Bad Rom-Coms vs Good Rom-Coms (Writing Advice)
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5 ай бұрынLearn what separates bad romantic comedies from good ones. Examples from Shrek, Groundhog Day, The Break-Up, 50 First Dates, and more!
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@wadegolden3589 5 ай бұрын
"Thank his father for being a plot device." Brilliant.
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 5 ай бұрын
It's good to see a son who actually appreciates his plot device.
@user-ey2om4qb9e 5 ай бұрын
You ok or not
@ludovico6890 5 ай бұрын
@WriterBrandonMcNulty "I came to this world for a reason son. And it's to be in that stupid bed for some contrived reason! I wasted my life, so thanks for nothing!"
@dyegoeduardosantossilva3659 5 ай бұрын
I laughed so hard
@petehealy9819 5 ай бұрын
Beat me to it! 😂
@harpo345 5 ай бұрын
LOLOL! "Adam visits the hospital to thank his father for being a plot device."
@RedtreeJoe 5 ай бұрын
the bad vs good videos are my favorites
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 5 ай бұрын
Mine too. Just wish they took less time to make haha
@browneyeofsauron1244 5 ай бұрын
I 100% agree.
@SanchoPeas 5 ай бұрын
Honestly we appreciate it, such a good way to crystalise the key issues@@WriterBrandonMcNulty
@seemslegithuh 5 ай бұрын
same lol
@mikemoody3651 5 ай бұрын
I love early in Groundhog Day where Rita says: “I know you’re egocentric, it’s your defining characteristic.” For a movie with a LOT to do in two hours, it establishes what he needs to change and moves on.
@nodsib Ай бұрын
That was a fantastic movie, very good character development, good exploration of him going through the essentially the stages of grief, and I love that they didn’t get bogged down in trying to explain why he relived the day over and over and rather focused only on that he was and how he reacted, fought and eventually grew
@highbury_pk 5 ай бұрын
The best rom-com is The Princess Bride by far. :) It's unconventional and genuinely hilarious. Nothing has come close to comparable to it.
@jesusromanpadro3853 5 ай бұрын
"As you wish" is my favorite not so obvious "I love you".
@jameskingsbery3644 5 ай бұрын
The title of this video was "good" rom-coms, not "perfect" rom-coms.
@highbury_pk 5 ай бұрын
@@jameskingsbery3644 :D You know it!
@g.d.graham2446 5 ай бұрын
Absolutely
@anon_y_mousse 5 ай бұрын
That movie had everything, including rodents of unusual size. What more could you want.
@jamesmars9767 5 ай бұрын
I remember the initial argument from The Breakup and was wondering "how did these 2 even move in together in the first place?"
@meliza87 5 ай бұрын
One of my favorite rom-coms is My Best Friend's Wedding. It's funny and original and even subversive in how the protagonist is actually the villain, and she gets to go after what she wants and in turn creating all this chaos, only to learn things are as they should be. It has such a bitter sweet ending but it was perfect.
@anniemouse3853 4 ай бұрын
It's like an anti-romcom, and honestly even the couple that ends up together is hinted at to fail, he comes across as manipulative and abusive while the young girl is naive and desperate for love that she'll change herself to be who he wants instead of growing as a person. I think the ending was actually supposed to come across that no one is happy in the end and rom-coms are unrealistic
@IAmTheEagleHTM 5 ай бұрын
I'm gonna say this, Brandon, you're like a dad to us writers
@sugarpie5191 5 ай бұрын
Heavily agree!!!
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 5 ай бұрын
Hahahhaahah!
@JamestheXennial 5 ай бұрын
But not a dad that's a plot device.
@user-lg6mh3hl3g 5 ай бұрын
Thank you for this comment
@BeeWhistler 5 ай бұрын
Have to disagree. I’m 51. But I am learning a lot.
@PapaWolfDogZeus 5 ай бұрын
You're right about the flaw being irrelevant to the story in 50 First Dates, but I can't seem to make myself care. I love that movie, warts and all.
@GoeTeeks 5 ай бұрын
It's the last good Adam Sandler movie that I've seen.
@steveleeart 4 ай бұрын
I’m doing a course on the psychology of memory as shown in film, and 50 FIRST DATES is on the syllabus!
@sebasiegrist9341 4 ай бұрын
It shouldn't work but it does
@brianat4456 Ай бұрын
For 50 First Dates I think the character arc was missed is this video. The whole point in setting up that Adam Sandler‘s character is afraid of commitment perfectly fits in with the rest of the story as he meets a local girl who he can literally walk away from at any time. That’s her appeal to him. Is that he doesn’t have to commit to her. And I think in the beginning, he’s drawn by the chase. Getting her to fall in love with him every day. Which is something he is already good at doing since he does it with the tourist girls all the time. But unlike with the tourist girls who he eventually stops dating before they can get close enough for them to fall for him, he keeps dating Drew Barrymore‘s character because he knows he can walk away from her at any point. But because he knows that, he actually ends up letting her into his heart and falling in love with her for real. And now this guy who is afraid of commitment, wants to commit to a person who literally cannot commit to him. Like, she can’t even commit him to memory lol. It’s actually a really great movie. I think, maybe you saw that he was afraid of commitment in the beginning and then he’s immediately going after Drew Barrymore. I think the part that was missed was the fact that he was only going after Drew Barrymore because of his fear of commitment. Because he could walk away from dating her at any time and wouldn’t face any consequences.
