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rmI watched about half of My Big Fat Greek Wedding last night. And it was charming, well-acted, funny, more enjoyable than I suspected, and ultimately weak and formulaic enough that I had to turn it off.
Granted, I am _not_ a fan of the romantic comedy genre, and can count the ones I have any sincere enthusiasm for on one hand. That said:
1. Despite being a ridiculously verbal person, I'm sort of over impassioned speeches, especially in romantic comedies where the woman must be convinced that she's beautiful and worthy. Which is to say, I didn't need the leading-man-grabs-the-girls-face-and-tells-her-very-intensely-that-she's-beautiful-and-exciting-and-wonderful-moment. I don't need another film where a woman can only be convinced of her worth by someone else. And I don't believe words are enough. Action action action. I've been the recipient of enough speeches in my life, and I've given a few too -- but how do we live? how do we show? how do we reocgnize truth in other people? Well, it's not like that kids. (Sidenote: Strictly Ballroom rocks my world because there is never once a speech at Fran urging her to have confidence. Everything she gets, even when she's at her shyest, ugliest and most awkward she demands for herself. That's one hell of an equation).
2. The characters have sex. Now we all understand they're in love. HELLO, SIMPLISTIC. This is a big pet peve of mine mostly because of how I write -- if the sex doesn't inform the plot or the characters and do so in a way that NOTHING ELSE COULD, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care. I want to know your characters, not watch them hit their marks perfunctorily. I want sex to be sexy, I want kisses to be sexy, I want hand holding to be sexy -- and if it's not about anything other than "this is where we boink", IT'S NOT SEXY.
3. Formulas work. Formulas work because we recognize our idealized selves in them. Formulas work when they are executed with life, energy and a bit of a quirk. And chunky heroine and obnoxious Greek people clearly wasn't enough of a quirk for me.
Granted, I am _not_ a fan of the romantic comedy genre, and can count the ones I have any sincere enthusiasm for on one hand. That said:
1. Despite being a ridiculously verbal person, I'm sort of over impassioned speeches, especially in romantic comedies where the woman must be convinced that she's beautiful and worthy. Which is to say, I didn't need the leading-man-grabs-the-girls-face-and-tells-her-very-intensely-that-she's-beautiful-and-exciting-and-wonderful-moment. I don't need another film where a woman can only be convinced of her worth by someone else. And I don't believe words are enough. Action action action. I've been the recipient of enough speeches in my life, and I've given a few too -- but how do we live? how do we show? how do we reocgnize truth in other people? Well, it's not like that kids. (Sidenote: Strictly Ballroom rocks my world because there is never once a speech at Fran urging her to have confidence. Everything she gets, even when she's at her shyest, ugliest and most awkward she demands for herself. That's one hell of an equation).
2. The characters have sex. Now we all understand they're in love. HELLO, SIMPLISTIC. This is a big pet peve of mine mostly because of how I write -- if the sex doesn't inform the plot or the characters and do so in a way that NOTHING ELSE COULD, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care. I want to know your characters, not watch them hit their marks perfunctorily. I want sex to be sexy, I want kisses to be sexy, I want hand holding to be sexy -- and if it's not about anything other than "this is where we boink", IT'S NOT SEXY.
3. Formulas work. Formulas work because we recognize our idealized selves in them. Formulas work when they are executed with life, energy and a bit of a quirk. And chunky heroine and obnoxious Greek people clearly wasn't enough of a quirk for me.
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Date: 2003-09-18 01:29 pm (UTC)I don't need another film where a woman can only be convinced of her worth by someone else. And I don't believe words are enough. Action action action.
I so agree. There is nothing that annoys me more than a movie that cannot move the plot along without big passionate speeches. Even outside of the romance genre, speeches come off as trite, or at least manipulative or boring.
And I think some people could use this advice real life as well. Words are meaningless if actions are not behind them. I don't know how many times I have been told that a relationship was valuable while the person's actions show a lack of respect or courtesy for me and my time.
(Sidenote: Strictly Ballroom rocks my world because there is never once a speech at Fran urging her to have confidence. Everything she gets, even when she's at her shyest, ugliest and most awkward she demands for herself. That's one hell of an equation).
hell, yeah! I love that film. I just watched the ending of the Crying Game the other day and was reminded of what a wonderful and unusual romance that film is. I seem to prefer romances that are a bit outside of the formula. I also enjoy Four Wedding and a Funeral because the protagonist tries to fit into the societally accepted mode of marriage, but only finds love and happiness outside of it (okay, and I have that horrible Hugh Grant fixation). And in the Crying Game, we are uncertain as to Fergus' feelings for Dil, after he finds that the is not a girl, but his actions let her (and us) know that he does indeed love her very much despite himself. Just because it is "in his nature".