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"All About" the romantic comedies we hate to love

9/1/2009

38 Comments

 
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In commemoration of All About Steve opening this weekend, I’ve decided to compile a list of my favorite romantic comedies that I hate to love. You see, I want to see this movie. I love Sandra Bullock, and I've loved Bradley Cooper far before the whole Hangover craze. And, yes, I recognize that this film looks bad—not just bad, but fucking terribly shitty. Even Bullock’s awful wig in the commercials pisses me off. But the bigger problem isn’t the wig—it’s the fact that they’re making the female romantic lead into a crazy, psycho stalker. And this is where my pseudo feminist rears her ugly head and gets all sorts of pissed off. But that’s not gonna stop me from seeing this awful-looking movie.

So in honor of shitty/sexist romantic comedies, I’ve decided to share my list of movies I hate myself for loving—and, no, comedies that really offended me (Bride Wars), didn’t make the cut.

Read more after the jump!

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Two Weeks Notice
Did I mention I love Sandra Bullock? Well, I also totally heart Hugh Grant, and the two of them together is comic gold. Granted Bullock plays Grant’s assistant…ooops, I mean lawyer at his swanky and rich condo company. He basically treats her like shit but is oh so charming, so naturally she must quit to work at a noble cause nonprofit. Then, of course, she gets jealous of her replacement—a cute, bubbly, slightly slutty young attorney. Siiigh. It’s classic case of you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone AND a man treating a woman like his slave while acting like a manchild. I hate to love you, but I do…

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Pretty Woman
Okay, first of all, no hookers look like Julia Roberts. Secondly, no rich millionaires look like Richard Gere. So, this is all total bullshit. But the thing that really gets me in the end is that Roberts NEEDS Gere to save her. Sure, she says the line, “She saves him right back,” but does she really? Not so much. He buys her fancy clothes and takes her out of her hooker life, and what does he get in return? Fine, love, whatever, but basically she is going to be his sex slave for life. Can you imagine any fights they ever have? “Honey take out the trash. “Umm, sweetie, I saved you from hookerdom.” But, the ending doesn’t negate Roberts and Gere’s smoldering chemistry and Roberts’ infectious charm.  


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Because I Said So
Okay, I’m not proud of this one. This movie is downright awful, but every time it’s on TV, I can’t help but sit down and watch. I’m so sick and tired of the cliché clumsy girls who are so damn cute that their clumsiness wins over their men. It doesn’t happen in real life. Men would not be charmed by women who fall over repeatedly or get balloons stuck to their rear ends. And, I also take offense to Diane Keaton’s character being stuck in a dead end marriage where she never had an orgasm. This is Annie Hall, we're talking about! She wouldn’t take that shit. And then, don’t get me started on the overbearing mother stereotype. Oy vey. But…fine, Mandy Moore is adorable, and any movie starring Lauren Graham is partially delightful—minus that whole Evan Almighty thing…


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Nine Months
Another Hugh Grant gem in which he plays a manchild not ready for kids…oh, until the end of the movie, when he IS ready for kids. Hmm… how do men in romantic comedies change so quickly? It’s absurd—every woman knows you cannot change a man. Granted Robin Williams’ accent is atrocious in this movie, and the chemistry between Tom Arnold (yes, Tom Arnold) and Grant is steamier than Grant’s and Julianne Moore’s, but whatever, this movie makes me laugh and is ultimately sweet in the end—albeit wildly unrealistic.


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How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Talk about the ultimate clichéd battle of the sexes rom-com. This movie makes fun of clingy women and flighty men til the couple realizes they should ultimately be together at the end. It makes women look like psychos, but, again, the charming appeal of these Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey (whom I normally don’t even like) really sells this movie. Maybe I’m just secretly jealous of that yellow dress at the end. Shit…I’m such a girl.
--Darcie Duttweiler


38 Comments
Greg link
9/1/2009 01:54:14 am

What about The Cutting Edge and 13 Going on 30? I personally have a soft spot for Fools Rush In and I don't know why. Maybe it's because I wish I had impregnated young Salma Hayek on 'accident' and had to lock her down.

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Darcie link
9/1/2009 01:56:15 am

I'm not ashamed to love any of those movies.

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Autumn
9/1/2009 07:44:00 pm

Greg, well played on The Cutting Edge - so, so bad, but I will cannot stop myself from watching it.

The Wedding Date (vs The Wedding Planner) is one that I have a soft spot for. Totally implausible for a person to go through with a wedding after just hearing before the ceremony that their partner has cuckolded them. But hey - that's what these films are all about.

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Naved
9/1/2009 09:14:08 pm

Do you really have to write an article just for the sake of writing it? I really doubt how many romantic comedies you have actually watched. How difficult was it to bring it down to five?

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Kevin link
9/1/2009 10:08:39 pm

I'm a fan of Music and Lyrics.

And, of course...When Harry Met Sally.