@thetabletopskirmisher 12 күн бұрын
Yup this. I thought the Sandler character wanted the Barrymore character precisely because there would be no attachment and that changes the more the story progresses. But that's just me.
@iamgroot4080 12 күн бұрын
I think that this Brandon fella is a bit overconfident... Which is quite funny
@tarielkaroldan4106 2 күн бұрын
Well, Henry wouldn't face any consequences from HER. The family i think wouldn't be so accommodating
@florianfussl3769 5 ай бұрын
Another topic could be bad red herrings vs good red herrings
@JamestheXennial 5 ай бұрын
Groundhog Day is my all-time favorite film. I know it led to Bill Murray and Harold Ramis having a falling out, but it came out just perfectly.
@Persewna4 5 ай бұрын
Groundhog Day is one of my favorite films too (The Princess Bride just edges it out of the top spot for me). February 2nd is therefore one of my favorite holidays because I watch Groundhog Day every Groundhog Day, creating a Groundhog Day loop of my own 😂 like you said, it came out perfect, and I will never tire of watching it!
@johntabler349 5 ай бұрын
Ironically it's the competing visions that combined to give it it's heart
@hayleyoesch1313 5 ай бұрын
Favourite romcom: About Time. The way that they show that time travel won't magically help you get a girlfriend is so well done, and how there are more elements to the movie than just the romance was great to see after the trailer portrayed the love interest as the most important part of the movie.
@michaelnewton1754 4 ай бұрын
It's also my favorite. I made my wife watch it, and we both sobbed when he started going back for more time with his father.
@hayleyoesch1313 4 ай бұрын
@@michaelnewton1754 Oh man, it gets me every time when they both go back to when Tim was kid... So sad and so beautiful.
@HumanOobleck 2 ай бұрын
so glad to read this comment. i love Gleeson
@theQiwiMan 5 ай бұрын
"To thank his father for being a plot device" 😂😂😂😂 that killed me! Okay, I'm buying your books, you win. ❤
@theQiwiMan 5 ай бұрын
Estimated delivery: Tuesday, Feb. 13 Can't wait to read them!
@Pharaoh_Tutankhamen 5 ай бұрын
@@theQiwiMan yo, that's tomorow
@Pharaoh_Tutankhamen 5 ай бұрын
@@theQiwiMan 25 minutes actually
@theQiwiMan 5 ай бұрын
@@Pharaoh_Tutankhamen both books arrived yesterday afternoon!
@WriterBrandonMcNulty Ай бұрын
Just saw this--thanks so much! Hope you enjoyed the books!
@1minion203 5 ай бұрын
I like While You Were Sleeping. Yeah, the premise is wonky, girl falls for guy who doesn't notice/know her and winds up with his family thinking she's about to be family, but it gets me in the feels every time. I love Lucy's relationship with the Callihan family on the whole, and how her fantasies about romance with Peter change into the chance for a real relationship as she gets to know the brother, Jack.
@jaustill237 Ай бұрын
What moves this movie from good to great, in my opinion, is when she realizes that the guy she has been fascinated with isn't really her ideal match. Thats a point in dating that everyone hits eventually (if they are going to be successful), when you start looking for what you actually want/need out of relationship.
@Isthisjoebiden Ай бұрын
@@jaustill237Absolutely true
@loriki8766 5 ай бұрын
Good advice but I loved 50 First Dates. I saw Adam's character's flaw as enjoying the chase. So he never overcame it. He didn't have to. Every day his love had forgotten him and he had to win her all over again. Still it was a fun movie.
@scottwooledge6387 5 ай бұрын
That was kind of my take on the movie. Their flaws complimented each other. He got to seduce her every day.
@SarahEMorin 5 ай бұрын
Great point. And I think this movie, well any romance with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, are an example of one of the good traits on this list. They match each other's comedic energy so well.
@kateworkman921 4 ай бұрын
I thought this, too! Yeah, great, he decided one woman was worth the effort, but it's still a woman who forgets they've ever met every time she wakes up in the morning, so he has to put the same "first time meeting" effort in for at least a little while every day.
@KitD2365 4 ай бұрын
I also love 50 First Dates, but now Brandon has me wondering if the story would have been better if initially Henry saw Lucy as the perfect date because she wouldn't remember him, then in the process of trying to get her in bed (a challenge!), he fell in love and became committed to the relationship. I think it could work and might even be stronger than the original.
