Well it's not secret that kj is a largely male audience who shun many mainstream films, never mind mainstream films designed to appeal to women more than men. So the romantic comedy isn't everyones forte. I like em. Sue me! I believe that film should provide an escape, and what better escape is there than seeing myself as a Tom Hanks in a high paid job in New York falling in love with Meg Ryan in the space of four hours?
The RomCom is one of the most under-estimated and over-estimated genres in Hollywood. It's wildly fluctuating stock is heavily dependant on the release climate and star appeal. So im going to look at some of the 'better' and 'worse' ones in hope that some of you chumps throw heed to the wind and give your vaginas the attention they deserve!
OUT NOW OR COMING SOON
- DEFINITELY MAYBE (83% FRESH)
- FOOLS GOLD (10% ROTTEN)
- 27 DRESSES (36% ROTTEN)
THE GOOD
What Women Want
Stars: Mel Gibson, Helen Hunt
Director: Nancy Meyers
Gross: $182m
The 411: Mel Gibson can suddenly hear the thoughts of women everywhere. Great gift, or awful penance? He's going to find out and inevitably fall in love with his only match, played by Helen Hunt. This is a good romantic comedy for a variety of reasons. Sure its schlocky and stupid in a lot of ways, but Mel Gibson is a charming actor, Helen Hunt has never been more appealing and Judy Greers subplot makes it all worthwhile. See past the ridiculous premise and find a glossy, appealing romance.
Somethings Gotta Give
Stars: Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton
Director: Nancy Meyers
Gross: $124m
The 411: It's presumptious poster billed the stars as simply "Jack and Diane" as if we are all on first name terms with the longtime film stars. Jack Nicholson's lothario appeals heavily with men, whilst Diane Keaton's turtleneck loving version of Nancy Meyers calls out to women over 30. A new type of romcom, Somethings Gotta Give tried to be a more refined, sophistocated interp of the genre for the mainstream audience. It suceeds. It's not groundbreaking, but it's worth a watch with a bottle of wine. Not yourself though. That aint right.
Pretty Woman
Stars: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere
Director: Garry Marshall
Gross: $178m
The 411: Why hello there Julia Roberts. For any girl, the scene where she gets refused in a posh boutique sticks in their mind, largely because of Lisa Kudrows referential gag in Romy and Michelles High School Reunion. But this film really eptiomised what a romcom should consist of, even if Geres character was a morally questionable idiot. Acting transformed this from what could have been a complete disaster into a much revered reference for the phrase "Star Maker".
Sleepless in Seattle
Stars: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan
Director: Nora Ephron
Gross: $126m
The 411: A seminal film from its time, Sleepless in Seattle was a movie which was the opposite of Pretty Woman. There were no hookers in this world. No seedy buisnessmen having sex with prostitutes on pianos. Just wistful Meg Ryans and "Strong, Silent" Tom Hanks'. This movie connected with women by understanding their desires, and then captured both sexes by inserting a layer of comedy atop the romantic happenings. The date movie was alive and kicking.
Sliding Doors
Stars: Gwenyth Paltrow
Director: Peter Howitt
Gross: $11.8m
The 411: Hardly a huge success. But Sliding Doors actually functions inspite and because of Fishticks Paltrow. Her story told in an inventive way transforms it from a humdrum romcom into something a little different. You feel for both instances of this character, and the twist at the end comes out of the blue.
Fools Rush In
Stars: Matthew Perry, Salma Hayek
Director: Andy Tennant
Gross: $29m
The 411: Another little romcom which didn't make much of anything really. Theres no reason in particular i enjoyed this one, i think the general feel and message and direction it took was just a little different, a little off-kilter, and the chemistry between the leads was actually quite memorable as being strong. I enjoyed this one, although don't expect the majority would.
As Good as it Gets
Stars: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear
Director: James L Brooks,
Gross: $148m
The 411: Quite possibly truly as good as it gets. This is my personal favourite romantic comedy, followed by the next one on this list. Truly a heart warming, natural, engaging movie with as much drama as romance or comedy. A fantastic balance worthy of oscar attention.
