The Generic Structure of the Romantic Comedy according to Socks

The Perfect Man

Alyse Cox


Director: Mark Rosman
Starring:Hilary Duff, Heather Locklear, Chris Noth
Rating: PG
♥ ♥ ♥


Holly Hamilton (Duff) is tired of being moved around again and again by her single mother, Jean (Locklear), because her mother cannot handle break-ups.


Holly devises a plan to create the perfect man in order to keep her mother happy and the family in one place... however, Holly soon finds it difficult to keep 'the perfect man' contained as her master plan spirals out of her control... She is so busy trying to keep her plan together that she almost misses out on her own perfect man.


Funny yet heartwarming this film shows the value of relationships and delves deeply into the relationship shared by a mother and her daughter/s. The Perfect Man is feel good with plenty of moments that will cause you to smile.


Recommended Audience: Girls Night In, Teen Flick

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Eat, Pray, Love

Based on the best selling novel by Elizabeth Gilbert Eat, Pray, Love is now in Cinemas

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Brief History of the RomCom

Sophie Rutherford

Comedies since ancient Greece have often incorporated sexual or social elements. It was not until the creation of romantic love in the western European medieval period, though, that "romance" came to refer to "romantic love" situations, rather than the heroic adventures of medieval Romance. These adventures, however, often revolved about a knight's feats on behalf of a lady, and so the modern themes of love were quickly woven into them, as in Chrétien de Troyes's Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart.

Shakespearean comedy and Restoration comedy remain influential. The creation of huge economic social strata in the Gilded Age, combined with the heightened openness about sex after the Victorian era and the celebration of Sigmund Freud's theories, and the birth of the film industry in the early twentieth century, gave birth to the screwball comedy. As class consciousness declined and World War II unified various social orders, the savage screwball comedies of the twenties and thirties, proceeding through Rock Hudson–Doris Day-style comedies, gave way to more innocuous comedies. This style faded in the 1960s, and the genre lay mostly dormant until the more sexually charged When Harry Met Sally had a successful box office run in 1989, paving the way for a rebirth for the Hollywood romantic comedy in the mid-1990s.

(Sourced from Wikipedia, viewed on Tuesday 5th October at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romantic_comedy_film)

Laws of Attraction

Alyse Cox

Director: Peter Howitt
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Julianne Moore, Michael Sheen
Rating
♥ ♥ ♥

Two lawyers:
Audrey Woods (Moore) is a "tight-arse" perfectionist and extremely organised. She takes all her cases very seriously.
Daniel Rafferty (Brosnan) appears to be the complete opposite. Laid back yet witty and smart.

Neither has ever lost a case

Both Divorce lawyers they end up against each other on either side of a case. Daniel seems all charm and friendliness while Audrey is portrayed as a mega-bitch.
As the case unfolds Audrey finds Daniels charm to much to handle and Daniel falls in love with Audrey's personality.
The unexpected then happens leaving Daniel and Audrey tied up in their own legal problem.

Witty and charming this film is worth viewing. Funny and corny yet at the same time realistic. Both characters are well developed and play their parts well.


Recommended Audience: Girls Night in and you know what? He might even enjoy this one

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Couples Retreat

Alyse Cox

Director: Peter Billingsley
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Faizon Love, Jon Favreau, Malin Akerman, Kristen Davis, Kali Hawk, Jean Reno
Rating: M
♥ ♥

Couples Retreat centers around couples who are past getting their happily ever afters. The film centers around 4 couples:  one married with children (Vaughn & Akerman), a married couple contemplating divorce (Bateman & Bell), a married couple who are bitter towards each other (Favreau & Davis) and a divorcee (Love) who is dating a girl young enough to be his daughter (Hawk).

Convinced to go on a holiday to an Island that caters for needs of struggling  couples. After a series of strange and odd events from activities on the Island the couples each come to a realisation of what is really holding their relationships together and how they really feel as a couple...

Any seriousness this film portrays is lost in the silliness of the relationships portrayed and the overall unrealistic idea of the couples Island and the way it works.

If you are after a laugh, something lighthearted with plenty of memorable and quotable moments then go ahead with Couples Retreat.

Recommended Audience: Girls Night, one even he will enjoy

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Generic Structure of the Romantic Comedy.