@kenaar 4 ай бұрын
Agreed.That would make it better.
@johndischert2631 5 ай бұрын
When Harry Met Sally is the gold standard, of course, but I also love While You Were Sleeping and You've Got Mail. I could watch any of those films over and over again.
@steveleeart 4 ай бұрын
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY I’ve probably seen several hundred times in my life.
@eliben4066 5 ай бұрын
Romcoms isn’t really my genre, so I usually keep romance as a beta plot line. My favorite movie couple has gotta be Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. Flynn isn’t just some handsome dream boy (even though he’s definitely _the_ Disney dream boy to many😂), but he’s the one who made Rapunzel’s dream come true. He will always mean something to Rapunzel and likewise Rapunzel will always have been the one to change him back to Eugene. That’s the kind of romance I love, where the events of a movie are the catalyst for a couple getting together rather than love itself being what the characters were looking for. That’s what makes the love feel like destiny rather than right place right time, thus making the romance feel larger than life. But that’s just my preference
@MrNoucfeanor Ай бұрын
Imagine getting pissed because someone purchasing the wrong amount of lemons... The break up was ahead of its time!
@bastiangugu4083 5 ай бұрын
Harry and Sally is a perfect movie. Brilliant writing and acting. Some of the screwball comedies are also very good rom-com's. Anime also has a wide variety of rom-coms 🙂.
@marmantole 5 ай бұрын
I would love to hear some recommendations of good anime rom coms! I’ve never heard of them
@CrazyHand7894 5 ай бұрын
@@marmantole Kaguya-Sama: Love is War is one of the best out there.
@marmantole 5 ай бұрын
@@CrazyHand7894 Thank you!! I'll check it out!
@scottwooledge6387 5 ай бұрын
Yep. Harry Met Sally is such a great movie. Really sweet and touching and also very funny.
@BrooklynAvenue 2 ай бұрын
It is interesting to think that 50 First Dates and Groundhog day are the same movie, told by two different authors with different skillsets.
@errantwinds-up8uu 5 ай бұрын
I'm not really a rom-com person but one I genuinely love is Green Card with Andie McDowell and Gerard Depardieu. (Yes it's older, 1990 I think, so the actual "getting a green card" part isn't true to life anymore.) But I love it because the two main characters are very well fleshed out: we understand them and their goals. Andie's character wants a beautiful apartment where she can work with plants and develop her charity work. Gerard wants to live in America and work on his music. While there is comedy, the development of their (initially unwanted) relationship actually involves the development of their characters and some tender, thoughtful moments. Getting a bit long winded here, but it's an excellent one!
@WriterBrandonMcNulty Ай бұрын
Gonna have to add Green Card to my watchlist. Thanks!
@azulsimmons1040 5 ай бұрын
I don't find too many romcoms too entertaining or memorable. I did like Romancing the Stone. Sort of an action romcom. Definitely a genre mix film, but I think I would classify it as a romcom at its base.
@BeeWhistler 5 ай бұрын
I think my favorites are The Shop Around the Corner and MegaMind. My least favorites are the trite, carbon-copied “they fell in love because the script said so” movies, usually heavily sprinkled with girl pandering such as scenes of friend-bonding food rituals and super secret club names and discussing male genitalia and the like. Formulaic. They’re what I think of as chick flicks. Anyway, one I particularly dislike is Practical Magic. It’s particularly vexing because it introduces a novel scenario which turns out to be an overlay for a standard chick flick formula. Girl bonding, midnight margharitas (food ritual that comes out of nowhere and shows up for no good reason except to show more girl bonding), the entire plot being about a man. Yeah, it’s a definite twist on that but it is. And now the whole town loves us because reasons. But there’s a definite market for this schlock. I remember watching a lady do a reaction to a movie and she was a big fan of romances. I wish I could remember which movie because she went on a tiny rant about how the people needed to sit and eat a meal and share their stories. That was how a romance needed to be developed, she was sure. Eat a meal and share your story. Bruh. Every time?!? I don’t have a problem with knowing from the start who will end up together. But for the love of Bob can we make the journey interesting?
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 5 ай бұрын
Almost included Shop Around the Corner in this video! I was gonna compare the memorable supporting cast in Shop vs. the forgettable supporting cast in You've Got Mail
@lauragranger9813 2 ай бұрын
yes! scanned through the comments to say Shop Around the Corner too. Also the merit of an interconnecting subplot too with the boss' story, and 'real' supporting characters, who have their own goals
@Water_Rabbit 4 ай бұрын
Purple Rose of Cairo is a brilliant, hilarious, touching rom-com. So good that Barbie recycled its entire plot.
@maureengokey2273 4 ай бұрын
I agree with many that have been listed above: Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, etc. I also love How to Steal a Million, Some Like it Hot, and what I consider a lesser know gem: One Fine Day with Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney.
