Conventions of Romantic Comedy Film

Narrative

The basic narrative of a Romantic Comedy is that two characters, usually a man and a woman, meet somehow, part ways due to an argument or other problem, then in the end reunite. Sometimes the two main characters meet and become involved initially, then must confront challenges to their union. An example of this is Knocked Up (2007) where a couple initially have a one night stand but due to the Katherine Heigl’s characters becoming pregnant, they must battle through challenges until the baby is born, when they finally find love in each other.

Sometimes they are hesitant to become romantically involved because they believe that they do not like each other, because one of them already has a partner, or because of social pressures or positions. However, the screenwriters leave clues that suggest that the characters are, in fact, attracted to each other and that they would be a good love match. An example of this plot is The Proposal (2009) where Sandra Bullock a chief editor at a book publishing company, forces her assistant Ryan Reynolds to marry her to prevent her deportation. At first it is just a business deal, but of course throughout the deal, love takes over.

While the two protagonists are separated, one or both of them usually realizes that they are ideal for each other, or that they are in love with each other. Then, after one of the two makes some spectacular effort (sometimes called the grand gesture) to find the other person and declare their love, or through an astonishing coincidental encounter, the two meet again. Then, perhaps with some comic friction or awkwardness, they declare their love for each other and the film ends happily. The couple does not, however, have to marry, or live together "happily ever after". The ending of a romantic comedy is meant to affirm the primary importance of the love relationship in its protagonists' lives, even if they physically separate in the end (e.g. Shakespeare in Love, Roman Holiday).

Protagonists (Main Characters)

The first must of the main characters in a romcom is that they are relatable in some way to the viewers in the audience. They best way that writers do this, is by creating two characters that are different to each other in some way, whether it be different class, background, race, nationality, or just common stereotype. Some examples of the differences between protagonists include Music & Lyrics (2008) characters Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) a former pop-star planning a ‘comeback’ and Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore) a college drop-out who waters plants. The Holiday (2006) characters Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) an American and Graham Simpkins (Jude Law) who is British. Pretty Woman (1992) characters Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) a rich, ruthless businessman from New York and Vivian Ward (Julia Robert) a beautiful, kind-hearted prostitute on Hollywood Boulevard. By doing this, most people in the audience will have a relatable connection with one of the characters. Even if there is no direct connection, they will relate to one character more than the other making it feel like more of a connection. This way, the audience can support them throughout the film and therefore be gripped to continue watching.

Supporting Characters

With the protagonists providing most of if not all of the romantic elements to the film, the supporting characters usually are a huge source of the comedic side to the film. These characters are usually friends or family members of the main characters. These characters sometimes can be more relatable to the audience than the protagonists because they are the ones on the outside of the relationship looking in, supporting and helping or opposing and getting in the way of the relationship. Examples of these characters are A Cinderella Story (2004) character Fiona (Jennifer Coolidge) the main character’s step mother who is against the relationship but provides a huge amount of comedy to the film. Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008) character Caroline who is main character Norah's alcoholic best friend who is supportive of the relationship and brings comedy to the film with her drunkenness.

Romantic Encounter (The ‘Meet-Cute’)

One of the conventions of romantic comedy films is the funny parts and the encounter of two potential romantic partners in an unusual or comic circumstance, which film critics like Roger Ebert have called a "meet-cute" situation. During a "meet-cute", scriptwriters often create a humorous sense of awkwardness between the two potential partners by showing an initial clash of personalities or beliefs, an embarrassing situation, or by introducing a comical misunderstanding or mistaken identity situation. Sometimes the term is used without a hyphen (a "meet cute"), or as a verb ("to meet cute"). Some ‘meet cute’ examples includes in There’s Something About Mary (1998) when Mary’s (Cameron Diaz) disabled brother get into trouble with a more physically able man, Ted (Ben Stiller) defends him, Mary then sees his kind act and lead to her asking him to the school prom. A completely different type of meet cute is like the one from The Proposal (2009) when Margret (Sandra Bullock) is being told by her superiors that if she gets deported she would lose her job. When Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) enters the room she spontaneously announces that the two of them are engaged. From that point onwards in the film the two character’s relationship blossoms after the awkward but funny meet-cute.

Setting

Romantic comedy films are usually set in big/well known cities such as London, New York City and Los Angeles. There are however some rom-coms that are set in small and sometimes unknown locations, this is usually somehow linked to the plot of the film. For example Did You Heard About The Morgan’s?(2009) was set in Cody, Wyoming where a successful Manhattan couple (Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant) witness a murder and are forced to relocate to the obscure town for the sake of their lives.

Lighting

Romantic comedy is an uplifting light-hearted genre, so there is generally high key lighting throughout the film; this produces a very flattering, natural effect which also matches the general mood of the film. Typically in rom-coms there is a point where a relationship faces some challenges, in these scenes, the lighting tends to changes sometimes to lower key, simply to mirror the mood of that point in the storyline.