I like it how the film shows Romantic comedies from the old days and presents a few newer ones. For a rom com lover who has been thinking about the same issues, it was like talking with a friend. Unfortunately it presented only american romcoms and not so many europian/asian as I had hoped, but maybe in Romantic Comedy 2.
8 Reviews
Too much and too little
whitney-m-sorensen5 March 2023
This film has the feel of a glorified YouTube video mixed with a personal essay and a dash of uncited sources. The filmmaker does a good job summarizing the basic contemporary complaints about romantic comedies as a genre, and I agree with her take that rom coms are now disguising themselves in other genres (although the example of God's Own Country doesn't feel perfect because it seems like just a romance, not a rom com-having a declaration of love and a happy ending don't automatically make a film a rom com). However, I was bothered that the other voices she brought in are not given any face time or credited; there's no way to know which name from the opening credits goes with which voice. And the music throughout does not add anything. Be a video essay and explain why you're sharing each clip or be a montage that lets viewers draw their own conclusions, but this mush mash of both doesn't work.
Getting away from the main point here
edwardiancinema14 October 2019
Romantic Comedy contains many clips of films dating back from the 1930's- present day. The film maker attempts to make the point that many of these Rom Coms were heterosexual and all had happy endings, some with implausible happy endings, and the LGBTQ ones have been hidden, independent, more obscure titles. Well I believe the main point here is escape. People wanted an escape from their day to day lives so they went to the movies to see a nice film, which is why many of the 1930's-50's rom coms have the happy endings they do. People must remember that it is only a movie and not real life. If you are looking for love, a relationship, you have to find it yourself. It is not going to be a fairy tale romance like in a Julia Roberts Rom Com.
Annoying Affected Narration
cruzarts-739466 June 2020
The assemblage of movie clips is phenomenal, but the constant droning by an affected narrator whose put-on accent indicates she thinks she stepped out of PHILADELPHIA STORY robs this documentary of watchability and interest.
A horrible shame, really: this is a worthwhile topic made boring.
A horrible shame, really: this is a worthwhile topic made boring.
BAD
austrohungaro26 November 2020
I had marked this flm as a favourite to watch some day... now how do I regret having seen it!!! Not really, i regret giving it my time, a time it didin0t ¡deserve at all.
First of all... if you make a documentary on romantic comedies, at least make it funny, make it witty, no matter what your message is, don't make it the most boring movie to watch.
And then... the message. Really? That's a sick point ofs view, ever from the director's absurd fanaticism as a teenage spectator to her vital disappointment and how she blames romantic comedies for her failure in her love life. I have always claimed, before you start spreading hate, check your therapist for a couple of years...
First of all... if you make a documentary on romantic comedies, at least make it funny, make it witty, no matter what your message is, don't make it the most boring movie to watch.
And then... the message. Really? That's a sick point ofs view, ever from the director's absurd fanaticism as a teenage spectator to her vital disappointment and how she blames romantic comedies for her failure in her love life. I have always claimed, before you start spreading hate, check your therapist for a couple of years...
This is an feminist academic work more than a film
geonosianindustries2 November 2021
People seem to be coming into this film expecting a send up to the greatest romcoms when it is really an analysis of the harmful aspects of many romantic comedies. It has a feminist perspective and semi-academic tone. The film would work well as an extended youtube video or masters in film thesis. Ultimately surprisingly enjoyable but I wish it were more technical/professional/analytical.
Atrocious
lukeen-567-3262989 August 2021
Great analysis of romcoms
snazzybobblington22 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this at International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) 2019.
It is a meta film about romcoms just like 'Beyond Clueless' (whose director was also at the screening apparently), which was about teen films
It was really good! in the film and in the QnA the director went hard on diversity which is superimportant
Some clip choices stuck out for me, like 'grosse point blank' popped up a few times but wasn't discussed at all and is to my mind quite a subversive romcom.
The end of the romcom as a genre was rued, but maybe more attention could be paid to how bad later versions were .. i'm thinking about films like 'there's something about mary' for example
It is a meta film about romcoms just like 'Beyond Clueless' (whose director was also at the screening apparently), which was about teen films
It was really good! in the film and in the QnA the director went hard on diversity which is superimportant
Some clip choices stuck out for me, like 'grosse point blank' popped up a few times but wasn't discussed at all and is to my mind quite a subversive romcom.
The end of the romcom as a genre was rued, but maybe more attention could be paid to how bad later versions were .. i'm thinking about films like 'there's something about mary' for example
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