@axelwulf6220 5 ай бұрын
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is a good one
@lexietalionis 5 ай бұрын
This movie is so underrated. 'Them college kids started killin' themselves all over my property...' Or something like that 😂
@Brian-ic8db 4 ай бұрын
It's been a doozy of a day
@axelwulf6220 4 ай бұрын
The script is flipped Usually it's psychotic Hillbillies and Mountainwilliams that inexplicably are deranged cannibals chasing the plucky college tweens and they just brutalized messily There, though Tucker and Dale are just humble country boys looking to fix up a cabin, and Dale starts crushing hard on the girl they saved A perfect meet cute when she wakes up
@Zzyzzyx 4 ай бұрын
Favorites: When Harry Met Sally, Eternal Sunshine (does that count?), Groundhog Day, While You Were Sleeping, lots more! Least favorite: Love, Actually 🤮
@babylonian.captivity 4 ай бұрын
Eternal Sunshine absolutely counts. It's the first one on my list.
@stephenwashingtonjr1625 5 ай бұрын
Groundhog Day is prob my favorite as well. How it didn’t get nominated for Best Screenplay is beyond me. I also love It Happened One Night which is a classic movie and is one of the greatest movies of all time.
@gelchert 5 ай бұрын
It’s absolutely criminal that Danny Rubin (who came up with the idea for the plot and cowrote the screenplay with Harold Ramis) is so obscure. He should have become one of the top screenwriters in Hollywood after _Groundhog Day._
@Persewna4 5 ай бұрын
Oh, It Happened One Night is a great one! The wall of Jericho 🎺
@marmantole 5 ай бұрын
Some recent good ones: Palm Springs Always Be My Maybe Love Hard
@imsaranicetomeetyou1045 5 ай бұрын
When Harry Met Sally is so good, but my favorite is The Wedding Singer
@trentparks7047 5 ай бұрын
Groundhog Day is one of the best movies ever. Thanks for using this one!
@wynautwarrior2161 5 ай бұрын
Hey! Thanks so much for these videos. I'm actually thinking about writing a romantic subplot into my superhero story. Basically one of the heroes ends up being rescued by one of the villains, and the villain ends up having an arc where he goes from bad to good, but has to prove himself to the hero. It's a mix of Zuko's arc and most romantic subplots. Your videos based around romance and romantic subplots have been helping me out with that. Hope your Valentine's Day goes well!
@FiddlerCrab1964 5 ай бұрын
I love Notting Hill. Great humor and love story.
@dawnkravagna3200 Ай бұрын
A favorite of mine is “Kate & Leopold,” which has two fabulously charming actors, Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman, a SciFi angle, and a nice message.
@adulthumanfemale8666 5 ай бұрын
Groundhog Day and When Harry met Sally are the quintessential romcoms to me.
@brianat4456 Ай бұрын
Fav has to be Bridget Jones’s Diary Shrek is up there on my list though. 50 First Dates has a place in my heart (I’m gonna cry every time)
@jennymunday7913 5 ай бұрын
Princess Bride and Howl's Moving Castle are my two favorite rom-coms by far. Buttercup is one of my favorite damsels in distress. Even though she has little to no agency in the movie, she never feels stale because her personality is dynamic. She's doing what she can considering the situation she finds herself in. And Westley is just.... he makes me FERAL. Sophie is all about using her agency. I like how Howl is the damsel in distress in the books, not physically, but emotionally. It's such a good twist imo.
@serialoshipper 5 ай бұрын
Finally!!! A new video 🤠 look forward to all of your next ones
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 5 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@Persewna4 5 ай бұрын
Groundhog Day rates as one of my top fave romcoms, I watch it religiously every Feb 2nd! (And sometimes use "ten...nine...eight...car...six...five...quarters...three...two......." as my personal countdown). Another comment mentioned The Princess Bride, which I usually view more as an action/adventure comedy but can see it falling into romcom, similar to Shrek. While You Were Sleeping with Sandra Bullock is another one of my favorites (I watch it every Christmas season!) I think the message is simple but well executed - Life doesn't always turn out the way you planned - and I enjoy the romance between the two leads, as they get to know each other and develop feelings as a result. The premise is a bit silly, but I think it's handled well, and there are moments when you really feel for Lucy (Bullock), when you understand how her deep loneliness keeps her in her situation longer than may be logical.
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 5 ай бұрын
Another commenter just mentioned While You Were Sleeping. I really need to check that one out
@Persewna4 5 ай бұрын
@@WriterBrandonMcNulty Yay, I'm glad to hear someone else mentioned it as well! It's a movie I watch every year, it's become one of my favorite holiday season traditions. I don't generally like most Christmas romcoms for being too sugary sweet, so I enjoy WYWS because I feel it balances the heart with the comedy really well. I hope you enjoy it when you get a chance to watch it! Thank you for your videos, by the way, I really enjoy them and how you provide both good and bad examples to illustrate your points. I think it helps to see the writing tips you provide in action. I also really appreciate that you warn for spoilers at the start of your videos. Keep up the great work! 😃
@bunniesruletheworld1 4 ай бұрын
You give such great advice. Thanks for making these!