The Holiday
Stars: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black
Director: Nancy Meyers
Gross: $63m
The 411: With such a stellar cast, $100m seemed a lock for this seasonal romcom. But instead, it underperfomed in the states. It more than recouped its shortfall on dvd though, where it developed into not only the great valentines gift, but also the great christmas gift, and the great "have sex with me" gift, and the great "I relate to you" gift, and the great "If you cry in my arms when they are holding hands in the tent, i will hug you close and that will be a very romantic gesture for you, one you will grab hold of knowing well its the closest your going to get to a perfect moment." gift. Yes, The Holiday is the ideal gift for your female counterpoint. Why? Because its' bloody good. It's a feel good movie, its a christmas movie, its a deeply romantic movie, its an empowering movie, it's a nostalgic movie, its an idylic movie, it really has all the components a film for women should have. It remains within the top 30 in the UK DVD charts to this day. One of the best romcoms out there, Nancy Meyers has a nack.
Love Actually
Stars: Hugh Grant, Kiera Knightly, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, etc etc etc
Director: Richard Curtis
Gross: $60m
The 411: Huge internationally, especially in the UK. Love Actually was, like The Holiday, a combination of seasonal film and romcom. It actually shares a lot with The Holiday, and both movies are exceptional, but Love Actually features more believable characters and scenarios and that good old twinkle of British humour.
13 Going on 30
Stars: Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo
Director: Gary Winnick
Gross: $58m
The 411: Expectations had been in the high $80m range upwards for this star vehicle, but it failed to set the box office alight as much as expected in light of Mean Girls, instead alighting DVD sales later that year to a top 10 ranking. But its belated success aside, this movie was everything a "chick-flick" should be without being offensively stupid. Jennifer Garner was a revelation in her first comedic role, and even though Ruffalo was distinctly dull, the rest of the cast pulled it together for a silly, feel good movie.
Notting Hill
Stars: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant
Director: Rogert Mitchell
Gross: $116m
The 411: Julia Roberts playing the worlds biggest film star - what a stretch! It's actually a very tenderly written, escapist romantic comedy with excellent pacing and a sense of someone who genuinely knows what they are doing and how the genre functions.
The Break Up
Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Vince Vaughn
Director: Peyton Reed
Gross: $119m
The 411: I should admit i havent seen this in its entirity first. On my to do list. But the majority that i did see was very engaging actually. It's a very different "romantic comedy" and i enjoyed that. I enjoyed how realistic it was in the portrayal of some of the bumps in relationships. One scene which stands out is when Aniston tries to work things out with Vaughn and invites him to a concert. He doesn't show. He tries to console her when he finds her in her bedroom crying. It's just quite clever for a genre which is usually so clunky. Clever in that it seems to understand couples and the struggles they go through. I enjoyed that about this movie. I don't enjoy pretentious arty films which claim to do that, because they only study a small segment of society, usually more intellectual types, but mainstream films look at overall dynamics so not to alienate segments of society and they usually nail a more accurate picture of what people communicate like when they actually try.
THE POSITIVE
The Wedding Singer
Stars: Drew Barrymore, Adam Sandler
Director: Frank Coraci
Gross: $80m
The 411: In fairness, i'd probably class this as "The Good" but gotta be strict and it's not like i own the dvd. I think the real revelation was the chemistry between Barrymore and Sandler, one which would continue on to 50 First Dates
Never Been Kissed
Stars: Drew Barrymore, Michael Vartan
Director: Raja Gosnell
Gross: $55m
The 411: Well its quite sweet and funny largely thanks to Drew Barrymore. But fucking Michael Vartan is literally the most boring actor i've ever seen. He could have very easily have ruined Alias for me if it wasn't for the entire rest of the cast being so awesome.
50 First Dates
Stars: Drew Barrymore, Adam Sandler
Director: Peter Segal
Gross: $120m
The 411: Also actually very sweet. Everything is actually really quite good about this movie up until the end, which i had issues with. Many people praised the ending for not being "traditional hollywood" but for me, romantic comedies ARE traditional hollywood, so why make a movie designed to make money then wimp out by not giving audiences what they expect. Noble for trying, but if it had a revised ending this could easily have been a favourite of mine.
Failure to Launch
Stars: Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew McConaghey
Director: Joel Zwick
Gross: $88.7m
The 411: Actually was rather surprised with this one. Expected something much worse. I managed to contain the Sarah horse jokes and be caught up in this one. It's actually quite competently directed, charmingly executed and well paced. The only problem is the questionable chemistry of it's stars, but they seem to fit, as though you can picture them together. It works but it doesn't if that makes any sense.
