Comments on: Romantic Comedy Rant

By: Joleesa

Joleesa — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:46:29 +0000

The Wedding Singer. Loved it.

By: Joleesa

Joleesa — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:44:26 +0000

I loved Something to Talk About!!! I’m a Southern Girl (please note capital letters) and the line where he says “You southern girls sure have low expectations” (or something to that effect) was an epiphany for me! Dennis Quaid, Julia Roberts, Kira Sedgwick? Bobby Duval!!!! Awesome movie.

By: Susan Mallery

Susan Mallery — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:04:47 +0000

Excellent post, Jenny! I share your frustrations about finding good romantic comedy on the screen. When I find a good romantic comedy – like When Harry Met Sally, Love Actually, Music & Lyrics – I buy it and watch it again and again. But if I see it in the theater and don’t love it, I don’t bother buying it. I read what Toni said below, and I agree that streaming video is going to bring some changes to Hollywood, and I think those changes will really benefit women viewers. We have so much economic power – look at how our romance novels have been faring even during the recession for proof – but our moviegoing habits differ from what Hollywood currently thinks of as important.

There are some fantastic romantic comedies coming from the independent movie scene. I recently saw “Outsourced,” a fish-out-of-water romcom, in which an American executive had to go to India to teach the outsourced telephone reps how to speak like Americans. I loved it!

Susan Mallery
Author of Hot on Her Heels
Facebook.com/SusanMallery

By: London Mabel

London Mabel — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:54:10 +0000

Glad to hear it – was wondering whether to rent.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 07:36:31 +0000

I’m a sucker for the old Doris Day/Rock Hudson comedies. Pillow Talk remains one of my favorite movies of all time. While I like Down with Love for the story, Renee Zelwegger does not possess half of the charm that made Doris Day likeable. Other movies that I will watch every time they come on: Stardust, The Holiday, Simply Irresistable, Sweet Home Alabama, Sabrina (the Audrey version!), American President, That Touch of Mink, His Girl Friday, Something to Talk About, Clueless, Just Like Heaven, and The Truth About Cats and Dogs.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:23:35 +0000

I have really enjoyed reading all these comments especially since I have been trying to collect a selection of DVD’s. I have listed all the purchased ones in a book and was surprised to look over the list and see some of the ones listed here but the amount of rom-com is sadly lacking. I too have rented movies and wanted to write DON’T BOTHER on the case. Is it because we are older and more discriminating -we are not content to spend our time and money watching incomplete characters, bad dialog and even worse actions? The younger generations seem to put up with romance only if there is lots of action thrown in-Spiderman, X-men and on and on. The teen / young adult set seems to be the target audience for the movie makers. It is sad but I rarely go to the movies now-my mother always said that as I got older I would have to give up more and more of my vices. Just let me keep chocolate and Jenny Crusie novels!!

By: Infogenium

Infogenium — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:22:10 +0000

Thanks for a very interesting discussion and good to know I am not just being a cranky old biddy. I have given up on “new” movies both cinema releases and dvd releases. Too many times borrowed, watched, response ‘meh’ and returned with a grumpy want to write a note to the film people/on the dvd case saying DON”T EVEN BOTHER (never done it though but sooo want to).

By: Jenny

Jenny — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:15:22 +0000

Julie Brown also had the best song which inexplicably is not on the soundtrack album. I think that may have been Jim Carrey’s first movie, too. Wonder if I still have that DVD? Must go look.

By: JLondon

JLondon — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:43:34 +0000

I really love “Earth Girls Are Easy”, Julien Temple’s musical comedy where the Valley Girl gets the handsome Alien. I think it could count as a rom-com. Geena Davis is a wonderful comic actress and looks fabulous, Jeff Goldblum is good enough to eat (after he gets the makeover). The dialogue is very snappy, especially for Julie Brown who gets some great lines.

By: colognegrrl

colognegrrl — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:18:50 +0000

It took me a while to read the comments, hoping that somebody would mention my favorites “Working Girl”, “Overboard”, and “What’s up Doc?” – at least somebody did, and yet I must write myself to mention them once more because that’s what they deserve.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:00:54 +0000

“Hope Floats.” Sandra Bullock and Harry Connick Jr. Sad, tragic, funny….romantic. And with Gena Rowlands and the amazing Mae Whitman. OMG, he picks her up and tosses her into his truck….sigh.