@rowan404 5 ай бұрын
Honestly, I think my favorite rom-com is either Shrek or Shrek 2. I love the theme of self-acceptance because it’s something that I struggle with. In fact, the protagonist of my novel struggles with it too, and it just so happens that Shrek is her favorite movie.
@jamisonlebreton6324 Ай бұрын
One of my favorites is Date Night with Steve Carell and Tina Fey. Unlike most rom-coms the couple is solid and strong throughout the movie, their relationship is fun to watch and they have a great dynamic together, and the comedy comes from the situations they find themselves in instead of conflict between them. I found your channel recently and while I'm not a writer I love the analysis and it helps me to better appreciate the books and movies I enjoy.
@kingspartacus2407 5 ай бұрын
Ah Shrek, a masterpiece.
@crownprincesslaya2 5 ай бұрын
Another amazing video, you rock!
@clausvergara9702 5 ай бұрын
Awesome as always!
@philipmonreal5774 5 ай бұрын
17:30 There are some stories, though, that as the characters grow/change the genre may shift. I’m not trying to say this one is a good one but look at something like the videogame Doki-Doki Literature Club, designed to look and feel like a choose your own adventure, rom-com, visual novel style videogame but as certain characters develop for the worse during the game (and for reasons of not spoiling anyone I’m going to write it like this) it shifts to a completely different genre and the plot and goals of the characters shift dramatically from the main character being this bachelor looking for love, to being the hero of the story trying to save the world. I won’t get too into it because the twist is too good to spoil if you haven’t played it. But I think they do a wonderful job of mashing two genres together that couldn’t feel further from eachother. Not to mention the writing is pretty good too! I guess they don’t bounce between the two though - once it shifts it doesn’t go back ever.
@wadegolden3589 5 ай бұрын
When Harry Met Sally is the unassailable champion. So many bad ones, but Must Love Dogs sticks out as particularly awful.
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 5 ай бұрын
Harry/Sally is ridiculously well-done. Even while re-watching it, I still wonder if they're actually gonna get together or if they're gonna be like Jerry and Elaine till the end.
@ssssssstssssssss 5 ай бұрын
There’s a lot of bad ones but there are plenty of good ones. Dumb and Dumber is good (though more of a bromance perhaps). The Forty Year Old Virgin is good. Also Something About Marry. And I’d put Annie Hall above When Harry Met Sally.
@wadegolden3589 5 ай бұрын
Of course so many great ones: The Philadelphia Story, Say Anything, While You Were Sleeping (a bit flawed, but Sandra Bullock at her most charming). WHMS just shines in virtually every scene, and every single character is memorable. If we're throwing in bromances, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles ranks up there for me. It's structured exactly like a great rom-com.
@rayray39tomatoe26 4 ай бұрын
This video was excellent. Thank you. I'm learning so much and hopefully my story will be frickin fantastic after watching your videos
@stellabelikiewicz1523 8 күн бұрын
Favorite rom com at the moment is Palm Springs! Two deeply lovable characters who make sense together, a surprising and shockingly effective streak of unexpected sweetness that tempers both of their cynical tendencies, and smart humor that maintains a consistent tone. Plus, that wonderful exchange of dialogue about “what if we get sick of each other?” “We’re already sick of each other. It’s the best!” which is a both very funny and so mature as a statement about long term loving relationships. Plus, it’s a rom com about straight people that sneaks in little moments where it actively refuses to be homophobic or even excessively heteronormative.
@himbolable 3 ай бұрын
500 days of summer - easily one of the most original rom coms out there (and a great nonlinear narrative to boot)
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 2 ай бұрын
Love that one! I actually hoped to include it in this video as a good example, but I was aiming to keep the video short. My favorite scene is the side-by-side with reality vs. how he imagines things will play out.
@user-ju9ot1qg9b 5 ай бұрын
Great advice once again Brandon🎉. Love your videos❤. Quick suggestion for next video, try tackling the challenges of writing in 3rd person both limited and omniscient pov please🙏🥺 Would appreciate it if you did❤
@YagoFierceDeity 5 ай бұрын
16:30 Another perfect example of humor not matching romance occurs in the game Devil May Cry 4. In it, the game's humor occurs with the former protagonist Dante, where he fights while mocking his opponents. However, in this new game, the new protagonist Nero has a romance with the extremely emotionally fragile Kyrie. The problem I see with this is that: it's very difficult to take her emotional drama seriously right after seeing Dante doing the most absurd things while crushing his enemies.
