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The RomCom Bellamy in ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE
Always Be My Maybe Movie Poster The RomCom “Bellamy” or Wrong Guy/Girl in ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE is pivotal to pushing Sasha and Marcus together. There are three Bellamys in ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE: Sasha’s fiance, her new boyfriend and Marcus’ girlfriend.
But first, SPOILER ALERT. Go watch ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE before you read this post because there are spoilers below. The movie is SO good. It’s available on Netflix.
As a reminder, Billy Mernit uses the term “Bellamy” to describe the rejected suitor in Writing the Romantic Comedy.
The Functions of the RomCom Bellamy in ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE
The RomCom Bellamy in ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE has several functions (per my earlier post):
- shows how right Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park) are for each other
- creates tension and conflict
- leads to the hysterical set piece scene where they double date
Sasha’s Fiance
This picture says it all. He’s more interested in looking at his phone than talking to her.
Sasha with her fiancee – the picture says it all as to why he’s the WRONG GUY He then wants to move their wedding back, separate, travel to India and date other people, so that they’re sure.
Sasha then rails to Marcus that her fiance was like a gorgeous statue, that she couldn’t be herself, and men always say they want a strong woman, but what they really want is a cheerleader. All of which points to Marcus as the ideal mate for her: she is herself with him.
Marcus’s Girlfriend
How is Jenny, Marcus’s girlfriend, wrong for Marcus? Well, she’s not Sasha, as his Dad says.
But even earlier, we know. First, his best friend doesn’t want to join them for dinner when he realizes it’s with Jenny. And second, when Jenny cooks a meal for Sasha and Marcus, and it’s inedible. Now Sasha is a renowned chef, so this highlights the qualities of Sasha as being the right person. Because who first taught Sasha to cook? Marcus’s mom. So a person who can cook is important for Marcus.
Sasha’s New Boyfriend: Keanu Reeves
Now it starts to get really fun. Marcus’s Dad has told Marcus that his girlfriend is not The One because she’s not Sasha (even though she’s nice and loves children). His dad tells him to ACT and not to live with regrets.
So Marcus is about to tell Sasha he likes her, WHEN she announces excitedly she met someone and had amazing sex.
Ooh, unexpected twist.
So now, the Bellamy is creating conflict. Marcus knows what he wants: Sasha, but he can’t go for it because Sasha’s completely enamored of her new boyfriend. Maybe he has even missed his chance.
And then Sasha suggests that they have a double date.
Leading to the Double Date “Set Piece”
What is a set piece?
According to Billy Mernit in Writing the Romantic Comedy,
” . . . in addition to some scene that delivers full-blown romance, a romantic comedy is generally expected to have at least one scene or sequence that’s consistently laugh-out-loud funny. The industry term for such an element is set piece.”
Writing the Romantic Comedy, by Billy Mernit at p. 274.And he continues:
“A set piece is an extended scene or sequence that exploits the setting or world of the movie to build from one joke or thrill to a series of same, climaxing in a satisfyingly big payoff topper.”
Writing the Romantic Comedy, by Billy Mernit at p. 275The Double Date “Set Piece”
The set piece in ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE is BRILLIANT. The setting is a fancy restaurant (exploiting that Sasha is a chef and one of the running themes/jokes that fancy restaurants don’t serve enough food). Keanu Reeves playing himself as a movie star appears–in slow motion. Each course is its own joke as they are served some pretentious smidgeon of food, and the dialogue between the four ups the tension.
Sasha asks Marcus his opinion of Keanu Reeves and he calls him a “douche-bag.” Again, this highlights how Marcus is right for Sasha. He’ s not afraid to be honest with her and say what he thinks or call her out.
Marcus proceeds to look more and more unhappy as the meal progresses. They then proceed to a nightcap at the hotel, where emotional truths are revealed, as the tension reaches its peak between Marcus and Keanu (and it is TENSE). And then there’s a fight between Keanu and Marcus.
And who does Sasha rescue? Marcus. Yes, the fight between Marcus and the Bellamy shows Sasha who she really loves.
