovered she's actually a pretty girl underneath and now that she's got a dress and make up on every guy wants her cus lets face it if you want someone they should like you for whats on the outside and you should be ready to change everything about yourself in order to get the guy after all girls that's the most important thing in your life not being yourself, having a career or interests outside of your guy :mad:....eh....sorry bit of rant there

Perfectly understandable rant.Ever seen the house bunny?My God it's such a hypocritical moving picture (Yeah I'm a 16 year old who says Moving Picture Check it).The message:It's the inside that counts as long as your as hot as you can be on the outside and get that guy who has no personality what so ever!
That was my rant

Retr0gamer

I really liked Just Friends as a rom-com but other than that they are all vapid crap. What really gets me are the unbelieveable characters that are more annoying than likeable and don't deserve to be with anyone and the way they replace comedy with putting the characters in ridiculous and embarassing situations.

seraphimvc

liah wrote: »

God, I hate that girls eat this shít up. All it does is propagate a stereotype and makes us as a gender look completely, utterly vapid. I hate rom coms and romance novels. With a passion. Waste of film and paper.

I wonder why so many girls play into this image of being.. well, dumb. Loving films that have no plot or redeeming qualities at all but "omg that boy in it is so cute!!!1" I mean like.. really? Really? Please tell me it's just an act. But if it is an act, it's even worse.

I fear for my gender.

i honestly think that 95% of girls are into this kinda stuff until they hit 30s (turn into woman),lord saves us :pac:

heck,even some women above 30s are still into them......

A V A

has anybody seen the film ADAM ??? he has aspergers and falls in love with a girl that moved into the flat above him. the flm doesnt have the same ending as some rom com films . . .its very well done

Amazotheamazing

500 days of Summer is one of the worst imo, because it drags indie into rom coms, both leads are horribly unlikable people, she's a heartless weirdo and he's an emotionally stunted idiot.

One thing I really, really hate about both rom com's and recent comedies, is that every single woman in them is a cold, hearltess, must get married, bitch. I dunno, my girlfriend and my female friends are funny, interesting, opinionated people but such women never appear in these films for some reason.

.Moosejam

liah wrote: »

God, I hate that girls eat this shít up.

you best avoid non mainstream Japanese film so ...

Duggy747

Rom-coms are absolutely horrible pieces of insipid film-making! If there ever was a form of an easy cash-cow then it's this genre. I'm sure there's a template on some software for scriptwriters that says "Rom-Coms"

Man = Chalk (Successful dickhead / Unsuccessful dickhead)
Woman = Cheese (Successful woman whose missing something.........Mr.Right)

Add in some zany secondary characters, the woman's endearing but worried mother, the woman falling over at least twice, and the man running to the woman to declare his love before the it's all too late.

PLUS, and this is absolutely fùckin' vital, something must strain their fresh relationship to ENSURE that it's worth the commitment in the end - This can be anything from an evil ex to the man cocking something up.

Women gobble this crap up and then wonder why they get so insulted at parodies at the stupidity of said genre.

This genre effectively dumbs them down to the point where they forget movies can actually be well-written and entertaining without the need of the protagionist falling in love.

Eurgh, never in a million years would I be caught watching these films.

I'd rather eat my own vomit.

foxyboxer

Every rom com is a variation of the classic formula from Pride and Prejudice.

Heroine meets the Hero.
They fancy each other but won't admit it.
One or both of the following scenario's happens

1. A 'misunderstanding' happens which makes them despise each other
(despite still fancying each other)

or

2. An event takes place which prevents them from getting together
(despite still fancying each other)

He realises that he has to change to win her.
She eventually realises that she loves him (usually takes 90 minutes) and they both end up together.

:rolleyes:

Now replace the 'misunderstanding' or 'event' and repeat ad nauseum.

Then there's the cynical/sarcastic male audience going "jeez, I wonder if they'll get together in the end??"

One of the greatest crimes against cinema was "MADE OF HONOR", was forced to watch this crap

Loriharton

the posters really f**king annoy me too [/QUOTE]


Oh my God YES!-WHY can't they come up with better posters?? If I see one more poster with the two (male and female) leads leaning their backs against each other and looking at us with that horrible smug smile I think I might scream!! American rom-com posters are. the. worst.

Klingon Hamlet

I detest rom coms but I did enjoy Definitely, Maybe (probably cos I'm a single daddy haha)

Mickeroo

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

500 days of Summer is one of the worst imo, because it drags indie into rom coms, both leads are horribly unlikable people, she's a heartless weirdo and he's an emotionally stunted idiot.

One thing I really, really hate about both rom com's and recent comedies, is that every single woman in them is a cold, hearltess, must get married, bitch. I dunno, my girlfriend and my female friends are funny, interesting, opinionated people but such women never appear in these films for some reason.

I know this post is old but I wouldn't call that film a rom-com, I fail to see how a movie about

a failed relationship

classifies as a rom-com. I thought it was one of the few films that had a more realisic portrayal of relationships, same with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Although i will say the ending of 500 days of summer

was a bit too happy happy considering what had come before

Kess73

Rom coms would work if they were like 30 Days Of Night. Film not the fantastic graphic novel (and the many that followed it)


Guy and Girl are married. Having problems. Friends and family can see they still love each other. They won't talk it over. Girl goes to fly away. Girl misses plane. Vampires come along and kick the shyte out of town and feast on town folk.

