Romantic Comedy

Some discussion questions to consider:

• What is a man’s role in a relationship?
• What is a woman’s role in a relationship?
• Who makes the “moves”?
• Who plans dates?
• Who asks who to prom? Why?
• What does a guy care about in a relationship? a girl?
• What does a break-up look like? How does it happen?

As we analyze the genre of "Romantic Comedy," we will of course look at film techniques and elements, but we will also analyze the conventions of the genre, and look at how Hollywood romanticizes the above ideas about love.

BRAINSTORM:

• What films do you know that can be considered "Romantic Comedy?"
• What quality do many of these films possess that make them “Romantic Comedies?”
• What things show up again and again?
• What kinds of characters do we see? How do they interact with each other?
• What happens in the plots?
• What are the settings?

Here are some notes on tropes and cliches of the genre...

...And now we can start watching Rob Reiner's When Harry Met Sally, which is considered the blueprint for the modern romantic comedy. Check out the Viewing Guide...