@CrazyHand7894 5 ай бұрын
I would've loved to see a romance between Dante and Lady instead. They work well together and it could've worked well with Dante being crazy kooky self and Lady being level-headed but secretly enjoying Dante's zaniness.
@gabriellegillen 5 ай бұрын
Great video as always! I really appreciate your efforts to make short, concise videos - they're extraordinarily helpful. My favorite rom-coms are While You Were Sleeping and When Harry Met Sally! :)
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 5 ай бұрын
A friend of mine just recommended While You Were Sleeping to me the other day. The concept sounds funny--I need to check it out
@gabriellegillen 5 ай бұрын
@@WriterBrandonMcNulty It's very wholesome! And the story behind the writers is quite inspiring - they spent years working on it while in different cities before it was finally picked up. I hope you enjoy it! :)
@eduardoyamaha7279 5 ай бұрын
This is one of your best videos!
@DPLawlorFilms 2 ай бұрын
OUTSTANDING! FLAWLESS VICTORY of a breakdown. im gonna get one of your books.
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 2 ай бұрын
Thanks! Hope you enjoy it! Please leave a brief review when you finish
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 5 ай бұрын
What's your favorite (or LEAST favorite) Rom-Com? Let us know!
@colleenross8752 5 ай бұрын
Sleepless in Seattle
@ideicasmr525 5 ай бұрын
Thank you for teaching me about love, Mr. McNulty I will use these tactics to ask out a girl on Valentines Day. Wish me luck!
@susanheard4843 22 күн бұрын
Crossing Delancy - actually made me wake up. No more Antons. I need a pickle guy.
@michaelnewton1754 4 ай бұрын
Best Rom-Com for me is About Time (2013). It's not structurally ideal, and might even be more family drama than romance... But it's just so wholesome, and the sci-fi twist is fantastic
@princesscl67 Ай бұрын
When Harry Met Sally is the absolute PERFECT rom com and by far a favorite for me. The dialogue is so quotable and the acting is superb. My other favorites are The Wedding Singer, The Holiday, Music and Lyrics, Notting Hill, and one I NEVER get tired of watching is She’s Out of My League. The Truth About Cats and Dogs is also a lovely romcom movie that does a great female friendship as well. Valley Girl is also one of the BEST romcoms of all time and a great flashback to 80’s music and style… and a VERY sexy Nic Cage.
@natalyamelnikova4154 Ай бұрын
Crazy Stupid Love is my absolute favorite rom-com. I love rewatching it once in a while
@jasontodd6779 5 ай бұрын
to be fair i never view The Break up as a Romcom but as a Drama comedy. It not a love story it a break up story. The two main not suppose to be in love but they have to learn that they not realy in love and it better for them to be separate. The reason they so obnoxious and alway fighting is because they not mean to be together. They bring out the wrost in each other.
@julietardos5044 5 ай бұрын
It's like an anti-love story.
@happylove9502 4 ай бұрын
thanks for the tips.
@anon_y_mousse 5 ай бұрын
I agree with the analysis on all of these except for 50 First Dates. I don't consider that one a rom-com because it was so sad it almost made me cry. I am glad to know that someone else disliked The Break-Up and No Strings Attached as I kind of hated both of those movies.
@stephenwashingtonjr1625 5 ай бұрын
Brandon your channel is great and I am learning a lot and I think your examples on this video were very good. I just love how some of these comments are of people who are really butt hurt because you said some of the writing in their favorite movies suck. I love the realness and the honest truth you gave with them. 😂😂😂. People have to learn that you can love a movie but realize there are elements about it that can suck 🤷🏾♂️
@charlesgbertrand 2 ай бұрын
Not my favorite rom-com movie, but appropriate for analysis: "The War of the Roses". Very dark, but the characters match. Lots of tension.
@CyberDrewan 5 ай бұрын
Thanks for reminding me I need to watch Crazy Stupid Love again. That movie is so chaotic and amazing.
@franknyambe3965 5 ай бұрын
Very informative ❤
@viktoriag.6961 4 ай бұрын
Thank you for a deep dive into rom coms and exploring their flaws and how writers can use their talent to create a compelling story
@damienstadler8919 5 ай бұрын
Put Leap Year at the bottom of my list. Gerard Butler plays a guy who likes redheads ... a lot? And lives in Ireland? I don't think he needed to wait for Amy Adams to visit to find one. And the plot contrivances for her to be zany sank the entire movie for me. I'd question my wife's taste, but she also loves While You Were Sleeping, which is great. That being said, I'd love to hear anyone's opinion of Aloha. A genuinely interesting movie romance, but someone hired a Mel Brooks impersonator to direct the end? A great movie that dissolved into slapstick in the final fifteen minutes.
@kudderstrim6914 5 ай бұрын
Hi brandon. I have to say I realy enjoy your videos! I want to suggest "Bad Vs Good Magic System" Keep up the good work!