Then, there’s a release of tension and the TOPPER in the cab ride home as the camera pans over to the third passenger in the Uber Pool. (So funny).
Let’s Talk
So, have you seen ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE? What was your favorite part? Can you think of other functions that the wrong girl/guys serve? What are your thoughts?
I hope you are all safe and healthy and #stayinghome. I find watching and reading romcoms helps make me less stressed. And now Dav Pilkey of Dog Man is giving art lessons too.
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Crafting the RomCom Bellamy
A jealous Gig Young finding Katharine Hepburn entertaining Spencer Tracy Here are some tips for crafting the RomCom Bellamy.
First, what’s a RomCom Bellamy?
That’s the Wrong Guy or Girl.
As Billy Mernit explains in Writing the Romantic Comedy,
In the screwball era, Ralph Bellamy was the prime rejected suitor of choice, playing the earnest stodgy fellow who didn’t get the joke or the girl. . . . Solid and dependable, Bellamy represents the qualities his heroines have been unable to secure in their desired heros–in both cases, played by the charmingly tricky and unreliable Cary Grant.”
Writing the Romantic Comedy, Billy Mernit, at p.131-132Take THE AWFUL TRUTH.
Ralph Bellamy is in the middle between Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. How is Ralph Bellamy wrong for Irene Dunne?
- seems a bit stodgy
- is visiting New York with his MOTHER, to whom he seems quite attached
- is from Oklahoma, where Irene Dunne does not want to live. In one scene, Cary Grant repeatedly says how much Irene Dunne will love living in Oklahoma and Irene Dunne winces every time.
- does dance enthusiastically, but not in a way that fits NY society. He’s country dancing in a sophisticated New York nightclub. (Personally, I give him points for that.)
Crafting the RomCom Bellamy in DESK SET
Or take DESK SET, one of my favorite movies. (Fun fact: The screenplay for DESK SET was written by Nora Ephron’s parents.) The Bellamy there is her office crush. How do we know he’s the Wrong Guy?
- she is very uncertain of their relationship even though they have been dating for YEARS
- he asks her for help checking over his numbers (using her)
- he doesn’t recognize how smart she is
What is important to remember is that the Bellamy “helps define who the protagonist is and isn’t.” Writing the Romantic Comedy, at 132.
It also helps to highlight the qualities of the Right Man. So in DESK SET, Spencer Tracy
- recognizes immediately how smart she is after their lunch date and is very impressed with her (another one of my favorite scenes);
- seems romantically interested; flirts with her; compliments her
- Has a good sense of humor
Benefits of the Bellamy
Comedy: My favorite part of the Bellamy is that it enables you to set up a triangle comedy “set piece” where this is displayed, as, for example, in DESK SET when Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn are having dinner and Gig Young, the guy she has been dating for years, arrives and is upset to find Spencer Tracy there. Bridget Jones also does this with Colin Firth and Hugh Grant. Remember when she is having her birthday dinner with Colin Firth and her friends, and Hugh Grant shows up.
Tension: If you do it right, you may create genuine mystery as to who will be The One. For example, in HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, I think there’s genuine tension as to which girlfriend becomes her mother.
“The most effective Bellamy is one who poses a genuine threat to your central romance, meaning: for maximum triangle tension, design a Mr. or Ms. Wrong who we can believe could actually be a viable mate for your protagonist.”
Writing the Romantic Comedy, Billy Mernit at p. 134In my WIP, Partner Pursuit, I tried to do this, but I worry that I made my Bellamy too desirable, which took away some of the comedy and made my beta readers feel bad for him. But if I made him less likable, I took away some of the tension that she would end up with him. So, I think there’s a trade-off. I think for comedy, you need to make him less likable.
Let’s Talk
Do you like movies or books with a Bellamy? What are some of your favorite books or scenes in movies? Why do you like them? Next time, I will look at the Bellamy in ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE–a more current movies 🙂
Unless now that my kids are home from school and I am home-schooling, I come up with some good ideas to share. I did find Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems, so, since we love Mo Willems, we will try to incorporate lunch doodling into our schedule.
