Screenwriting : Elements of a Great Rom-Com by ChristaCarol Jones

I think a great Romcom should have a unique hook or unique relationship that the story's centered around, ChristaCarol Jones.

I think the top three Romcoms in the past two decades are "What Women Want," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," and "Shallow Hal."

As I'm writing a rom-com, this is a great subject, ChristaCarol Jones!!!

Top three best romcoms in the past two decades? WEDDING CRASHERS. FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL. 500 DAYS OF SUMMER. (FYI, I base my choices mainly on how many times I've seen the movies. I think I've watched my choices easily over twenty times each.)

LONG SHOT is my latest infatuation.

Married to Work on Netflix

Maurice Vaughan I loved Shallow Hal

Francisco Castro I agree about the actors. I also think their chemistry is a big element in how successful it turns out.

"Shallow Hal" is hilarious, ChristaCarol Jones! It's a fun movie that Comedy fans and Romcom fans can enjoy.

Rom-com is the ultimate writing test... we know the formula, we know how it's supposed to work and who everyone is supposed to be, but if it's good enough no one really cares all that much but if it's bad... it's formulaic crap.

Emphasize the comedy! If you can make everyone laugh than you win all of the audience. That’s what makes a good rom com to me.

I think a great rom com is a movie that’s about something else that also just happens to have a romantic comedy happening organically.

@Christa C Maybe some unique twist on the genre we’ve not seen before. Maybe an alien & human not done for a while . Example Show, Mork & Mindy 70/80’s. Maybe two of the unlikeliest characters fall in love in the unlikeliest circumstances. Maybe a universal theme like coming of age. Maybe they don’t realise they’re in love. A number of options can be tweaked but a must is we have to care for the characters whoever they may be. As mentioned above the greatest biggie is how the lines are delivered. I’m working on my first Rom Com, the number of table reads has been phenomenon & i’ve not even passed them over for funding scrutiny yet. They won’t be ready for a while but my horror table reads fly. An impartial audience present helps to test reactions. My favourite Rom Coms films are Taming of the Shrew and Shallow Hal.

solid likable charachachers. with life and lack questionable. find out why two porpoise would need to tell his story.

Playing around with the expected formula for a rom-com is good fun. Films like "Isn't it Romantic" with Rebel Wilson subvert the expectations of a rom-com both for kicks and for a deeper exploration of the genre's values.

We have a really good talk with our fearless leader, RB and Amy Baer who is the queen of rom coms that you might find interesting: https://www.stage32.com/education?p=8944850469171

anyone up for hacking away at my logline….s? First, I need to know which one resonates well.

When a culinary producer is mistakenly tasked with directing a community theater play, she must juggle her demanding career, a budding romance, and her new role, discovering that life’s true beauty lies in its unpredictability.

or

A culinary show producer, mistaken for a seasoned theater director, navigates mishaps and misfits in a community play, finding love and laughs as she learns life’s most beautiful messes are entirely unscripted.

or

When a mix-up casts a meticulous culinary show producer as a community play's director, she must navigate theatrical chaos and her own complex love life, discovering the unpredictable beauty of embracing the unplanned.

A fun and unique meet-cute is always great! Rye Lane, Love at First Sight and Anyone but you were all great recently!

I like logline #3 the best, ChristaCarol Jones. And I think it has the best flow. I'd change "must navigate" to "navigates."

Maurice Vaughan it’s my favorite too! thanks for the feedback

You're welcome, ChristaCarol Jones.

I like the second one because it has both romance and comedy, and "mishaps and misfits" intrigued my imagination.

Favorite Rom-Coms: Leap Year and Only You (might be older than 20 years...)

thanks Sally! My husband likes the second one too.

Plausibility is the most important one in my opinion. I'm not a big fan of romcoms but if I had to pick one, then it'd be the anime classic "Whisper of the Heart" from 1995 (though it's really more of a drama with some humour thrown in).

Hi ChristaCarol Jones, assuming you mean straight up RomComs: without a doubt, Notting Hill is my fave modern-ish RomCom, then Harry Met Sally and Pretty Woman.

I think the only two essential components are well developed characters and their unlikely pairing. I don't think Ephron-esque dialogue would hurt either ;-)

... Matthew, As a top three I would interchange Notting Hill for Clueless, but I can't, contrary to what the 'lists' say, Clueless isn't a real RomCom; there isn't a serious enough romantical relationship between the pair, and he's completely colorlous, uninteresting. This movie is all about Cher Horowitz/Alicia Silverstone. Alicia Silverstone, such a great actress!!

comedy and great characters-everything comes from character an no “wouldn’t it be funny if” scenes

remember that a romantic comedy is a sub genre of comedy not romance. A lot of people get this confused so in this case regarding a comment below clueless is actually a romcom.