And, always yes to Ryan Reynolds’ abs…..and euwwwwww to “The Ugly Truth”….even my 24- year-old son summarized it in one phrase, “That was pretty crass, wasn’t it Mom?”

By: Lou Shumaker

Lou Shumaker — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 03:55:59 +0000

Had a weird experience with SAM. I saw it in the theatre years ago and remembered laughing my butt off (although the ending with Brett Favre went on waaay too long).

Then I get married, my wife picks up the DVD and we sit watching it. It may have been because of the extended version we were watching, but it seemed like it dragged on forever, and we finally stopped about halfway through.

By: Lou Shumaker

Lou Shumaker — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 03:42:09 +0000

If Hollywood is looking to remake movies, they should redo movies like “Kate,” because there was a pretty good concept inside, and they already know where it went wrong wrong wrong.

By: CatScott

CatScott — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:01:27 +0000

The whole time I was reading this blog post The Ugly Truth was sitting on my television waiting for me. I was really looking forward to watching Gerry so I threw caution to the wind.

Last night my boyfriend and I decided to pop it in. I told him before it started that a bunch of women didn’t like it. This caused some eye rolling on his part. We don’t often like or dislike movies other people rave about or hate.

Twelve minutes in we were looking at each other shaking our heads. Everything said here about that movie is 100% true! It’s bad when the most likable character is the throw away guy (Collin).

I’m a pretty big Gerard Butler fan. I’ve seen Dracula 2000 and Beowulf just for him. Neither of these are good movies but I love watching him. I don’t think I’ll ever watch this one again even for him!

When I asked the bf if he wanted to watch the alternate endings to see if they were any better he replied “Isn’t it enough that it ended?” LOL

The sad part is that I kept calling this movie The Awful Truth, which now feels like such sacrilege! I might have to watch The Awful Truth to scrub the bad taste of The Ugly Truth out of my head! I might just have to have a whole Cary Grant marathon this holiday weekend!

Thanks for trying to warn the rest of us about this total crap movie! Next time I will most certainly heed the warning.

By: Marta

Marta — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:26:02 +0000

Auntie Mame, with Rosalind Russell. Wonderful movie with such great characters. I know it’s not strictly a romantic comedy, but there’s one in there.

The American President for some of the best dialog ever, and a phenomenal cast.

The Quiet Man with John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara is lovely, but subtle on the humor.

My Favorite Wife, the original with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne.

Bye Bye Birdie is just plain fun.

By: Bernie

Bernie — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:25:18 +0000

I realize I am way late to the party here, but just had to say THANK YOU! I agreed with so much of what was said here regarding the quality of rom-com movies and with the lists of good movies and books. It is nice to know that somewhere out there are women that share my p.o.v. on some of this stuff!

BTW~ my own little movie rec “You Kill Me”… a quirky dark rom-com that is acutally listed under crime genre, but stars Teá Leoni who I am beginning to think just watch anything she is in because it is usally good. Liked her so much in Ghost Town and wasn’t she in Spanglish? Gotta love that NetFlix!

Would also recommend “The Girl in the Cafe” with Bill Nighy. Not really comedy but some good funny parts in a very human sort of way.

By: LolaMac

LolaMac — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:14:40 +0000

Not your typical RomCom, but j’adore Amelie. It’s so wonderfully quirky. The scene at the end when she and Nino kiss, ahhh. That’s the kind you wish for.

By: LolaMac

LolaMac — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:52:45 +0000

Love LOVE this movie! My sister named her cat Uncow in honor of “Uncow Gus.” You’ve got to love the sex education scene with the woman from Sordid Lives the TV series. My name is Lobo, Lobo Morunga!

By: Nicole in WI

Nicole in WI — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:52:48 +0000

I loved Something To Talk About. Dennis Quaid does it for me everytime.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:12:45 +0000

I love Gambit. It’s another one that’s not on DVD but I was hoping that since the Coens were remaking it with Colin Firth, they’d bring the original out, too, except that the remake has sort of evaporated, too. Such a good movie.