Keep safe and keep washing those hands!
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Single All the Way And the Triangle
SINGLE ALL THE WAY (on Netflix) was such a great friends-to-lovers movie and exemplified how to do the love triangle well. This post is a bit late because it’s a Christmas movie, but you know, it’s still enjoyable all year round. 🙂
Friends-to-Lovers
Philemon Chambers and Michael Urie are the two best friends. The friends-to-lovers journey was done really well. Their friendship was so warm and established, and then Philemon Chambers made you believe how much he loved Michael Urie–showing that he wanted more, with just the way he looked at Michael Urie.
Triangle
And as you know, I love analyzing romantic comedy love triangles. They made Luke MacFarlane as the “Bellamy” so nice that he was a viable alternative, but you liked Philemon Chambers so much that you still rooted for the Philemon Chambers and didn’t come away with “Second Lead Syndrome.” Luke MacFarlane was a great guy; he was just not the right guy for Michael Urie.
(In Korean dramas, Second Lead Syndrome is when you want the female protagonist to end up with the second lead instead of the main lead. I first experienced that in Boys Over Flowers. And I also really liked the second lead in She was Pretty, although the main lead held sway.)
Having a nice guy as the alternative does two things: (1) it increases the tension because your MC may believably fall for him; and (2) it reflects well on your MC. One of the problems with having a not-so-nice suitor is that I then wonder why the MC would choose (or chose) that person. A not-so-nice suitor can make me lose all faith in the MC’s judgment. On the other hand, that can be a character flaw that they overcome.
Family
I also loved the whole interaction with the family. I liked that the father was the one trying to push the Philemon and Michael together. I previously wrote about how family can be the antagonist. In SINGLE ALL THE WAY, the mom is inadvertently the antagonist when she sets Michael up with Luke MacFarlane. But several other supporting characters, like Michael’s father, then take the opposing view, supporting Philemon’s suit.
Let’s Talk
Have you seen SINGLE ALL THE WAY? What did you think? What did you think of the friends-to-lovers journey and the triangle? Do you prefer friends-to-lovers or enemies-to-lovers?
Drawing by Ukrainian Artist Olga Landau The above magical art is by a Ukrainian artist, Olga Landau, from this past summer (@hexette on Instagram). She is still in Ukraine. What is happening in Ukraine (and other countries where there is war) makes me very sad. And sometimes I find it hard to concentrate on writing.
You can bid in Book Aid for Ukraine on two autographed paperback copies of my books, Partner Pursuit and Is This for Real?, with the proceeds to benefit British Ukrainian Aid.
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The Triangle Trope
Some people love the triangle trope in romantic comedies and some hate it.
Use the Triangle Trope to Show which Suitor is “The One”
As discussed before, Billy Mernit notes that the triangle is a technique to show how, “the Bellamy,” named after the actor Ralph Bellamy who often played this character, is the wrong guy for the Protagonist and how the romantic lead is the right one. ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE is one great example of this technique in use.
So, in the classic movie HIS GIRL FRIDAY, Ralph Bellamy is too staid and slow, compared to clever trickster Cary Grant, Cary Grant wants Rosalind Russell back as a wife and as a reporter. And he “seduces” her with the thrill of covering a great newspaper story.
But the triangle can also be tricky. As Sandy Barker points out in her blog, readers might view the protagonist as cheating.
Bridget Jones’s Diary In BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY, I think the triangle is well done. I can see the appeal of bad boy Daniel Cleaver. He’s fun and funny. I love the scene with the underpants (“Hello Mummy”) and the boating scene. But he also loses his appeal–he lies and cheats and isn’t offering much. “If I can’t make it with you, I can’t make it with anyone” is not a declaration of love–it’s more of an insult.
Ironically, Mark Darcy is the stuffy, work-oriented guy; however, you can see his longing to play in the rowboat scene. He stares enviously at Daniel Cleaver and Bridget Jones reciting bad poetry, ignoring his law partner who wants to work. As would I. The boating scene also shows you the appeal of Bridget for Mark Darcy and why they will make it as a couple.
