Lloyd Dobbler said it best: “I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. I just want to be with your daughter, Sir.“
There are mugs and t-shirts with that line on them, and if you’ve ever seen the movie Say Anything, you know why. Great romantic comedies are memorable.
Why? Because we connect to them emotionally. We connect emotionally because the characters are unashamed and unafraid to love. In a charming, humble way, of course.
Lloyd Dobbler in Say Anything, was the unassuming but caring “Key Master” at the film’s open, making sure no one drives drunk. He was there for his friend Corey, who can’t stop writing dramatic songs about her ex. “Joe Lies. Joe Lies. Joe Lies… when he cries.”
Lloyd Dobbler (gotta say the whole name, no one knows him as just “Lloyd”) is in love with Diane. He’s not afraid to say it (to her father over dinner when asked about his future – see quote above) or show it (holding a boom box high over his head under her window, playing “In Your Eyes,” reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet at the balcony.)
He’s not lurky, or aggressive, or argumentative, he’s not sarcastic, he’s not hedging, or confusing, or desperate. He’s just clear. Even his stance with that boom box is grounded, like his love for her.
Memorable romantic comedy characters are not afraid to say how they feel, and they feel all kinds of things, fully. Samantha, in 16 Candles, is as fully insecure as she is in love with Jake Ryan. Andy, in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, is lovable in his innocence, kindness, and inability to fit in. Smooth-talking Hitch in Hitch is all-together and smooth until he meets Sara and can’t help but show vulnerability, honesty, and flaws (allergic reaction swollen face anyone?)
In a satisfying Rom-Com, it’s more than a romance where we just want to see the couple end up together. In great romantic comedies we want to see the character win because there’s more than just love of the other at stake.
We want them to overcome whatever their own challenge is. We want them to know themselves.
In Pretty in Pink, love-lorn Duckie is in love with poor-with-single-dad Andie, but she wants sweet and rich Blane. Andie has to overcome the economic-class difference (in this case, High School clique difference) for herself and be okay with who she is. She makes her own prom dress (not unlike Maria in The Sound of Music when she cuts up the curtains) symbolically accepting her uniqueness.
It’s satisfying that she ends up with Blane – and not Duckie – because Blane never had a problem with her being poor, she did. The story was less about her ending up with whoever had a crush on her (sorry, Duckie) and more about her accepting, and loving, herself.
In the out-of-high-school When Harry Met Sally, they both figure out what real love is because they emotionally grow and value the little things in each other. Harry professes loving Sally because of her quirks, not despite them.
In legendary Dirty Dancing, Baby of “No one puts Baby in a corner“ has a full-on coming of age that summer. She helps Johnny Castle grow to see he’s more than he thinks he is and that he can have hope for his own dreams. He helps her to literally and figuratively fly as we see him triumphantly lift her over his head in a dance move she couldn’t conquer before – before she learned to see the world (and Johnny Castle!) in ways she never knew before.
“I’ll have what she’s having.” That was director Rob Reiner’s mother who improvised that line in When Harry Met Sally. In Dirty Dancing so many of us remember when Baby blurts out fearful but courageously, “Me? I’m scared of everything. I’m scared of what I saw, of what I did, of who I am. And most of all, I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you.”
We’re invested in the honesty, the bravery, the clarity.
In Think Like a Man, what I love is that rather than the relationships changing them, they change first. When the characters can see who they are, their relationships transform. It’s because of their understanding of themselves that they create love on a deeper level. Lauren goes from intellectual standards to vulnerability and an open heart. Kristen, goes from people pleasing to setting limits. That empowers them both to fall in love on a deeper level, having learned about themselves.
In great romantic comedies, there’s more than attraction between characters. There’s growth.
I think what hurt the romantic comedy genre (besides violent comic-book movies sacrificing story and making tons of money) is that they started inaccurately being called “chick flicks”. People fell for the rhyme simply because it’s catchy to say. (There’s a theory that ending a joke with ‘chicken’ will always get a laugh just because of the sound. Chicken.)
