Do you find yourself opening this newsletter every week? Do you value the labor that goes into it? Have you become a paid subscriber? Think about it! Many of the people who read this newsletter the most are people who haven’t gone over to paid. I’m constantly saying I’m going to pay for things and take weeks to actually do it, so I get it. But maybe today is your day.
This was great but now I need both an extensive follow-up about Drew Barrymore from the late 1990s through 2010's Going the Distance (Never Been Kissed! Wedding Singer! Home Fries! Ever After! Fever Pitch! 50 First Dates! He's Just Not that Into You! -- such an incredible mix of seriously problematic and kind of interesting/weird movies) and about 12 hours to binge-watch all those movies. Which I do not have.
I would love, love, love to see all of Jasmine Guillory's romcom novels turned into films. Not only are they racially diverse, there are prime roles for 50somethings ("Royal Holiday"). And like the Netflix Christmas movie universe, all the main characters are relatives and/or friends of one another.
I would be really interested in reading more about Hallmark's romance market and the influence on the current rise of rom-coms. It seems like the streaming services have recognized that 1) there is a market and 2) they can make rom-coms relatively cheaply. It feels to me like there's a direct influence, but I'm not sure!
You know, I've been surprised by a couple decent rom-coms put out by Netflix, like The Holidate or Love Hard. Would have loved to see the interviewee's opinion on these two titles.
Scott, thank you for this and for the recs. I read the excerpt of the chapter on My Best Friend's Wedding on Vulture, and it absolutely hooked me. Side note: I loved that movie so much when it first came out but at the time wanted Julianne to get the guy. When I re-watched it about 10 years ago (now married and wiser), I was horrified by Julianne. Your writing gave me a more complete and nuanced perspective that made me love it again and maybe even more. It's funny how our relationships with our favorites can change. But my love for When Harry Met Sally and Moonstruck is unyielding, immovable and true. (So I also hate that Moonstruck ended up on the cutting floor.)
Anyway, all that to say that I'll be picking up the full book soon!
I also find it problematic that these comedies are based on the assumption everyone can experience attraction (romantic or physical) almost immediately. For this very reason, I never really got into these movies. No shade to anyone who does! It's just that I don't recognize myself in them.
I’m so glad he touched on the whiteness/straightness of Nora Ephron movies. She seemed to have gotten the message by You’ve Got Mail, which included Dave Chappelle in the best buddy role, and had a lesbian note (“the nanny”). Her films had two flaws for me: there were always smart-ass children, and she focused on then-trendy technology as a way to show how hip she was - phones and video, computer reservations, email and live chats. You could eliminate both, and still be left with decent romcoms.
Oh, man, I’ve maybe never bought a book so fast…and the mention of Always Be My Maybe made me go back and rewatch the trailer and remember how much I loved that movie.
I think I went through a long period of thinking I was too good for rom coms and romance novels, but Covid broke me. There’s nothing like a love story to give you a little bit of hope, and there are so many good ones covering so many different types of relationships out there right now…at least in terms of books, and it sounds like visual media is heading the same way.
I loved this interview so much--and now I'm looking forward to reading the book. I was a huge enjoyer of romcoms growing up, I watched them really uncritically and absorbed all kinds of ideas from them I had to unlearn later. Now as a divorced queer adult I have such a different perspective. But I still love my flawed childhood romcoms! And some new ones--it's really exciting to see stories getting told now that didn't exist when I was a kid.
I’m blown away by the origin of Pretty Woman, and more than a little curious about that script. I’m also curious what other surprises the author came across during his research?
I haven't seen a lot of these movies, my rom-com introduction was mostly through Mindy Kaling and so the ones I've seen are mostly after her show premiered. The two iconic rom coms I think about growing up with are Legally Blond and Clueless, are these not properly considered rom coms? Since they're more a journey of self-discovery with romantic themes secondary?
Also shout out to Mindy Kaling for teaching me why liking rom coms is cool after an adolescence spent watching "cool-girl" car chase and kung fu movies.
I have a hard time trusting a decision to leave Moonstruck on the cutting room floor. It's my mom's favorite movie, we watched every year for the holidays, and it's probably in my three-movies-on-a-desert-island list.
Thank you for this! There’s such a vast amount of stuff on streaming that it’s difficult to parse it all. Now I have some great recommendations. I’ll be checking out the book as well. We all need some rom-com escapism right now.
Have you ever done a deep dive on the awful weirdness of bridesmaiding? As a 40-year-old, I thought I was past this awkward phase of my life but I was recently asked to be a bridesmaid by a good friend again who assured me (because she knows my position on bridesmaiding well) that this would not be like other weddings and would be totally chill … spoiler it’s just as bad! Granted I have far fewer f*^%s to give so that’s great, but I’m already being triggered left and right, between needing to pick a dress 8 months in advance (Wth takes them so long to make these awful dresses!?) as I undergo IVF for the third time, to being subjected to the ritualistic negative body talk that amounts to inter-maid small talk, to trying to intercede on overly lavish and ridiculous plans for bridal shower, bachelorette weekend etc. Its a freaking minefield. I hate all of this stuff so much I just eloped and had a big casual party after and I have been the absolute worst bridesmaid with the bad attitude at every single wedding I’ve been asked to be in so maybe I’m a bit of an outlier, but really I can’t be right!?
I actually don't understand the problem with Martine M in Love Actually. The ex boyfriend who put her down for overweight is clearly shown to be wrong. She's shown to be very desirable in the film -- when the Prime Minister is going house to house, she is, symbolically, the princess that the (thin) office worker with her eye on Alan Rickman could be, but isn't. Am I missing something??