A Triangle with Two Appealing Prospects Increases the Tension
Boys before Flowers poster Meanwhile, in the Korean drama BOYS BEFORE FLOWERS, if I had been the protagonist Jan-Di, I would have chosen the guy she didn’t. I was quite heartbroken that he didn’t get his girl. In that drama, both suitors were appealing and that definitely increased the tension: who was she going to choose? I understood why Jan-Di chose the man she did, but still… My friend says it is the K-Drama second lead syndrome: when the other guy is so appealing, it breaks your heart. I told her I wasn’t sure I was strong enough for these dramas. 🙂 So, although having two appealing suitors increases tension, I’d recommend at least giving the second lead a new love too.
In another K-drama, PLAYFUL KISS, the second lead Joon-gu is so in love with Ha-ni, that when Ha-Ni gives a love letter to her crush Seung-jo, and Seung-jo dismisses it as poorly-written, the second lead Joon-gu defends her, telling Seung-jo to apologize to Ha-ni and to pay attention to the emotion in her letter. How’s that for supporting the woman you love at all costs? But thankfully, that drama gave him his own romance at the end.
I’ve become addicted to Korean dramas after watching CRASH LANDING ON YOU. It’s my new workout regime. I bicycle on a stationary bike for ten miles a day while watching a K-drama. They’re addictive enough to get me on the bike every day! I’ll let you know if I actually lose weight. My Korean has definitely improved. Fighting!
Let’s Talk
Cherry blossoms in Central Park It’s finally spring in New York City and the cherry blossoms are out. In my latest novel, I’ve set a scene where not-yet-a-couple picnic among the cherry blossoms on Cherry Hill in Central Park.
And my children may return to school five days a week soon. I may be spontaneously dancing around my house.
In other exciting news, my friend Giulia Skye’s book Her Outback Driver just placed in the RWA Vivian Contest for Best First Published Book! Congratulations Giulia!
What have you been reading or watching? Do you like the triangle trope or do you hate it? And have you watched any Korean dramas? If you have, which ones do you recommend?
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The Family As Antagonist in RomComs
THE BIG SICK Movie Poster Ok, so we all know that in romantic comedies, the Antagonist is the lover-to-be, but to kick up the conflict, many RomComs use the Family as the Antagonist. That may be in addition to the alternate suitor–or the Bellamy as discussed in previous posts.
How the Family is the Antagonist in RomComs
How can the family be the antagonist or contribute to the conflict?
- The family is opposed to the relationship (for example, for religious reasons in THE BIG SICK)
- they hate the lover-to-be because of past history (THE BIG SICK)
- the family is so lovable that the protagonist falls in love with the family and doesn’t want to hurt them by revealing the truth or deceive them any further (see THE PROPOSAL or WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING)
- they like the lover-to-be and push the couple together–helpful if it’s enemies-to-lovers (see THE PROPOSAL or even NEVER HAVE I EVER when the mom invites Ben over for dinner)
- the family is so horrible that it creates sympathy for a character (see Ben in NEVER HAVE I EVER and prior post discussing this)
- the family is the backstory that propels the internal conflict
THE BIG SICK – the Family Antagonist
THE BIG SICK by Amazon Studios I highly recommend THE BIG SICK. SPOILERS below. Let’s see how it uses the family as one of the main antagonists. Kumail and Emily meet at a comedy club after his comedy act.
Kumail’s family is initially the antagonist because they don’t support his marrying anyone outside the Muslim faith. They keep setting him up with Muslim women in order to find him a suitable wife. And they make clear at the dinner table that marrying outside the faith will lead to ostracism.
But Kumail is falling for Emily. Conflict.
Emily finds out he hasn’t told his family about her and that he doesn’t see how he can marry her because he doesn’t want to lose his family. They break up.
The roommates call him to sit with her at the hospital because she is very sick. He has to authorize putting her in a coma to try to save her. So, now Emily is out of the picture. What can the film do?
