Romantic Comedy

“a comedy whose central plot is focused on a romantic relationship” (Mernit: 2000)

Or where

“Love is the catalyst for action…Love’s effect on the central character is what drives the story” (Krutnik: 1999)

A convention within all comedy films, including the rom-com sub-genre, is the generation of comedy through a combination of visual and verbal gags or comedic situations and misunderstandings.

Formulaic ie predictable- there is a Meet cute and conflict

Happy ending: romantic fulfilment  

The Settings are Urban eg New York Glamorous Intimate/domestic: bedroom Meeting places: restaurants

•Wrong man and right man

•Best friend

•The couple

also- families

•Establishing shots of glamorous urban settings

•Close ups of reaction shots for comic and empathetic effects •Shot reverse shot: quick fire dialogue

•High key lighting for glamour and comic effect •Montage sequences: getting ready for a date •Camerawork used to accentuate glamour ie like the of detail of heroine’s flawless features/costume/body

•Music: used for both comic and romantic effect

•Sentimental education

•Couple have to learn to be better people to deserve romantic fulfilment

•Journey from incomplete/immature/unfulfilled to coupledom and maturity

•Journey to adulthood 

The conventional leading male in rom-coms displays traditional masculine traits.  He is heroic, competitive muscular and good looking.

The conventional leading female displays traditional feminine traits such as being sweet, caring, nurturing, emotional and dependent on male rescue.

We can still find these representations in rom-com but over time these representations of gender have changed.

This can be attributed to the Post-Feminist context where women can be seen to “have it all” or reject traditional female goals for careers.

As a result men can be seen as “in crisis” as they are no longer needed to fulfil the traditional breadwinner role, leading to feeling of inadequacy.