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Jamie
9/1/2009 10:11:38 pm

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John David Stanway
9/1/2009 11:59:29 pm

Geez, I'm such a boy. I haven't seen any of these. Except for about two-thirds of Pretty Woman, which I didn't like.

I guess I'll go get in line for GI Joe, or something.

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Patti
9/2/2009 12:16:01 am

What about Just Like Heaven? It's ridiculous and normally Reese Witherspoon annoys the crap out of me (Sweet Home Alabama, Legally Blonde etc.) but I love Mark Ruffalo and Donal Logue in that movie :)

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Kate
9/2/2009 12:42:02 am

Greg - I am totally with you on Fools Rush In. I blame it for my soft spot for Matthew Perry. Every time he jumps in front of her car and tells her she's everything he never knew he always wanted, I die. Such unrealistic cheese, but I love it!

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Darcie link
9/2/2009 12:50:29 am

Naved, unfortunately I've seen a lot of rom-coms, some amazing (when harry met sally), some fucking terribly awful (27 dresses, bride wars, etc), but this list includes just the rom-coms that I KNOW are awful but that I love anyway and watch every time they're on TNT or TBS (alone, of course, in my apartment, watching in shame with my fat cat on my lap).

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Michelle
9/2/2009 12:52:30 am

Hate Sweet Home Alambama, BUT when Resse slugs Candice Bergen I cheer! And Patrick Dempsey is too cute but a sap! Same with Legally Blonde. Anyone that nerve grating needs to be told about herself. BUT not made a fool of like they did with the costume party. She makes you want to fast forward to the courtroom scenes where she still works a nerve but does win the day a couple of times.

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Daisy
9/2/2009 12:56:38 am

I hated all of these. :/ Especially Pretty Woman. I couldn't even get through the whole movie because I was so horrified.

My idea of a good Romantic comedy is a little more...action/adventure I think. The Princess Bride. It's absurd, and really "As you wish?" but still I love it.

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Sara
9/2/2009 01:39:36 am

I hate all these movies. They're so generic, and they rely on the "but she/he's adorable, so all of their creepy annoying sexist behavior is okay!" Being a feminist means seeing very few romantic comedies - the last one I could stomach was, I think, Zach and Miri Make a Porno.

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LLLLame
9/2/2009 02:27:40 am

What a crap list

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tootie link
9/2/2009 02:34:05 am

All of your choices pretty much suck. Not one of them has anything funny about them. Pretty Woman?! Yeah, realistic portrayal about prostitution, this should rile your feminist heart. I always found it more pathetic than funny. Speaking of Sandra Bullock, the one that's really cheesy but redeeming in its' own way is Miss Congeniality, but not the second part.

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Kate
9/2/2009 02:34:31 am

I can't stand most romantic comedies but The Wedding Singer is one I always enjoy when I see it. I also really like My Best Friends Wedding, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and While You Were Sleeping.

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Nancy
9/2/2009 02:42:12 am

50 First Dates

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Liz
9/2/2009 02:47:13 am

Lllame & tootie, what's wrong with your comprehension? The blogger knows these movies suck and is ashamed to love them anyway, that's the point of her article. Duh

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JM
9/2/2009 03:04:26 am

How about "Twilight?" I know, it's not meant to be a comedy, but it's damn fucking funny on complete accident. And it is TERRIBLY sexist--worse still, it doesn't even realize it. Actually, it's sexist against both men and women, but I think it does more harm to the women--sorry, to the teenage girls--who don't know any better and swallow it as if it's the Bible itself. Think: it's pushing obsessive romance and the idea that you can't live without your true love. What bullshit. And Edward is a stalker, and he's technically almost a hundred years old. That's even worse than Anna Nicole Smith and her 90-year-old husband, and at least she just did it for the money. Oh, Twilight also subtly excuses domestic abuse, and it glorifies rushing into marriage instead over having premarital sex. And it glorifies women throwing away a college education to be with the man she loves (it doesn't matter that she probably got to go to college multiple times after the 4th books ends; what matters is that she spends all four books saying she doesn't want to go to college and wants to be a vampire instead). Oh, and I'm a guy, and the idea of being in Edward's place--attached to an obsessed girlfriend--really creeps me out!

I rest my case. But I still like it, against my better judgment.

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Lee
9/2/2009 03:16:41 am

The rom-com I hate to love is one most people probably have never heard of: The Cool Ones, a silly musical so cheesy that I wonder if Roddy MacDowell ever admitted he was in it?
I'm not sure I actually "love" it but if it ever pops up on the Late Show would someone let me know so I can dvr it?

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Irving 143
9/2/2009 03:45:55 am

She's All That is a fav of mine that seems to get almost no respect. Dumb, overworked premise, sure, but it's pretty much set aside before getting too ludicrous, and Matthew Lillard as a talent-free former reality TV star is a hoot.