Her family arrives at the hospital. And her family becomes the antagonist. The mom HATES him because he broke her daughter’s heart. (The father is not too keen on him either, but he feels bad for him.) And so for the middle of the movie, it’s the relationship between Kumail and her parents which is center stage.
And then when Emily wakes up, the conflict is back between her and Kumail.
THE PROPOSAL
The Proposal Movie Poster I just re-watched THE PROPOSAL and enjoyed it so much. It has so many great one-liners and set-pieces. I highly recommend it.
Here, the family heightens the stakes–the mom and the grandmother by pushing them together and the father by trying to separate them.
Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds visit his family in “Alaskaaa” (to imitate how Sandra Bullock says it when she hears that’s where he’s from).
The mom and the grandmother push to hear how Ryan Reynolds proposed to Sandra Bullock, push for them to kiss and then insist they get married . . . TOMORROW. They also adopt workaholic Sandra Bullock and take her along on various female field trips. They cause Sandra Bullock to have doubts about going through with the fake marriage.
ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE
ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE movie poster In ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE , another one of my favorite movies, Marcus uses his mom’s death and his father being alone as the reason why he has to stay in San Francisco and why he is mired in his current circumstances. And part of Sasha’s journey is to reconcile with her parents, who worked nonstop when she was a kid leaving her to eat dinners alone at home until she was invited over to his family’s house for dinner where his mom taught her how to cook. So, in ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE, the family history is the backstory that propels the internal conflicts of the characters.
Let’s Talk
How are you doing? Have you seen any of these movies? What are some of your favorite lines or moments? Are there other movies that you can think of where the family is the antagonist in the romcom?
Happy Holidays to All! And here’s to a much better 2021!
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Never Have I Ever RomCom Tips
I highly recommend Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever and here are some takeaway romcom tips. If you haven’t watched it, watch it before you read below. It will make you laugh, cry, swoon and feel good at the end. Spoilers alert.
The Flawed Protagonist
One of the most brilliant things about Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever is the character of Devi Vishwakumar, who is definitely flawed, but so appealing that you’re immediately rooting for her. She has a temper, which is why John McEnroe is her narrator (brilliant casting). She storms out on her friend Eleanor when she finds out Eleonor is dating someone and didn’t tell her, and then angrily throws a book out the window, breaking the window, admits that she’s jealous of her beautiful cousin Kamala. . . and this is all in the pilot episode. As she admits, she does not take the high road. She’s also refreshingly honest.
She’s also vulnerable and hurting because she idolized her father and he just died. And their scenes together always bring me near tears.
She’s also incredibly determined. Joining the hot boys lunch table takes guts.
And I love the whole Indian-American cultural aspect, especially the mom’s comments about America. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is an amazingly talented actress.
The Love Triangle
First Kiss Never Have I Ever has a well-done romantic triangle. There’s the hot, but sensitive jock (Paxton Yoshida) vs. the nerdy smart guy (Ben Gross). And normally I would be all for the nerdy smart guy, but he was so awful in the beginning that I couldn’t get over that, especially because of his UN comment and how mean he is when he’s doing the school project with her friends.
Paxton is also very sweet. And I like that he doesn’t drink at parties during swim season. I liked how he apologized and was there for her on multiple occasions.
- when he comes over to her house to apologize that he wrongly freaked out about her meeting his sister. (He is very protective of his sister.) And he gives that glance back after they part.
- when she gets bitten by the coyote and he rushes out to pick her up and take her to hospital. (And then her mom is so mean to him.)
- When he tells her “you do you.” Which is kind of like Colin Firth’s statement “I like you just the way you are” in Bridget Jones.
- and the kiss in the car (which he even tells his sister about).
So, I will admit that I am Team Paxton and not Team Ben.
I was so disappointed when it switched to Ben Gross’s POV so that we would develop sympathy for him. But it did work, so that definitely gives tips for how to make someone likable again:
- have his parents completely abandon him. As he says, he’s Kevin in Home Alone, except his parents decide to stay in Paris.