Americas Sweethearts
Stars: Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta Jones, John Cusack, Billy Crystal
Director: Joe Roth
Gross: $93m
The 411: First of all, John Cusack should not be a romantic lead. He doesn't have the charisma or qualities needed. Like Mark Ruffalo, he is not suited to the genre whatsoever. Secondly, Julia Roberts does not play a convincing second-hand. She is a strong woman, and apparently not a good enough actress to play withering characters as a result. Third, Billy Crystal can be fucking annoying! He nearly ruins this movie altogether, i swear to god. Catherine Zeta Jones puts in her best turn yet as a diva moviestar. Shocking. It's actually quite fun if you are into movies, it's a good wink at the industry and its stars.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Stars: Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaghey
Director: Donald Petrie
Gross: $106m
The 411: It's why Fools Gold was even cast this way. A charming enough romp, Kate Hudson can be quite endearing, and the two gel well here.
Two Weeks Notice
Stars: Sandra Bullock, Hugh Grant
Director: Marc Lawrence
Gross: $93m
The 411: Sandra Bullock is always fun to watch, and here she reminds us why. Unforunately, Hugh Grant also has me questioning why he is still in employment. The bumbling english idiot is not called acting when its what you actually are. Pacing issues and a bit of stalling as the thing progresses before a predictably corny finale pulls it down after a strong first third.
Along Came Polly
Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Ben Stiller, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Debra Messing
Director: John Hamburg
Gross: $88m
The 411: A romantic comedy for the men amongst us. In that a blind ferrett and jokes about IBS and sweat form the basis here. Touted as another SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, this one is actually pretty on off decent. It's not going to win awards, it's artistically void, and it's all a bit blah at times, but Jennifer Aniston is fun to watch as a phoebe character, and Ben Stiller makes things work. Plus the blind ferrett really did it for me, i have to say. I kind of want one.
You've Got Mail
Stars: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan
Director: Nora Ephron
Gross: $115m
The 411: A step down from Sleepless in Seattle to be sure, but with clunkers like Hanging up and Bewitched in her career, Ephron has proven herself a bit of a hit-and-miss director, dependant on the right script and the right stars. It works here because and soley because of Seattle and the charming locations scouted here. Little did anyone know the brewing storm that would be Meg Ryans tragic face after this movie.
My Best Friends Wedding
Stars: Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Dermot Mulroney, Rupert Everett
Director: Nancy Meyers
Gross: $127m
The 411: Okay so its also hit and miss. I can't ever tell Everett AND Mulroney apart. Both equally bland and annoying. Roberts and Diaz do well here, and Everett later revealed that Roberts was very insecure about Diaz stealing her romcom thunder. Interestingly it never comes across on screen where they hate each other throughout the film.
No Reservations
Stars: Catherine Zeta Jones, Aaron Eckheart, Abigail Breslin.
Director: Nancy Meyers
Gross: $43m
The 411: So much promise! Yet, everyone in this movie seems wooden. Catherine Zeta Jones isn't believable, but is likable and obviously easy on the eyes. What fails here is the romance itself. It all feels a bit dirty and wrong. Yet theres a breezy easiness that flows through it, and the visuals themselves are sometimes worth the time.
THE MEH
Forces of Nature
Stars: Sandra Bullock, Ben Affleck
Director: Joel Zwick
Gross: $53m
The 411: I actually appreciated that this film at least tried to be a bit different and artistic. Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock surprisingly connected quite well, and I liked them together onscreen. Sadly, the film took tawdry trips to plot devices such as Ben Affleck getting shirtless in a gay bar for money. Those points just dragged the movie down and by the end i didn't really care much if they were together or not. I think its just one of those movies which is so weird and out there in their concept that you can't connect with it.
Little Black Book
Stars: Brittany Murphy, Holly Hunter
Director: Nick Hurran
Gross: $21m
The 411: Meh describes it pretty well. It has its moments, but the film itself falls apart very quickly as it progresses. The journey Murphy's character takes is entertaining, but once Hunters character comes to the fray and Murphys snooping comes out, the film takes a turn for the ridiculous, and Hunter's almost crack-fuelled pacing is uncomfortable to watch. TV movie kind of stuff.
Spanglish
Stars: Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni, Paz Vega
Director: James L Brooks
Gross: $43m
The 411: Tea Leoni, James L Brooks? Sounds like a winner! The marketing for this one even suggested it was. But it ends up a bit depressing, i kind of wanted to punch Tea Leoni throughout, which is unusual. It's not a bad movie, it's just not breathtaking, and you wont find yourself craving repeat viewings either.