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 5 ай бұрын
Thank you! And I’m hoping to do a Bad vs Good Fantasy video in the future, so I’ll try include magic systems as one of the points. Thanks for the idea
@meganc1539 5 ай бұрын
I’m still a fan of the 80’s comedy Working Girl. While the meet-cute doesn’t pass modern standards, but the way the characters connect over mutual admiration and respect, as well as attraction. Both engage in some deception of the other for their own reasons, and the miscommunication is actually quite valid - she is pretending to be something she’s not in order to move her career forward rather than being constantly dismissed as ‘just a secretary,’ and it’s actually less plausible that she would confess that than hide it. The ‘breakup’ comes when the truth is revealed, but there’s no fight or drama, only him asking if she was faking the romance too. The makeup happens when he risks his own career by standing by her as the real talent behind the business deal about to go down: she may have faked her title but not WHO SHE IS. That spurs her to keep fighting and finally get her break, and the two ending up together seems a natural extension.
@amirampeled 8 сағат бұрын
Favorite Rom Com is Princess Bride by far. Least favorite was in this clip and it's No Strings Attached.
@jkta97 5 ай бұрын
Favorite rom-com: "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (minus Mickey Rooney). Also, there are a lot of Korean dramas that are great romcoms - "Crash Landing on You" is a really fantastic one.
@yotamdelazerda8455 5 ай бұрын
Excellent as always, love your videos and this one's no exception. However, I do have a small reservation: "The Breakup" in my opinion has a VERY unique aspect to it. I've never seen such a rom-com movie where a couple tries and tries but eventually fails staying together. The fighting in the movie might be a bit excessive, I agree. However, it is so relatable because it's real. That's how couples who have a bad relationship fight. I remember being shaken by that movie as it brought back bad memories from my own failed relationships. So I think this story is actually quite unique. Also, their unwillingness to change is actually the surprising and interesting part for me. I expected a natural character arc and instead got two stubborn characters who broke my expectations. I know this sounds counter intuitive but in a way, this LACK of change was the surprise for me. I wonder what your thoughts are on this. ❤
@blurry67 Ай бұрын
I'm so happy you used When Harry Met Sally as a good example. It is my favourite movie ever. Not favourite rom-com. Favourite MOVIE 😊
@ShiraKlatzko 5 күн бұрын
I love leap year, win a date with Tad Hamilton, and bedtime stories
@The_Com-Mentor 5 ай бұрын
I like The Break Up..but I see what ur talking about. Shallow Hal is the best rom com I've ever seen, I'm surprised u didn't mention it.
@archersterling8707 Ай бұрын
Shallow Hal. I enjoy it.
@lorettaknoelk3475 4 ай бұрын
Favorite Wedding Crashers. And The Proposal
@TheZetaKai 5 ай бұрын
Perhaps it would be a good idea for to review books and movies from a writer's perspective, showcasing what works and what doesn't, with an emphasis on why these elements work or not, and how new writers can employ these lessons in their own writing. I know that there are a million story review channels out there, but most of them give a fairly shallow analysis, only occasionally diving deep into the mechanics of storytelling.
@uma.n2680 4 ай бұрын
My favourite is The Philadelphia Story, i love the character growth of the main character Tracy Lorde.
@jameskingsbery3644 5 ай бұрын
Last favorite has to be Love Actually. It makes all the mistakes you mention, but 5 times over, one for each of the stories. My theory is they had to shoot a movie, but didn't have 1 good script, so they threw a bunch of crummy scripts together and shot that.
@julietardos5044 5 ай бұрын
Cinema Therapy has a video on Love Actually that you might like about how unloving and toxic a lot of the relationships are.
@Persewna4 5 ай бұрын
Ugh, yes, I loathe that movie. The only good part is the scene with Rowan Atkinson, gift wrapping the present at the jewelry counter. That was pretty funny! But the romances were, for the most part, awful.
@andersoncherub 3 күн бұрын
My favorite romcom is "Return to Me". The characters are genuine in their actions, even peripheral characters are multi-dimensional, and everything meshes so well. It's one of the few I can stand.
@tarielkaroldan4106 2 күн бұрын
Favorite rom coms: While you were sleeping (1995) Ghosts of girlfriends past (2009)
@Nickelini 4 ай бұрын
The best is When Harry Met Sally, but I also love Bridget Jones's Diary. You've Got Mail is also good, but problimatic. Notting Hill will always be a favourite because it has the best friend group ever
@Neamio 5 ай бұрын
Hey, I have been a fan of your channel for a few months now, I really like how you analyze writing. I have a recommendation that you should read One Piece i would really like to see what a conventional writer thinks about One Piece.
@tobynormoyle637 2 ай бұрын
Shallow, frustrating couples. That sums up exactly how I felt while reading "Love on the Brain". Thank you for such a perfect, simple statement Brandon!