So, people either seem to love romantic comedies, or despise them. They are mostly pretty generic, but there are plenty of them out there that are fantastic, and deserve credit. (Like many of the ones posted in this blog!)  Romantic comedies have to adhere to some general plot structures: man meets woman, but then they have to part ways because of an obstacle. All is not lost though, because they are sure to meet again. They get together for awhile, but again are parted due to challenges in their relationship. Often, they may not get together or remain together because they feel that they do not like each other, they cannot be together because of family reasons, or one has a partner. But anyone accustomed to romantic comedies knows that this is superficial and that they really are crazy about each other, and are determined to overcome any obstacles. The main characters often have to seek time apart to muse over their feelings and deal with everything.

While they are seperated, one of them usually realises that they cannot live without the other one, and they declare their love in some amazing and grand way. This is generally near then end of them movie, and the viewers are left feeling that everything has ended 'happily ever after'. In some cases, the two protaginsists may not be able to be together phyiscally, but romantic comedies are meant to reaffirm the absolut importance of the intense love relationship that exists between the two main characters. This basic plot line can be found as far back as Shakespeare plays such as Much Ado About Nothing and Midsummer Nights Dream. It is the genre that keeps growing and giving, and creating some unforgettable movie memories and moments.  

Love & Other Drugs

Keep your eye out for this one in Cinemas November 2010

Bride Wars

Alyse Cox

Director: Gary Winick

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson

Rating: PG

♥ ♥

Best friends + both getting married + both have the same dream venue for their wedding + there is only one date available = Bride Wars

Best friends, Emma and Liv (Hathaway & Hudson) have both finally decided to tie the knot. When their dream venue is double booked and only one space is available the girls begin a ruthless battle with each other in order to persuade the other to give the date over.

Their inability to come to a consensus results in both girls taking drastic measures by making the others wedding experience horrific. However, during the process they both discover what they really want and find that maybe the date and their men are not meant to be their s after all.

With some seriously funny ideas this film is bound to make you giggle... However, there is much criticism with a film like this. The perceptions are, at times, very shallow, and the film as a whole is rather brutal and portrays a rather unrealistic idea about the stubbornness and bitchiness of women. Once is enough for this film, there is not much too but it will make you laugh. If you are not in the mood for incredibly bitchy portrayal of friends who refuse to show a little grace then I would not recommend this film. In saying that, their are hilariously funny moments in the creativity the two friends invest into their plans to bring each other down.

All in all, it is far not the ultimate Romantic comedy but it should make you laugh at least at the girls preposterous behavior.

Bride Wars Trailer:

The Back-Up Plan (2010)

Sophie Rutherford

Director: Alan Poul

Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Alex O'Loughlin

Rating: PG
♥ ♥ ♥

Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) is a woman who feels that her biological clock is ticking, and that she has run out of time to find 'mister right'. So she decides to have IVF and have a baby on her own. The very minute she walks out of the clinic after being 'inseminated', she jumps into the same cab as 'mister right'. Zoe and Stan (Alex O'Loughlin) fight over who should get the cab, and the rest is romantic comedy history.

The film deals with many aspects of life; love, relationships, broken hearts, babies, and all the ordeals that go along with being pregnant. Pregnant women, or women who have had children, can relate to what Zoe is going through, and all women yet to experience childbirth can laugh along at what is yet to come. The Back-up Plan does follow the required romantic comedy plot structure, but with several memorable moments and plenty of laughs. It should be most remembered for the scene in which a friend of Zoes from her Single Mothers and Proud group is giving birth. Zoe and Stan go along, and are confronted with all the realities of childbirth. Fully complemented by some very strange farmyard animal noises, hilarious facial expressions (by the woman giving birth), and a rather large woman banging on a drum and chanting. It makes for a very funny scene and should put a big smile on your face!

A feel good romantic comedy that will restore your faith in the male species and make you once again believe that mister right is just around the corner. 

It Could Happen To You

Sophie Rutherford

Director: Andrew Bergman
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Bridget Fonda, Rosie Perez
Rating: PG

It Could Happen To You is an old school romantic comedy that really makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Charlie  (Nicholas Cage) is a decent, hard working New York Cop, who meets decent, hardworking waitress Yvonne (Bridget Fonda). Charlie cannot leave a tip one day, so he tells Yvonne that he will split his lottery ticket with her if he wins. Sure enough, he wins $4 million, and the rest of the movie follows Charlie in his decision to actually share his winnings, and the romance that follows between himself and Yvonne.

While this movie could have been sappy and overdone, It Could Happen To You is written beautifully, and the on screen chemistry between the two leading actors keeps you captivated till the end. It has just the right amount of romance blended with comedic moments, and of course, plenty of feel good moments to leave you with a smile plastered on your face. For atleast afew hours after.

Recommended Audience: Girls night in, or romantic night in with the b/f...even he might like this one!

Watch the trailer for It Could Happen To You