Hey guys, today we are going to be talking about rom-coms! For this blog we are going to be discussing the different conventions of rom-coms. A rom-com is a movie of the romantic comedy genre, which usually has upbeat mood and explores the theme of love. There's many different types of rom-com plots such as friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, getting out of a heartbreak, etc.
Now let's talk about the key conventions of rom-coms.
1. Centered around a female character: It is extremely rare (most likely impossible) to find a rom-com that isn't centered around a female character. Rom-coms follow the story from the female's perspective for majority of the time starting the story off by introducing the watcher to her first, using voiceover/imagination scenes solely from her point of view, painting most scenes as feminine, etc. Though the male character does get some scenes from their view, these are usually to add context or layers to the male character and derive a specific opinion from the audience on the character.
2. Juxtaposition of personalities/social status: One of the key elements of a rom-com is that our main couple has obvious differences. From one person having a lower social status and the other being popular, to one closed off to love and the other inviting of it, and even age gaps which separate (assumed) maturity levels. This is used to make the audience want them together, as there differences make them perfect for each other as well as add to the comedic element of the movie as their dynamic becomes funny to watch. One great example of this is the movie, "The Idea of You". In the movie the female character, Louisa, is extremely optimistic and hyper, while the male character, William, is closed off and cold due to his injury. Throughout the movie we watch Louisa slowly break the wall William has up, while William encourages her to do more in life as she is young and able.
3. Close-ups: Close-ups are a vital shot to rom-coms. Due to how close and personal that shot is, it does a perfect job of portraying emotion and immersing the viewer. Close-ups are often used in intimate scenes where the characters are expressing a deep emotion. This could be an expression of love, sadness, heartbreak, etc. Close-ups give us both a characters reaction and response. And further more, close-ups without dialogue create a sense of connection as characters speak to each other solely using their eyes and expressions.
The Holiday (2006)
4. Socially awkward scenes: One of the biggest contributions to the comedic aspect of a rom-com is having awkward scenes. Whether this be a character tripping and falling, or doing something embarrassing, these scenes help remove any tension in the movie and add a relatable part for the viewers to watch and connect to. Everyone's done something embarrassing before, and rom-coms utilize that to remind the viewer that the characters are people too.
Thank for reading today's blog! I hope after this you watch a rom-com and notice all these conventions and how they contribute to the mood created in the story.
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