Rom-Coms

ourchair

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Messages
13,105
Location
Philippines
...I was going to call it The Rom-Com Thread or something with the word Thread in the title, but I think we have enough of that, don't you think?

Anyway, I just wanted to say that on a gut level, I firmly believe that the rom-com, or romantic comedy, is the most unevolved film genre ever. The realization dawned upon me when I realized when I sit down to watch 10-20 trailers in a single weeknight, I groan and roll my eyes at every single romantic comedy. The most recent one that induced this feeling was the trailer for The Ugly Truth, in which Katherine Heigl is no longer pedo-hot like she was in My Father the Hero and Gerard Butler is basically stealing Matthew McConnaughey's schtick from three years ago.

Please discuss your feelings, thoughts and ideas about this genre, cause right now I haven't come up with the appropriate spiel as to why I feel this is so.
 
I feel exactly the same. In fact I feel on most occasion the love story in any movie is unbelievable and not really needed
 
I think it gets viewed as unevolved because, with exceptions, any time a rom-com actually is really clever, breaks its boundaries, or is set anywhere other than modern-day New York or wherever, it isn't labeled as a rom-com any more. Groundhog Day is a rom-com. The Princess Bride is a rom-com. Enchanted, The 40 Year-Old-Virgin, etc. I think what you're talking about, and what a lot of people use rom-com synonomusly with these days, is the "date movie".
 
Last edited:
There need to be more rom-zom-coms. :)
 
First of all, 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY are romantic comedies. They're all about love. The only reason people seperate them is because the rom-com genre is so suffocated by formulaic rubbish. But they're rom-coms. Just as SHAUN OF THE DEAD, NOTTING HILL, BRINGING UP BABY, AS GOOD AS IT GETS, A FISH CALLED WANDA, and even GROUNDHOG DAY are rom-coms.

The idea that rom-coms are the most unevolved genre is nonsense when you consider the continuous repetition of cliches in actions movies like THE CORE, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, DEJA VU, SUNSHINE, and others. And that's not counting the also horrific staleness of the kung fu fighting genre.

The difference is two fold: Firstly, because romantic aspirations of love don't work in a contemporary setting (what stops two people doing it in today's world? society has no pull, homosexuality is legal in places, divorce is common... parents can't police their kids like before) - this kind of romance isn't as credible as it once was. As such, romantic dramas are almost exclusively period films. That means that romantic comedies tend to look like they're dominating the entire mega-genre of love stories, even though romantic dramas are still very commonplace, they just don't look like they're linked on a superficial level. Secondly, because you are a man, your taste is less defined for romantic comedies than it is for very big explosions. You can differentiate two very big explosions which as much capability as a woman can differentiate between two very loud quarrels between two lovers.

So, no, rom-coms are demonstrably not the most unevolved film genre ever. They're as unevolved as every other damn genre out there.

Just look at the superhero genre. Jesus, that genre stinks.
 
Last edited:
I like romantic comedies... I mean, within reason, but a good romantic comedy is usually a lot of fun, makes you feel good, and gives you unrealistic expectations of the world. All good things.
 
I wouldn't classify Shaun of the Dead as a romantic comedy only because the romance isn't the focus. It's more of an adventure comedy or a buddy comedy. The love story is a secondary plot line not the main one.
 
so are all your arguments about bluray.

Good one.

my first comment about rom com is arguable

How? How would you argue that there's nothing romantic about The 40-Year-Old Virgin, a movie where
the entire second half revolves around pursuing a woman, them falling in love with each other and eventually getting married at the climax?
 
Last edited:
Good one.



How? How would you argue that there's nothing romantic about The 40-Year-Old Virgin, a movie where
the entire second half revolves around pursuing a woman, them falling in love with each other and eventually getting married at the climax?

I'll give you a climax.
 
I wouldn't classify Shaun of the Dead as a romantic comedy only because the romance isn't the focus. It's more of an adventure comedy or a buddy comedy. The love story is a secondary plot line not the main one.

The final climactic moment is
Shaun and Liz expressing their desire to die together, rather than live apart.
The big climax is the romantic comedy. The buddy comedy and the adventure comedy are sub-plots.
 
The final climactic moment is
Shaun and Liz expressing their desire to die together, rather than live apart.
The big climax is the romantic comedy. The buddy comedy and the adventure comedy are sub-plots.
Well I really didn't see it that way, there was a lot more focus on Shaun growing as a character in all aspects of his life and the romance part was really secondary and played down compared to the rest. And Also, my professor, who is a professional movie critic, always says they way you can tell what a movie is about, look at the final shot which is
Shaun and Ed playing video games
 

Latest posts

Back
Top