Screenwriting : Those Who Hate RomComs — Have Your Say! by Sandeep Gupta

They usually include sappy drama which is almost impossible to take seriously.

Brave Richard, Thanks, this is useful! If you can possibly recall your most memorable such reaction, would you please give an example of a sappy sequence? Another thanks in advance.

If I hate something, It means something to me...I'm just irrelevant to rom-coms, much as to anything else way outta my sight...

RomComs are entertaining, but just entertaining enough to not make one feel less than neutral. I find them to have less narrative value; in my observation, even characterization is paid less attention to. Time is expensive, and with the same $XX, people can have other films to watch.

I don't particularly hate them, but I rarely watch them out of choice. For me, too many of the ones I have seen follow an all too predictable formula. You've got a guy, who could politely be considered a selfish knob, who meets a girl he likes but she sees him for what he is. Cue journey of self-discovery and personal growth, and bang, by the end they're living happily ever after.

But the major issue with this is that the guy usually persists after the girl to the point that in reality, he'd be getting regular visits from police officers, possibly slapped with a restraining order, and maybe even explaining himself to a judge. Too many of these films portray absolutely awful behaviour, that leaps over the line of stalking and sexual harassment, as mildly amusing, and too many peddle the myth that change on such a deep level is easy and permanent.

Now, I know not all romantic comedies follow this exact formula. Doc Hollywood, for example, has the selfish protagonist but he's not an absolute jerk (although certainly his medical license would be jeopardised by some of the remarks he makes), and his overall change is as much realising that what he thought he wanted for his life wasn't what he wanted.

In Groundhog Day, Phil becomes a better man not because he's still pursuing Rita, but because after pursuing her and getting rejected repeatedly, and after dealing with his own issues, he chooses to be a better man. Despite believing himself trapped, and thus all of his good deeds ultimately futile, he still does them because he comes to enjoy being a good man over the arsehole he was.

But too many have some really dodgy messages and are borderline vacuous as a consequence. Even those that try and avoid these tropes and seem more 'sensitive' often are grossly insensitive and have hollow messaging - eg. Shallow Hal.

Billy Wilder, voted by critics and film scholars the greatest American Screenwriter, wrote romcoms.

Thanks guys, somehow I didn't see any message notifications after the first, as i usually do. Thought it fell in a forest and didn't make a sound.

Kiril Maksimoski thanks for sharing your insight. Relevance is key. Lesson to keep in mind.

Divyam Jha thanks, you are just starting out and it's a delight you are on top of things you mentioned, like narrative value and characterization. I am struggling to understand what you would mean by narrative value. If you like, kindly contrast with an example where you see narrative value and where not.

Dan MaxXx I had little / no access to Hollywood classics. Any of Wilder's movies you'd recommend I keep on my list?

John Austin I wish I could tell you how many of your ideas resonate with me, and I actually love RomComs. And yet, I've winced sometimes why some of the best don't get better scripts or feedback on some sequences. Thing is, I never said this, just out of “who am I,” and it's so gratifying to see I am not the only one who felt that.

I often wonder if girls watching it feel comfortable with it. I hope any reading this chime in.

Just yesterday I read a romance which went so well, amazing scene transitions, fresh on every turn, very mature. And yet, there were moments where I wondered if it is the cultural norm or if it is creepy, aggressive and a gross violation of employee employer norms. : )

Sandeep Gupta Wilder's entire library of movies. Google him

Thanks Dan MaxXx , I figured it would be huge, so asked if something stands out. I can research it.

Sadly there is only ever 1 good one in every 20 (same for any genre really I guess).

What annoys me is probably some of the 'unrealistic cute meets'. Also that all the friends of the 2 main stars are nothing but 1 dimensional characters who offer nothing to the movie and are just the typical labels eg funny slacker guy, nerdy serious girl, token fat friend and all the friends seem to worship the main characters. (Notting Hill did the best job in having supporting friends and characters that offered something to film and you actually liked them, they seemed like real people in your office or from your pub or sports club. )

I also hate that they always never have to work or have these jobs that seem to give them unlimited leave with pay. Eg they always work in advertising, PR, jounro, fashion etc. (or is every scene a Saturday?)

They are always predictable in their character arcs (shallow as they may be) and essentially the same script/formula template.

Ultimately though, they for got the "com" part of rom-com and just are not funny. They might be more "rom-nice" but not actually funny.

The best rom-com I have seen in past 10 years that was out of the mold and was being brave by being different and felt fresh was 'Man Up' with Simon Pegg. I'm not saying the film was brilliant, but I found it refreshing after watching endless streak of cookie cutter rom-coms. At least they had a crack with something different.

A reoccurring trope in rom-coms that annoys me greatly is where the man thinks he knows what's best for the woman. It is often a shallow view of the female character and I'm amazed the girls don't take a step back and say "You don't know what's best for me. Stop it." And it sometimes amounts to the "stalking" effect mentioned by John Austin above.

It would be valuable to explore relationships in a more balanced way where both parties are independent and interesting in their own right. I watch rom-coms rarely because I get so annoyed by this type of characterisation. Both women and men are far more interesting than that!

Haters, consider, Shakespeares' "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was a rom-com, replete with happy ending.

While I do think we're far detached from the Mr. Blanding's Builds His Dream House, Arsenic and Old Lace and Bringing Up Baby's of our time (Lol, all involving Cary Grant) there are some outliers. Personally, I prefer romdrams, Solaris, The Fountain, Atonement.

@Les, no haters here, it's quite clear. If any of the writers here truly hated RomComs they'd not put this much thought on it.

@Pete, thanks, your first line sort of hints it too, that RomComs get panned more than other genres because people actually do want them. I see what you said about Notting Hill — absolutely. Thanks for sharing.

@Ingrid, thank you, yes I also think that's the blueprint for these times.

@Frank, thanks romdrams (did you coin this word?) is one way to do it. Some comedy will inevitably seep in anyway.

Haha I wish. I think I've heard the genre thrown around a couple of times. Interesting discussion btw.

The only things I really hate about rom-coms are the cheezie laugh-tracks.

I'm guessing they miss the sex, right?

@Sandeep, Hah, I slipped into facebook language.

I love romance and romantic stories. I'm not fond of silly/stupid humor. So a lot of Rom-Coms don't work for me for that reason.

I am thinking people actually want more RomComs but better. Why else would RomComs be trashed more than others, considering as @Pete said, only 1 in 20 in any genre are really good.

@Frank, thanks. @Doug, what would feel like a laugh track in a movie? @Niki, good point, made me think if you meant expectation in imagination may project from what is often considered expectations of naïve, often male psyche? @Les, you're good. @Debra, I hear you. Isn't it also true IRL, for a different but source of the problem reason : )

So, writers, here's your chance to break the mold by penning a compelling R/C