“Chick Flick” seeped into our cultural psychology as if romantic comedies had to include heels and exclude men. But that’s not the case with the greats.
Everything I just wrote was from memory (minus a few character names and double checking the quotes), as I imagine it is for many others, chick or not. In fact, one of the most talked about Super Bowl commercials of recent years had the Dirty Dancing theme song as two NFL players did the Johnny and Baby triumphant flying dance move. That moment resonated for a great number of us. It meant something on an emotional level, and emotions are for everyone.
Other qualities of great romantic comedies that are not exclusive to any gender or type of person:
1. Authentic humor.
There have to be laughs, even if they’re on the inside. There has to be relatability. “Romance” movies do not apply. There has to be com in the rom.
ps. The soundtrack can’t be too precious.
2. Warmth is a major ingredient.
Kindness never hurt anyone in a rom-com and their selfless gestures for someone else only make us more invested.
3. Characters have integrity.
Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop pops to mind. Not a Rom-Com exactly, but at a time when movie characters had integrity that made them memorable. (Bonus points if Herbie Hancock’s “Axel F” is playing in your head right now.)
4. Inspiration.
Great rom-coms make us feel good. They aren’t melancholy, or violent, or wishy washy. At the end of the movie, there’s personal triumph, even if quiet triumph. We feel hopeful.
5. Satisfying.
The characters find their way and everyone’s story concludes emotionally, even if they don’t end up with someone (sorry again, Duckie). Although not rom-coms, The Karate Kid, Shawshank Redemption, Beverly Hills Cop, and The Matrix are examples if you forgot what a satisfying movie feels like. Even in Annie Hall, seeing Alvy directing actors playing himself and Annie in a play is funny and satisfying.
6. Character.
Great rom-coms have lovable, memorable characters… with character. They care about people. They stand for something. They’re vulnerable to us, the audience, and, of course, their best friend, and eventually to the love of their life.
7. Relatability.
Great rom-coms explore a concept about love and take us on a journey that we can understand emotionally.
8. They celebrate love.
It is so important to celebrate love. With all of the violent, oppositional content out there where people have to shout at each other to make a point, how are people going to know how to love – and laugh a little while we’re at it? When you watch a movie, you’re experiencing the emotional ride for yourself, maybe feeling things you want to feel in real life. Maybe the experience inspires you to grow.
In the end, Lloyd Dobbler becomes valuable as he helps Diane, someone who seemed un-getable as Valedictorian but learned her future wasn’t what she thought it would be. (Amazing performance by John Mahoney as her dad!) Lloyd Dobbler isn’t just love-sick now, he’s a dimensional person on equal ground.
The title Say Anything exemplifies one more Crucially Vital Extremely Indispensable Important thing about Romantic Comedies. Like in real life, love is about knowing and loving yourself just as much as it is about loving someone else. And as I write about all the time, it’s about expressing ourselves with clarity, respect, authenticity, and some humor if ya got it. So, doesn’t have to be anything that you say, but like Baby, Lloyd Dobbler, Samantha, Harry, and Hitch, when you love someone go ahead and say something.
(Not in a text!)
Heather Maidat writes for film, TV, and all kinds of creative content. She also writes at HeatherMaidat.com
Thanks for another thought provoking post complete with suggestions and quips.
I enjoyed your breakdown of what worked and why in these romantic comedies, I relate, and I agree.
It is my opinion that women are attracted to talking about REAL (meaningful) feelings — especially the positive ones (this is what I like about you, this is what you mean to me, this is who I am, who are you?)
I think aside from being attracted to a guy, women are attracted to a guy who is “BRAVE” — not in fighting– in expressing his feelings.
Thanks for your comment!
SO enjoyed this- not just for you bringing me back to better times and these quality movies but your perspective that’s spot on! Bravo!
Thank you! I love that you share this perspective.