It might seem like semantics but, to my mind at least, there is a big difference between a romantic comedy and a romcom. Romcom to me denotes a specific type of comedy, one that is often driven by an unimaginative adherence to format and formula. It likely stars a Jennifer (Aniston, Lopez, Garner) or probably Drew Barrymore and has a poster featuring two people, probably back to back, on a white background. In a romcom, the emphasis is predominantly on the rom and the com is almost a byproduct.
A romantic comedy, on the other hand, is a comedy first and foremost which deals with romantic themes. It may seem like a small distinction but there’s a world of difference between Never Been Kissed and the ones I'm talking about below. (Also, I’ve already talked about The Princess Bride, Groundhog Day and There’s Something About Mary; all of which adhere to the “couple overcome obstacles in order to be together / realise they’re meant to be together” model so beloved of the standard romcom and yet very much belong on this list of Ones That Are Great.)
Amelie
When I first saw Delicatessen, I knew that I would be following the career of director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. City Of Lost Children firmly cemented itself in my brain with its odd cross between a Grimm Fairy Tale, a Terry Gilliam film and Doom Patrol comics. Amelie was no exception with the director’s trademark directing style (a usage of cross-cutting which reminds me of Edgar Wright) and use of colour combined with quirky performances making this a delight from start to finish.
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
It is, at its heart, a sci fi romantic comedy in reverse as Jim Carrey’s Joel regrets his decision to wipe his relationship with Kate Winslet’s Clementine and struggles to hang on the things that made the whole thing worthwhile. Charlie Kaufman’s distinctive writing style is a favourite of mine but it’s the performances from Carrey and Winslet that sell it; Carrey once again demonstrating that comedians can be more than capable of proper dramatic heft.
Harold And Maude
Of all the romantic comedies here, none are blacker in their comedy than this one in which 18 year old death-obsessed Harold starts and friendship and then relationship with free-spirited 79 year old Maude. It is surprisingly dark at times and definitely not one that fits your traditional romcom model and is all the better for it.
When Harry Met Sally
On the face of it, this may seem like the archetypal romcom but it really isn’t. There isn’t any major external obstacle thrown in their way, it unfolds over a long period of time and, at times, each of the characters are allowed to be either obnoxious or irritating. It’s deceptively simple looking and has more the structure of a play than a film, consisting largely of conversations between the characters (most of the life events impacting them happen off-screen). It’s Nora Ephron’s script and Rob Reiner’s direction ably assisted by spot on performances from Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan that elevate this above what could be standard fare. What’s baffling is that it spawned a number of seeming imitators who managed not to imitate what made this one work in the first place.
There you go, some films with some romance in them from me. Back to bah-humbug curmudgeonry next time, I assure you.
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