- have his self-centered girlfriend ditch him
- show him being lonely
- make him cry when someone is nice to him
- have them work together as a team
And Ben’s behavior improves, especially when he offers her a place to stay when she has a falling out with her mom. And that car drive! So, I definitely saw his appeal. And I was less impressed with Paxton when they did the homework assignment together and his slogan wasn’t very good. And of course, Paxton often ignored Devi.
BUT I am still Team Paxton. And I can’t wait for Season 2 when presumably the love triangle tension will continue.
Or maybe I am just Team Devi.
The Antagonist
In many ways, Devi is her own worst enemy, but she’s a brilliantly developed character. And her fraught relationship with her mother, masterfully revealed, propels the plot.
Another takeaway is to give your character hard choices so that you test your character. I thought it was a tough choice when she has to choose between doing a favor for Paxton by modeling clothes for Paxton’s sister and being there for Eleanor. The right thing to do was to be there for Eleanor, but that’s not what she wanted to do.
Let’s Talk
Have you seen Never Have I Ever? I also love all the subplots (the mom’s, Kamala’s, Fabiola’s and Eleanor’s). What are your favorite scenes? Are you Team Paxton or Ben? And what romcom tips did you take away?
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RomCom Tips from Sweet Home Alabama
Sweet Home Alabama Movie Poster Here are my RomCom tips from SWEET HOME ALABAMA. A friend recommended SWEET HOME ALABAMA; I think I didn’t see it because I was afraid it would idealize the South/Civil War, and it does in parts.
The Love Triangle
Patrick Dempsey is perfect as the Other Guy. Except maybe for his mother. BUT, he loves her and is over-the-top about it: honestly a room full of roses (“one for every time I thought of you”), the proposal at Tiffany’s (ok, actually, I thought that was weird to propose publicly in front of all these store employees, but the thought was good), supports her career, willing to stand up to his mother for her (or is that part of her appeal that she doesn’t appeal to his mother?). But as opposed to the Bellamy of previous posts, he’s the Other Guy with a twist because he could be a viable mate for Reese Witherspoon. As Billy Mernit advises,
“The most effective Bellamy is the one who poses a genuine threat to your central romance, meaning: for maximum triangle tension, design a Mr. or Ms. Wrong who we can believe can actually be a viable mate for your protagonist.”
Writing the Romantic Comedy by Billy Mernit at p. 134.And that adds to the tension. Is she really going to give up Mr. Perfect?
The Character Arc
The character arc of Melanie was also well-done. She’s run from her past and she has to come to terms with it. She has rejected Alabama and chosen New York, but as Jake says, why can’t she have both? And that’s her arc as she comes to realize that she doesn’t have to reject her past to succeed in her future. The scene at the bar where she insults everyone is also well-done because she is flawed and not very likable. And the next few scenes are her making up for those mistakes. And growing.
The Chemistry
The movie succeeds in large part because of the chemistry between Reese Witherspoon and Josh Lucas. Smoking. But the initial scenes also show their tempers and suggest why they have the history they do.
This is one of my favorite scenes–when they have their heart-to-heart talk. And kiss.
Sweet Home Alabama – the scene where they talk honestly She does not have the same chemistry with Andrew. And the fact that she hasn’t told him any of her past is a big red flag. (As it should have been for him.)
The Antagonists
Melanie is probably her own worst antagonist. The conflict between Melanie and Jake is the main driver of the plot. There are also the mothers: her own mother who wants her to stay in New York and marry Andrew, and Andrew’s mother who doesn’t want her son to marry Melanie.
Let’s Talk RomCom Tips
Have you seen SWEET HOME ALABAMA? What are your romcom tips from SWEET HOME ALABAMA? What’s your favorite scene? What did you like about the movie? And did you feel bad for Patrick Dempsey at the end (I did) even though I wanted her to go back to Jake?
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RomCom Writing Tips
Here are links to my various posts with tips for writing a RomCom or Romantic Comedy.
The Romantic Comedy Protagonist
Bridget Jones For tips for writing the RomCom Protagonist, see this post. Here’s the summary list:
The RomCom protagonist should be:
- a NonHero/incomplete;
- likable (my own take) or at least empathetic;
- have a WANT that is the opposite of what they NEED;
- complex;
- obsessed with something – the WANT;
- funny;
- trying very hard to obtain what they want;
- honest and true-to-life at the core.