Bringing Down the House
Stars: Steve Martin, Queen Latifah
Director: Adam Shankman
Gross: $132m
The 411: Queen Latifah plays a sassy black woman. Steve Martin plays an uptight white man. As groundbreaking as it sounds.
Just Like Heaven
Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo
Director: Mark Waters
Gross: $48m
The 411: Is Mark desperate for cash or something? Why is he sullying his name by being an intensely dull romantic lead in romcoms across the boards? Odddly, this movie had everything going for it. From a sterling director to a cracking actress whos name was on fire. Shockingly, it didn't even top $50m. Many called this a major dissapointment, and so was the movie really. Witherspoon was quite charming in it, but the rest just didn't function or click at all. Unfortunate.
Kate & Leopold
Stars: Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman
Director: Joel Zwick
Gross: $241m
The 411: God Hugh Jackman is handsome. I watched this with my mother and am fairly certain she was ready to leave my dad for Hugh Jackman. I had to inform her he's probably gay. One up for me, Mum. The film itself has THE most ridiculous premise for a romantic comedy ever and indeed feels remarkably stupid and miseducated throughout. Braincells drain away. But the whole thing between Jackman and Ryan is harmless. The film is not an awful way to waste an hour or two.
Sweet Home Alabama
Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Other people.
Director: Andy Tennant
Gross: $127m
The 411: Reese Witherspoon had a Julia Roberts moment with this movie. But unfortunately, aside from the irritating character Witherspoon plays, there is nothing here different, funny or engaging. It's all got a horribly done before feel. Not the worst way to pass the time, but i wouldn't rush out to rent it.
Hitch
Stars: Will Smith, Eva Mendes
Director: Andy Tennant
Gross: $179m
The 411: Andy Tennant clearly knows how to attract an audience. Too bad Hitch feels like a through the motions exercise for a paycheque. I've never liked Will Smith less than here.
THE UGLY.
Monster In Law
Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, Wanda Sykes, Michael Vartan
Director: Robert Luketic
Gross: $83m
The 411: Oh great. J.Lo and Vartan in the same fucking movie. Why don't they call it the "pathetic movie with the exes of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck" because thats basically what it is. No, in seriousness, Jennifer Lopez actually turns in a very likable performance here, but Jane Fonda is fucking ridiculous, Wanda Sykes seems to be this irritating kind of sassy black stock character, and suffice to say, Michael Vartan is paper. Boring, tries so hard, just dumb.
Maid in Manhattan
Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes
Director: Wayne Wang
Gross: $94m
The 411: Widely publicised as being produced by Julia Roberts at the time, the comparisons were drawn between herself and J.Lo from the getgo, except the problem was Maid in Manhattan sucked fucking ass. Jennifer Lopez played a totally insulting cardboard cutout of a hispanic maid in the big city who is swept away by an equally uncharismatic Ralph Fiennes. The concept had potential but flopped due to an awful script and bland acting.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Stars: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett
Director: Joel Zwick
Gross: $241m
The 411: Offensively bad. I never understood this movies appeal or why it was successful. It's shallow, cardboard sterotypes were insulting. It's mechanical, calculated audience manipulation was obvious and Nia Vardalos is where now? Exactly. The awfulness of this movie was only magnified in the horrifying Big Fat Greek Life.
Rumour Has It
Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Mark Ruffalo, Shirley McClaine
Director: Rob Reiner
Gross: $43m
The 411: Its $43m a magic number for romantic comedies? Look at this list and count the number of $43m grossers alone. Anyway, this one deserved a lot less than $43m. Just plain dull. I actually couldn't finish it. Drawn out. Filled with indifferent, hollow characters with a ridiculous plot. Jennifer Aniston makes a few good turns, but that is not enough to subject yourself to this mess.
Runaway Bride
Stars: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere
Director: Garry Marshall
Gross: $152m
The 411: Oh i get it. We'll reteam the PRETTY WOMAN cast and crew, it'll be gold. Everyone will love it. Julia and Richard will click again! FAIL. WRONG. NO. What a disaster. Honestly, unfocussed doesn't quite capture it. Wasn't Joan Cusack in this? She's the only thing i remember being vaguely good about it.
Just Married
Stars: Ashton Kutcher, Brittany Murphy
Director: Shawn Levy
Gross: $56m
The 411: Ew. Crack addict has sex with That 70s show guy. Ew.
