ROM COM RULES - Analysis

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  More than just being romantic and having comedy, a Rom Com follows a strict formula and a set of rules.

So do the films I looked at follow the rules or not?

Films covered:

• Roman Holiday (1953)
• Educating Rita (1983)
• Sleepless In Seattle (1993)
• Four Weddings & A Funeral (1994)
• Bridget Jones's Diary (1995)
• My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
• 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
• Imagine Me & You (2005)
• Knocked Up (2007)
• Friends With Benefits (2011)

Once again, these results talk about the films chosen much more than they talk about the genre in whole.

RULE #1 - The Characters

A - The Couple

i.  Balance

Balance: (4)  Roman Holiday; Educating Rita; Sleepless in Seattle; Friends With Benefits.
Balance & other characters: (2)  Imagine Me & You; Knocked Up.
Female POV: (2)  Bridget Jones's Diary; My Best Friend's Wedding.
Female POV & other characters: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You.
Male POV & other characters: (1)  Four Weddings & a Funeral.

So strictly balanced between the couple we get 40%, balance (including other characters get up to 60%).  Interestingly 30% are centred on the female party (although 10% (1 film) of those have other character calling POV), and only 10% (1 film) are male centred.

ii.  Opposites in Behaviour/Attitude
Yes - Her Repressed/Him Slob: (2)  Roman Holiday; Knocked Up.
Yes - Her slob/Him Repressed: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
Yes - She Doesn't Believe in True Love/He Does: (1)  Sleepless in Seattle.
Yes - She Fears Commitment/He Doesn't: (1)  My Best Friend's Wedding

Yes - Her Studious/Him Slacker: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You.
Yes - Her Full Of Life/Him Alcoholic: (1)  Educating Rita.
Yes - He Doesn't Believe in True Love/He Does: (1)  Friends With Benefits.
Yes - He Fears Commitment/She Doesn't: (1)  Four Weddings & a Funeral.

Yes - Her Activist/Him Delinquent: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You.

Obviously a range of (subjective) conflicting personality traits.  I've grouped the traits into vaguely "her socially acceptable/him socially unacceptible" and "her socially unacceptible/him socially acceptable".  Feel free to disagree with them, I don't necessarily, but I think it's a view.  Leaving Imagine Me & You out, and only counting 10 Things I Hate About You once (not counting when they're both outsiders), it splits to the female 55.55% of the time was more acceptable.  I think that's still within a balanced portrayal.

iii.  Opposites in Life
Vaguely - Media/Subject: (3)  Roman Holiday; Bridget Jones's Diary; Sleepless in Seattle.
Vaguely - Headhunter/Employee:  (1)  Friends With Benefits.
Class Distinction: (2)  Roman Holiday; Educating Rita.
N/A: (5)  Four Weddings & a Funeral; My Best Friend's Wedding; 10 Things I Hate About You; Imagine Me & You; Knocked Up.

So half of them are opposites in life, and so half are not.

iv.  Occupation in Romance/Media
Yes - Both publishing/news: (1)  My Best Friend's Wedding.
Yes - Her publishing/news: (4)  Sleepless in Seattle; Four Weddings & a Funeral (formerly); Bridget Jones's Diary; Knocked Up.
Yes - Him publishing/news: (2)  Roman Holiday; Friends With Benefits.
Yes - Her Romance: (1)  Imagine Me & You.
Yes - Him ex-poet: (1) Educating Rita; 
No - Students: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You.

Only one fails, because they are students.  Of the remaining 9 films, 77.78% had at least one member of the primary couple working in the media.