And check out this post about Defining Your Comic Character Clearly.
The Romantic Comedy Plot
For the RomCom Plot beats, see:
The Romantic Comedy Triangle
For Romantic Comedy Triangles or How to Use the Wrong Guy/Girl in a Romantic Comedy, see these posts:
- This post on Crafting the RomCom Bellamy
- This post analyzing ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE to show how to use the Wrong Guy/Girl in a RomCom
The Comedy Set Piece
For thoughts about crafting the Comedy Set Piece, see:
- this post about the set piece in ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE
- this post about creating the Comedy Set Piece
Comedy Tips
For posts with comedy tips, check out:
- my post on OVERBOARD (and using a scam to create comedy)
More RomCom Writing Tips Resources
- Writing the Romantic Comedy by Billy Mernit
- How to Write a Romantic Comedy by Jane Lovering and Rhoda Baxter
- “You had us at Hello” Podcast with Billy Mernit and Tess Morris
- The Comic Hero’s Journey by Steve Kaplan
- Steve Kaplan’s videos on the comic hero’s journey
- The Comedy Audio Course by Steve Truby
- Masterclass article on writing the romantic comedy
- This American Life episode on Rom-Coms
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My Favorite Romantic Comedies
Here are some of my favorite romantic comedies (in alphabetical order).ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE
I highly recommend this film. The dialogue is smart and witty. I loved the relationships between all the characters.
See my post about how the wrong guy/girl in ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE propels the plot.
BABY BOOM
I love Diane Keaton. And Baby Boom has many empowering themes. The set-up is well done, showing how her relationship is lacking with her current boyfriend, the competitive atmosphere at the office, and how she has clipped this newspaper ad for this farmhouse in Maine. There’s the back-stabbing male colleague, her attempt at diapering the baby, her buying the falling-down farmhouse and building up her baby food business. And there is sizzling chemistry between Diane Keaton and Sam Shepard.
BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY
Love, love, love! I love her character and her friends, the chemistry with Hugh Grant and with Colin Firth sizzles, and the the triangle is brilliantly done. Brilliant dialogue. I think it’s so brilliantly based on Pride and Prejudice. Love everything about this movie. It’s a classic!
CLUELESS
Another classic. Based on Jane Austen’s Emma. Memorable dialogue! Some of my favorite movie lines ever.
“Whenever a boy comes, you should always have something cooking.”
“Ugh. As if.”
And so many more!
DESK SET
See my post about how the wrong guy leads to a set piece.
I love Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. One of my favorite scenes is their first lunch where she shows how intelligent she is and he is impressed, calling her a rare bird. And then the scene were Gig Young (her current “boyfriend”) shows up to find her having a cozy dinner with Spencer Tracy.
This screenplay was written by the parents of Nora Ephron.
HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Brilliant and funny premise. She has to write a women’s magazine article about how to lose a guy in 10 days and he has 10 days to persuade her to fall in love with him so he can win the right to pitch an advertising campaign about diamonds. So many laugh-out-loud scenes. Smoking hot chemistry. One of my favorite movies!
LOVE JONES
Love Jones movie poster Described on the DVD cover as a “hip When Harry Met Sally.” A photographer and a writer get together, break up, get together again, and I won’t ruin the rest of the movie. The dialogue is meaningful and the friendships among this set of artistic friends are warm and supportive. And the soundtrack sets the mood! But note, it’s more of a romance than a romantic comedy.
MAN UP
Snappy dialogue, great premise, great comedic set scenes. He’s supposed to meet a blind date under the clock who is reading a certain book. He mistakes her for his blind date and she goes along with that. So, there’s the “scam” set-up.
MIRACLE ON 34th STREET
I like to watch this every Christmas. It’s about a divorcee who doesn’t believe in Santa Claus and doesn’t believe in imagination/love, so the neighbor next door tries to persuade her to give love a second chance and Santa Claus tries to persuade her little girl that he is Santa Claus. I like the career woman plot and the Santa Claus on trial plot. That trial scene is one of my favorite movie scenes.