Guy decides he stills loves girl and she still loves him.

Guy becomes vampire and dies in sunlight.

It is just perfect. It has the romance, and plenty of spots that made me smile, so ergo it is a rom com for Kess.


The remake of Dawn Of The Dead is another excellent rom com for blokes.

paddyismaddy

i like they ones with no happy endings

Sir Gallagher

I also found 500 Hundred Days of Summer to be complete arse, it has to be one of the most pretentious and unlikeable movie i've seen in a long time. I pretty much agree with what Amazotheamazing has said about the two lead characters.

"What are you listening to?"

"The Smiths"

"Oh I love The Smiths!"

"Wow we must be like the only two people in America who like The Smiths"

Wow, how ironic and "indie" of them. Complete and utter pseudo indie hipster sh1te. I'm so annoyed that Joseph Gordon Levitt is in Inception because anytime i've seen his miserable little face since i've gotten a flashback of this utterly horrible film.

:pac:

L31mr0d

My problem with rom-coms is that romance isn't funny, and comedy isn't romantic. So you end up with this oil and water mixture of skits that may be funny followed by some serious sequences where the cast learns a valuable lesson about themselves and how to make relationships work.

Most rom-coms start off with a solid first act, where all the humor is crammed in (to keep the BF's from walking out). It usually revolves around some deception or secret in the relationship. The comedy abruptly stops mid way through the second act when the deception/secret gets out of the bag and both parties question whether they can really be in love. Now the romance starts and the BF's are sitting there thinking "WTF is this?" Usually some side boob is thrown in to keep them seated... and then we all know the typical cookie cut ending.

The romantic comedy genre needs to die. It has been fooling BF's into paying for an extra seat in the cinema for years, all for the comedy moments shown in the trailer that end approximately 30 minutes into the film.

thorbarry

matthew mcconaughey is a chief contributer to the genre. The guiy cant even stand up (by himself)

thorbarry

*snip double post*

tunguska

liah wrote: »

God, I hate that girls eat this shít up. All it does is propagate a stereotype and makes us as a gender look completely, utterly vapid. I hate rom coms and romance novels. With a passion. Waste of film and paper.

I wonder why so many girls play into this image of being.. well, dumb. Loving films that have no plot or redeeming qualities at all but "omg that boy in it is so cute!!!1" I mean like.. really? Really? Please tell me it's just an act. But if it is an act, it's even worse.

I fear for my gender.

Fair play to you Liah, good to know that not all girls buy into rom coms. If I was a woman Id be seriously offended at the way Hollywood thinks it can pawn any old crap off on women. Like releasing rom coms around valentines day or to coincide with the world cup.
Had to sit through 30minutes of "How to lose a guy in ten days" and I almost lost the will to live. Hard to believe that anybody could endure that entire film(male or female) it was so bad.
I just think that a film is either good, middling or bad. It doesnt matter if its a so called "girls" film or a "mans" film. If a film is badly scripted, directed and acted then its a bad film. How to lose a guy in ten days is a bad film. It shouldnt matter that I'm a man. If its good it should hold up to both genders. The recent release of Sex and the city 2 was a prime example. Pretty much universially panned by male reviewers but a lot of women were saying that men shouldnt be allowed review a film like this. They were basically saying that the reason men dont like this movie is because they dont get it, because they're men. That sex and the city 2 is really a good film, but only if youre a woman. If a film is good and well made it should appeal to both sexes. If its a bad movie its a bad movie.

candy-gal1

I think, you need to be in the right humour for most romantic comedies tbh. Most are the same old same old plot and one-liners and are aimed at watching for fun, but there are a few which I thought were different with a really good slant or funny in a different way such as :

Ps I love you
Enchanted
Definitley maybe
27 dresses
Juno
Love actually
Sliding Doors


to name a few.

froog

why does rom have to go with com anyway?

ShiverinEskimo

Cos if it wasn't at least trying to be funny dudes wouldn't even go to appease their girlfriends.

Rom-Horror would be slightly awkward also.

Mickeroo

candy-gal1 wrote: »

I think, you need to be in the right humour for most romantic comedies tbh. Most are the same old same old plot and one-liners and are aimed at watching for fun, but there are a few which I thought were different with a really good slant or funny in a different way such as :

Ps I love you
Enchanted
Definitley maybe
27 dresses
Juno
Love actually
Sliding Doors


to name a few.

I don't think Juno, Love Actually or Sliding Doors fit the necessary conventions to be called rom-coms in the same way that 27 dresses does. There's a lot more going on in those movies and they don't fit the template, which is what makes them so good.

Besides i think theres only one thing that can really make rom-coms good and that would be making them all into zom-rom-coms!

Sir Gallagher

candy-gal1 wrote: »

I think, you need to be in the right humour for most romantic comedies tbh. Most are the same old same old plot and one-liners and are aimed at watching for fun, but there are a few which I thought were different with a really good slant or funny in a different way such as :

Ps I love you

Hmmm i don't know about PS I love you having a really good slant, it seemed like more of a creepy gimmick. Withouth a doubt one of the most terrible movies i've seen.