@rwinger2481 4 ай бұрын
A good way to tell a funny romantic comedy (even in satire) in 6-7 minutes is this 1959 Looney Tunes / Merrie Melodies cartoon, "Really Scent". The Pepé Le Pew cartoons typically follow a simple formula about a female cat getting a white stripe on her tail and this attracts the skunk thinking she is "la femme female skunk fetale". "Really Scent", directed by one of Chuck Jones' animators, Abe Levitow and written by Michael Maltese decided to do something different with the story. It establishes that the black cat born in New Orleans, named Fabrette, is born with skunk stripes and she is very unlucky to fall in love because of her appearance. Pepé stowaways to New Orleans from Paris looking for love completely unaware that his odor lingers around him. Fabrette sees him and the two start running towards each other finding love at first sight. Regardless of pacing, the idea is very clear. Fabrette (who is later named Penelope) is put off by his odor while he is making over the top romantic gestures. Fabrette tries to hold her breathe and even spray perfume on him but it does not work. When Pepé finds out what "pew" means, he gets devastated briefly. Now both try to solve the problem as Pepé deodorizes himself while Fabrette locks herself in a limburger factory. The formula in the cartoons typically follow Pepé chasing his love interest, but in a role reversal like "Really Scent", Pepé would run away from Fabrette because of her new odor. In a nutshell, both would do anything to be with each other but there are always going to be setbacks. It is not so one-sided and it is quite wholesome and sincere balanced with the typical cartoon comedy of the time.
@sydhamelin1265 5 ай бұрын
I feel like every 'good' romcom, I can relate to. A sign that the writing is strong, because it's realistic, despite some escalated humor. But - I had a breakup where I tried my hardest to get back together. I went through a period of self-loathing where I was repeating bad habits. I have dated a couple women who were long time friends first. However, I do also have a 'Good Luck Chuck' thing going, where a LOT of my ex gfs got married to the next guy they dated. And finally, I am an ogre.
@WriterBrandonMcNulty 5 ай бұрын
Hahaha... Thrilled that I finally made a video that someone can fully relate to. Here's hoping your father gets out of the hospital and stays off the cough syrup
@bananabiscut5174 5 ай бұрын
Ok i dont care what you say i still love 50 first dates. Love your videos they have been very helpful. SUB
@johncenter4858 5 ай бұрын
I want a rom-com in which Meg Ryan falls in love with Jennifer Anniston on a bench park in New York on New Year's Eve, while they are both already married of course with Tom Hanks and Hughe Grant.
@WAJ-ns9nw 4 ай бұрын
I love the Rom-Com "Shallow Hal"
@WilliamReginaldLucas 5 ай бұрын
Never been a huge fan of rom-coms in general but this reminded me what a great film Groundhog Day is, so I guess that is my favourite!
@marshallmykietyshyn4973 5 ай бұрын
I actually think most of what happens in The Breakup is intentional. They focus on how a relationship can spiral and turn into petty arguments. I think the frustration that viewers feel while watching these petty fights is probably intentional, and meant to reflect lot of real life relationships, and the mistakes people commonly make. I think what a lot of people don't like about the movie is that it's too real.
@erakfishfishfish 5 ай бұрын
I think it was a failure of execution. The War of the Roses did this so much better. It established why the couple fell in love and how the marriage slowly broke apart. Also, the film wasn’t afraid to get much darker and nastier than The Break-Up, which felt toothless by comparison.
@marshallmykietyshyn4973 4 ай бұрын
@@erakfishfishfish But that's exactly what makes The Breakup so real imo. It's not overly dramatized. It's a lot more like what most relationships are. Two people who end up together through some chance, stay together probably simply due to inertia. And then slowly start to resent each other. If it was darker and nastier, it would be less relatable. I think it was supposed to be uncomfortable to watch.
@lacrartezorok4975 5 ай бұрын
I like "While you were sleeping" with Sandra Bullock where she thinks of this guy she saves as the perfect prince and by a confusion she pretends to be his girlfriend when he's in a coma. Not only the guy turns out to not be the perfect man she had thought, she meets his family, start spending time with them and she falls in love with the guy's brother, who's a more regular type guy.
@hermeslucci2890 5 ай бұрын
Hey brandon I was wondering if you had any writing advice for the following topics 1. A good vs bad of corruption or madness arcs (characters becoming evil or crazy) 2. How to write Group dynamics, (characters getting along, drama between characters, and how to resolve or end conflicts)
@veronicamunn7720 2 ай бұрын
Silver Linings Playbook
@babylonian.captivity 4 ай бұрын
Favorites...off the top of my head, Annie Hall, Manhattan, Eternal Sunshine, Metropolitan. (How about Taxi Driver? Does that count? hahahah). Also...Her...The "Before" trilogy (Before Sunrise, et. al.). Do screwballs count? If so, Bringing Up Baby goes on the list. After Hours? (What's that but a rom-com gone horribly awry?)
Kirill Multitool
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