This was great but now I need both an extensive follow-up about Drew Barrymore from the late 1990s through 2010's Going the Distance (Never Been Kissed! Wedding Singer! Home Fries! Ever After! Fever Pitch! 50 First Dates! He's Just Not that Into You! -- such an incredible mix of seriously problematic and kind of interesting/weird movies) and about 12 hours to binge-watch all those movies. Which I do not have.
I would love, love, love to see all of Jasmine Guillory's romcom novels turned into films. Not only are they racially diverse, there are prime roles for 50somethings ("Royal Holiday"). And like the Netflix Christmas movie universe, all the main characters are relatives and/or friends of one another.
I would be really interested in reading more about Hallmark's romance market and the influence on the current rise of rom-coms. It seems like the streaming services have recognized that 1) there is a market and 2) they can make rom-coms relatively cheaply. It feels to me like there's a direct influence, but I'm not sure!
You know, I've been surprised by a couple decent rom-coms put out by Netflix, like The Holidate or Love Hard. Would have loved to see the interviewee's opinion on these two titles.
Scott, thank you for this and for the recs. I read the excerpt of the chapter on My Best Friend's Wedding on Vulture, and it absolutely hooked me. Side note: I loved that movie so much when it first came out but at the time wanted Julianne to get the guy. When I re-watched it about 10 years ago (now married and wiser), I was horrified by Julianne. Your writing gave me a more complete and nuanced perspective that made me love it again and maybe even more. It's funny how our relationships with our favorites can change. But my love for When Harry Met Sally and Moonstruck is unyielding, immovable and true. (So I also hate that Moonstruck ended up on the cutting floor.)
Anyway, all that to say that I'll be picking up the full book soon!
I also find it problematic that these comedies are based on the assumption everyone can experience attraction (romantic or physical) almost immediately. For this very reason, I never really got into these movies. No shade to anyone who does! It's just that I don't recognize myself in them.
I’m so glad he touched on the whiteness/straightness of Nora Ephron movies. She seemed to have gotten the message by You’ve Got Mail, which included Dave Chappelle in the best buddy role, and had a lesbian note (“the nanny”). Her films had two flaws for me: there were always smart-ass children, and she focused on then-trendy technology as a way to show how hip she was - phones and video, computer reservations, email and live chats. You could eliminate both, and still be left with decent romcoms.
Oh, man, I’ve maybe never bought a book so fast…and the mention of Always Be My Maybe made me go back and rewatch the trailer and remember how much I loved that movie.
I think I went through a long period of thinking I was too good for rom coms and romance novels, but Covid broke me. There’s nothing like a love story to give you a little bit of hope, and there are so many good ones covering so many different types of relationships out there right now…at least in terms of books, and it sounds like visual media is heading the same way.
I loved this interview so much--and now I'm looking forward to reading the book. I was a huge enjoyer of romcoms growing up, I watched them really uncritically and absorbed all kinds of ideas from them I had to unlearn later. Now as a divorced queer adult I have such a different perspective. But I still love my flawed childhood romcoms! And some new ones--it's really exciting to see stories getting told now that didn't exist when I was a kid.
the netflix christmas rom-com universe kept us (close to) sane over the last year.
I’m blown away by the origin of Pretty Woman, and more than a little curious about that script. I’m also curious what other surprises the author came across during his research?
I haven't seen a lot of these movies, my rom-com introduction was mostly through Mindy Kaling and so the ones I've seen are mostly after her show premiered. The two iconic rom coms I think about growing up with are Legally Blond and Clueless, are these not properly considered rom coms? Since they're more a journey of self-discovery with romantic themes secondary?
Also shout out to Mindy Kaling for teaching me why liking rom coms is cool after an adolescence spent watching "cool-girl" car chase and kung fu movies.
I have a hard time trusting a decision to leave Moonstruck on the cutting room floor. It's my mom's favorite movie, we watched every year for the holidays, and it's probably in my three-movies-on-a-desert-island list.
Thank you for this! There’s such a vast amount of stuff on streaming that it’s difficult to parse it all. Now I have some great recommendations. I’ll be checking out the book as well. We all need some rom-com escapism right now.
LOVED this article, and need this book. Going to watch his two recs this weekend.
Have you ever done a deep dive on the awful weirdness of bridesmaiding? As a 40-year-old, I thought I was past this awkward phase of my life but I was recently asked to be a bridesmaid by a good friend again who assured me (because she knows my position on bridesmaiding well) that this would not be like other weddings and would be totally chill … spoiler it’s just as bad! Granted I have far fewer f*^%s to give so that’s great, but I’m already being triggered left and right, between needing to pick a dress 8 months in advance (Wth takes them so long to make these awful dresses!?) as I undergo IVF for the third time, to being subjected to the ritualistic negative body talk that amounts to inter-maid small talk, to trying to intercede on overly lavish and ridiculous plans for bridal shower, bachelorette weekend etc. Its a freaking minefield. I hate all of this stuff so much I just eloped and had a big casual party after and I have been the absolute worst bridesmaid with the bad attitude at every single wedding I’ve been asked to be in so maybe I’m a bit of an outlier, but really I can’t be right!?
I actually don't understand the problem with Martine M in Love Actually. The ex boyfriend who put her down for overweight is clearly shown to be wrong. She's shown to be very desirable in the film -- when the Prime Minister is going house to house, she is, symbolically, the princess that the (thin) office worker with her eye on Alan Rickman could be, but isn't. Am I missing something??