OVERBOARD
Great chemistry, great premise, great comedy, great comedic set scenes, Goldie Hawn. Need I say more?
I also wrote a blog post on the new Overboard. Although it’s not as good as this one, it’s not bad. And it has some funny scenes in its own right.
TWO WEEKS NOTICE
Two Weeks Notice movie poster Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant. They are both such talented comedic actors. A dedicated environmental lawyer agrees to work for billionaire real estate developer Hugh Grant if he agrees to preserve her local community center. The movie opens with Sandra Bullock trying to stop the destruction of the community center with her own body. Way to start with action.
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
Movie poster from When Harry Met Sally Nora Ephron (writer) is one of my idols. With Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. On-point dialogue and one of my favorite films exploring male/female friendship and dating. Another must-see classic.
Let’s Talk: Favorite Romcoms?
What are some of your favorite romantic comedies? I am looking for some more romantic comedies to watch at night while #stayinghome, so I would love any suggestions. Why are those your favorites? Even as I write this, I can think of more favorites. It’s so hard to choose!
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Favorite Romantic Comedies
Here are some of my favorite romantic comedies (in alphabetical order).
ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE
I highly recommend this film. The dialogue is smart and witty. I loved the relationships between all the characters.
See my post about how the wrong guy/girl in ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE propels the plot.
BABY BOOM
Baby Boom I love Diane Keaton. And Baby Boom has many empowering themes. The set-up is well done, showing how her relationship is lacking with her current boyfriend, the competitive atmosphere at the office, and how she has clipped this newspaper clipping for this farmhouse in Maine. There’s the back-stabbing male colleague, her attempt at diapering the baby, her buying the falling-down farmhouse and building up her baby food business. And there is sizzling chemistry between Diane Keaton and Sam Shepard.
BRIDGET JONES‘S DIARY
Based on Pride and Prejudice. Love, love, love! I love her character and her friends, the chemistry with Hugh Grant and with Colin Firth sizzles, and the the triangle is brilliantly done. Brilliant dialogue. Love everything about this movie. It’s a classic!
CLUELESS
Based on Jane Austen’s Emma. Memorable dialogue! Some of my favorite movie lines ever.
“Whenever a boy comes, you should always have something cooking.”
“Ugh. As if.”
And so many more!
CRASH LANDING ON YOU
CRASH LANDING ON YOU I loved this! It was so addictive. And I really enjoyed the romance, comedy and suspense.
DESK SET
Desk Set with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy See my post about how the wrong guy leads to the set piece.
I love Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. One of my favorite scenes is their first lunch where she shows how intelligent she is and he appreciates it.
This screenplay was written by the parents of Nora Ephron.
HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS
Brilliant and funny premise. She has to write a women’s magazine article about how to lose a guy in 10 days and he has 10 days to persuade her to fall in love with him so he can win the right to pitch an advertising campaign about diamonds.
So many laugh-out-loud scenes.
Smoking hot chemistry. Love this movie!
MAN UP
Snappy dialogue, great premise, great comedic set scenes. He’s supposed to meet a blind date under the clock who is reading a certain book. He mistakes her for his blind date and she goes along with that.
MIRACLE ON 34th STREET
I like to watch this every Christmas (the 1947 version). I like the career woman plot and the Santa Claus on trial plot. That trial scene is one of my favorite movie scenes.
OVERBOARD
Great chemistry, great premise, great comedy, great comedic set scenes, Goldie Hawn. Need I say more?
I also wrote a blog post on the new Overboard.
THE PROPOSAL
I just re-watched this recently and the dialogue is just so good. And there are so many good comedy scenes.
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
This movie was written by Nora Ephron. With Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. Great dialogue and one of my favorite films exploring male/female friendship and dating.
Let’s Talk: Favorite Romcoms?
What are some of your favorite romantic comedies? And why are those your favorites? Even as I write this, I can think of more favorites. It’s so hard to choose!