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Libby
9/2/2009 04:07:02 am

To me, all romantic comedies are a "hate to love them, but I do" situation! It's humiliating to admit that you can't help but watch them anytime they come on, but you watch!
I love The Cutting Edge, it's craptastic, but who cares? Also Fools Rush in The Wedding Singer, Music and Lyrics, Never Been Kissed, My Best Friends Wedding, Miss Congeniality, Sweet Home Alabama....I could go on and on!

One that I love, that is completely unrealistic is one of John Hughes lesser known movies, Career Opportunities. It's on my top 10 faves of all time cuz the geek gets the girl, and beats the bad guys, and it's funny as hell in a goofy, dorky kind of way.

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Isa
9/2/2009 04:25:35 am

Can't explain why, but I love Sliding doors with Gwyneth Paltrow. European movies often show normal people instead of incredibly good-looking people, so I found it adds to realism.

And I'm glad to ear I'm not the only one who shamefully loves The cutting edge!

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Vivi Anna link
9/2/2009 05:35:57 am

Here's my list...

The Lake House
Love Actually
10 Things I Hate About You
Notting Hill
Somethings Gotta Give
Forgetting Sarah Marshall

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Alex
9/2/2009 06:00:21 am

What about Love Actually or Serendipity?

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chris
9/2/2009 07:03:19 am

i am totally embarassed that i love "Two Weeks Notice" as well. I dont know why, but I cant help. I almost bought it the other day for $5 at Wal-Mart but I resisted the temptation and future embarassment from friends.

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Katie
9/2/2009 07:58:31 am

Sadly, I would add "Someone like you" to my list of movies I love but am embarassed to admit! I love Hugh Jackman playing the nice guy :) Or should I say the nice guy pretending to be the rough-and-tumble guy....

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dave
9/2/2009 09:52:10 am

Everybody I know hates Monster in Law but I think it's cute anf funny. And it also has Wanda Sykes.

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Maria
9/2/2009 10:23:11 am

yes, Someone Like You is one I find myself watching when its on TV...and it is god awful.
Suddenly 30 is another one I secretly like, and shamefully...the Wedding Date. Oh God.

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jake
9/2/2009 10:23:15 am

I'm oddly enough a pretty big fan of Serendipity. Even though the premise and Kate Beckinsale's total over-reliance on fate is extremely annoying, John Cusack and the New York locations make it a win.

Kinda do enjoy How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days until the love story starts. The stuff when she's pretending to be a nutbar is gold. Adam Sandler paired with Drew Barrymore just works for me too. I think The Wedding Singer is probably a personal favourite. I'm such a sucker.

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David
9/2/2009 10:34:19 am

The point in the "She saves him right back" line is that while he saved her from her life of poverty, she saved him from his spiritual death which his evil job and loveless life was causing him.

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BILL C.
9/2/2009 12:02:44 pm

The only romantic comedy since the dark ages that does it for me is "Groundhog Day".

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Jonathan
9/2/2009 01:06:25 pm

I agree with Naved...
Do you really have to write an article just for the sake of writing it?

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Scott
9/2/2009 01:30:59 pm

My guilty pleasure is Notting Hill, another Hugh Grant gem. While we're on Grant (like a hooker) what about Four Weddings and a Funeral?

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Rob B.
9/2/2009 01:35:25 pm

The one that I love that I thought got SO unfairly savaged is The Mexican.

My favorite of all time that a lot of critics just didn't GET is Harold and Maude.

Nobody liked it, but I actually found Ralph Fiennes and Jennifer Lopez charming in Maid in Manhattan.

Notting Hill would have been perfect if Hugh Grant had not been able to win her back at the end.

Music and Lyrics was classic because of the perfect music parodies (Wham, Christina Aguilera, Shakira). That and Fifty First Dates actually succeeded in making me a Drew Barrymore fan.

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liz link
9/2/2009 03:00:07 pm

I too list Because I Said So as a guilty pleasure, mostly because of Moore, but Gabriel Macht & Tom Everett Scott were both smokin' as the love interests!

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Walter link
9/2/2009 03:52:05 pm

What? No one mentioned "Sleepless in Seattle?"

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Smibby
9/2/2009 05:43:05 pm

Granted I haven't seen Because I Said So, but the other movies you hate to love make sense to me, except for Two Weeks Notice. Pretty Woman and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days are particularly ridiculous and grate on my nerves. Two Weeks notice on the other hand I don't hate to love, I just love - I think the point is Lucy chooses to let George walk all over her, I admit though it does have it's problems.
I agree with those people who mentioned The Wedding Date (I love Debra Messing) it has everything wrong with it, made me angry at it's portrayal of women and the ending had me looking for the pigs that should have been flying across the screen and I still kind of enjoyed it.
There are also a lot of movies mentioned in the comments that I adore, one I have to mention is 50 First Dates. I really appreciate that in the end Drew's character still wakes up every morning not remembering her life, they didn't hollywood-ise it and give her a miraculous cure in the last five minutes of the movie.

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