But my favorites would have to be

When Harry Met Sally, Groundhog Day, Legally Blonde, How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days.

I love Sleepless in Seattle but since there is no comedy I don’t consider it a rom-com

Mixing comedy with romance is one the greatest talents someone can have when writing. The story has to be funny and romantic at the same time. The romance has to be believable but silly. Making someone laugh is the best way for them to fall in love with you and the movie.

In any order.

1. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

2. How to lose a guy in ten days.

3. Blended

4. She's out of my league

5. Just go with it

ChristaCarol Jones - I like your first LL since it seems to have more energy to it. But I'm missing any sense of the stakes or an antagonist, or a goal for the protag..

My fave romcom is Shakespeare in Love.

Rob Lindsay Shakespeare in Love is a good one. one of my favs that hasn’t been mentioned is 50 First Dates.

Conflict and resolution. Not a typical conflict, mind you. But a conflict of interests, values, personalities.

Groundhog Day.

Cute concept but I would mention who the love interest is and the obstacles she faces trying to get what she wants. I wrote one rom-com and I think when we see 2 people that should be together, but they're not for some strange reason, but there's such strong chemistry between the two.. The audience roots for them.

Oh yeah...When Harry met Sally is a classic! I never get tired of watching that one!

Romancing The Stone…lots of fun…great characters…

https://youtu.be/DL40GuLfxA8?si=AqHQJjoFLGTyP_6P

ChristaCarol Jones I loved Shallow Hal!!

Hi there, ChristaCarol. Good question. I wrote for Michael Wiese Productions a book on Romantic Comedies categorizing them into different types of Love and so enjoyed doing the research for it. The four qualities any movie needed to have to be included were: Idealism, Joy, Passion, and Dignity. There are over a hundred in the book.

It's interesting to see what other Stage 32 Creatives include in their entries. Curt, I'm so with you about ROMANCING THE STONE. What a fun one.

Pat, I sure agree with you about Shallow Hal. Seeing how "Love" can transform and uplift a person is why rom-coms and even the sadder romances can be so touching. Good one!

Pamela Jaye Smith Absolutely right on both accounts!

ChristaCarol Jones the greatest romantic film of all time, by far, is "Somewhere in Time" but there is zero comedy in it. My favorite RomCom is perhaps "LIfe As We Know It" with Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel. No matter what the haters say, Katherine Heigl's ability to deliver in her romcoms is legendary, no matter how badly she may have behaved behind the scenes.

I forgot what I really wanted to say was that the most important feature in a RomCom is not Romance or Comedy. It's Heart and as long as it gets Heart right, it's going to work no matter what.

Right you are, Daniel. And yes, "Somewhere in Time" is a timeless classic...pun intended.

Something's Gotta Give, Notting Hill (ok, it is 25 years old :D ) and ... dunno, not a genre fan.

You'e Got Mail is a classic enemies to lovers RomCom that is #1 with me. I think that the reader, or viewer, has to fall in love with the characters, so an emotional attachment is created. If you love the characters, then you'll love the story. I al so believe good one liners, and witty banter also make a RomCom stand out and become iconic.

hello! I think romcom is the only genre in which the hero always has to lose to the antagonist.

I used to love Woody Allen movies from 70's & 80's; dude had an amazing 20-25 year run making rom com drama movies.

Maybe this era- American Pie, The Hangover, Bridesmaids

My favorite go-to's are Sweet Home Alabama, Set It Up, and 10 Things I Hate About You. But I also have to shout out My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Clueless, and Crazy Rich Asians.

I like to add physical comedy to the mix, but without falling down, pie-in-the-face gags. Make me laugh, make me identify, make me care. surprise me, interest me. That's all .Easy-peasy.

I think giving the characters opposite wants makes for lots of conflict and tension in a great rom com relationship that you can help create lots of push/pull type moments. For example, one wants to settle down, the other doesn't. one wants kids, the other doesn't. one wants peace and harmony, the other is messy and chaotic.

my faves are My Best Friends Wedding, Notting Hill, and Anyone But you

Pat, those are some of my faves, too.

Love My Best Friend's Wedding, Pat Alexander! Great pick!