B - The Best Friend/Confidant

i.  "Ugly"
Yes : (2)  Bridget Jones's Diary (Jude); 10 Thing I Hate About You (Michael), some of Charle's friends in Four Weddings & a Funeral.
Yes, Beard: (2)  Roman Holiday (Irving); Sleepless in Seattle (Jay)
Yes, Overweight: (1)  Sleepless in Seattle (Jay & Becky)

ii.  Wacky
Yes: (2)  Bridget Jones's Diary (Jude); 10 Thing I Hate About You (Michael), some of Charle's friends in Four Weddings & a Funeral.
Funny: (1)  Sleepless in Seattle (Jay & Becky)
Victim: (1)  Roman Holiday (Irving)

iii.  Slutty/Sleazy
Yes: (2)  Roman Holiday (Irving); Bridget Jones's Diary (Jude, Tom), some of Charle's friends in Four Weddings & a Funeral.

iv.  Family
No Family:  (1)  Roman Holiday.
Partially: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary (Both parents); 10 Thing I Hate About You (Father & Sister)

v.  The Opposite Sex.
No Opposite Sex Friends:  (1)  Roman Holiday, some of Charle's friends in Four Weddings & a Funeral.
Yes (Gay):  (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary (Tom), two of Charle's Charle's friends in Four Weddings & a Funeral.


C - The Third Person

No Third Person: (2)  Roman Holiday; Knocked Up.
Ex Only: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You (Joey)
Fiancée: (1)  My Best Friend's Wedding (Kimmy).
Spouse: (1)  Imagine Me & You (Heck)
Both: (4)  Educating Rita (Denny & Julia); Four Weddings & a Funeral (Henrietta & Hamish); Bridget Jones's Diary (Cleaver & Natasha); Sleepless in Seattle (Walter & Victoria); Friends With Benefits (changing).

So 60% have some form of current relationship with another person for at least one of the couple.

RULE #2 - There Won't Be T&A

Nudity:
No Nudity: (1) Educating Rita.
Skin - minor character: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
Nudity - minor characters: (1)  Knocked Up.
Nightwear - Female lead: (1)  Imagine Me & You.

Underwear - Female lead: (4)  Sleepless in Seattle; Four Weddings & a Funeral (brief); Bridget Jones's Diary; My Best Friend's Wedding.
Implied - Female lead: (2)  Roman Holiday, 10 Thing I Hate About You, Friends With Benefits.
Nudity (fake) - Female lead: (1) Knocked Up, Friends With Benefits.

Butt - Male lead: (1)  Knocked Up, Friends With Benefits.

Obviously a variety of usually low-level nudity, although it does tend to increase over time.

Sex in film:
No Sex in Film: (6)  Roman Holiday; Educating Rita; Sleepless in Seattle; My Best Friend's Wedding; Imagine Me & You; 10 Thing I Hate About You.
Sex (Female with Other, not male lead): (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
Sex (Couple): (2)  Four Weddings & a Funeral; Knocked Up.
Sex (Couple with each other and others):  (1)   Friends With Benefits.

Very little sex in these films.  In 60% of the films the couple don't have sex with anyone on screen (although previous sex is mentioned occasionally or they share a bed with a partner).  Only 30% of the couple have sex together on screen.

RULE #3 - The Meet-Cute

Historic: (2)  Bridget Jones's Diary; My Best Friend's Wedding.
Goofy but Cute: (1)  Friends With Benefits.
Mild: (4)  Roman Holiday; Educating Rita; Four Weddings & a Funeral; Knocked Up.
Paid to Date: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You
Ends With: (1)  Sleepless in Seattle.
At a Wedding: (1)  Imagine Me & You

All have a meeting story, although 2 didn't have one in the film itself.  Cute is a matter of perspective.

RULE #4 - Circumstances

Personal Insult & Lie by third party: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
Ending: (1)  Roman Holiday.
Hatred of Men: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You
Fear of Commitment: (1)  Four Weddings & a Funeral.
Never Met: (1)  Sleepless in Seattle.
One Night Stand: (1)  Knocked Up.
Engagement: (1)  My Best Friend's Wedding.
Casual Sex: (1)  Friends With Benefits.
Married: (1)  Imagine Me & You
Alcoholism:  (1)  Educating Rita; 

Every film has something circumstance that keep the couple apart.  Then again, the films would be pretty short if they didn't.

RULE #5 - Realisation of Love

HIM:
Event: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
First Kiss:  (1)  Roman Holiday.
Her Drunk at Party: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You
First Sight: (2)  Sleepless in Seattle; Four Weddings & a Funeral;
Out of His League: (1)  Knocked Up.
A Shared Moment: (1)  Friends With Benefits.

HER:
Voice Only: (1)  Sleepless in Seattle.
Confession:  (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
First Kiss:  (1)  Roman Holiday.
A Shared Moment: (1)  Friends With Benefits.
First Sight: (1)  Imagine Me & You (both)

RULE #6 - The Break-Up

She breaks up with him:  (2)  Bridget Jones's Diary, 10 Thing I Hate About You; Knocked Up; Friends With Benefits.
He breaks up with her: (1)  My Best Friend's Wedding.
She breaks up with her: (1)  Imagine Me & You.
Not Together: (1)  Sleepless in Seattle; Four Weddings & a Funeral.
End of Film: (1)  Roman Holiday.

A:  The Reason
Fight with Third Person: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
The Circumstance: (1)  Roman Holiday; 10 Thing I Hate About You; Imagine Me & You
Hormones: (1)  Knocked Up.
Family: (1)  Knocked Up.
Loves Someone Else: (1)  My Best Friend's Wedding.
Overheard Comments: (1)  Friends With Benefits.

B:  The Event
Birthday Dinner: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
The Prom: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You.
Doctor's Appointment: (1)  Knocked Up.
Wedding Breakfast: (2)  My Best Friend's Wedding.
No Event: (1)  Imagine Me & You

C:  Humiliation
No, but many others: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
Mild: (2)  My Best Friend's Wedding; Knocked Up.
Personal Humiliation: (1)  Friends With Benefits.

D:  But...
Based on Lie: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
She didn't know important information: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You.

E:  The Turmoil
No Man Turmoil: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.

RULE #7 - Separated Forever.

Engagement: (1)  Four Weddings & a Funeral; Bridget Jones's Diary.
Wedding: (1)  Four Weddings & a Funeral; My Best Friend's Wedding.
Duty: (1)  Roman Holiday.
Move to Another Country: (2)  Roman Holiday; Four Weddings & a Funeral; Bridget Jones's Diary; Educating Rita.
Leave Town: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You; Friends With Benefits.
Long Holiday: (1)  Imagine Me & You
Nothing: (1)  Knocked Up.

RULE #8 - Redemption

A:  Sacrifice
Success: (1)  Roman Holiday.
Fear of Commitment: (2)   My Best Friend's Wedding; Friends With Benefits.
The Slacker Life: (1)  Knocked Up.

B:  Unusual Transport
Unrelated: (1)  Roman Holiday; Friends With Benefits.
Van: (1)  My Best Friend's Wedding.
Climbing on Vehicles: (1)  Imagine Me & You

C:  Stunt
Pre-End: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
Minor: (1)  My Best Friend's Wedding; Imagine Me & You.

D:  Romantic Gesture.
Aborted Speech: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
Hidden Conversation: (1)  Roman Holiday.
Speech (wronged party): (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You.
Unrelated: (1)  10 Thing I Hate About You.
Weddings: (1)  Four Weddings & a Funeral.
Telling off Doctor: (1)  Knocked Up.
Flash Mob: (1)  Friends With Benefits.
Speech in Public: (1)  Imagine Me & You

Other
Snowy Streets in Underwear: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.

RULE #9 - Happily Ever After

Ends With Kissing: (5)  Four Weddings & a Funeral; Bridget Jones's Diary; 10 Thing I Hate About You; Imagine Me & You; Friends With Benefits.
They Meet: (1)  Sleepless in Seattle.
Montage: (1)  Knocked Up.
No Happy Ending: (1)  My Best Friend's Wedding.
Separated Forever: (2)  Roman Holiday; Educating Rita.

Only 2 films don't end with the assumption of them living happily ever after, so 80% happily ever after.

RULE #10 - Sequels

Has Sequel: (1)  Bridget Jones's Diary.
Spin-Off: (1)  Knocked Up.
Remake: (1)  Roman Holiday.
References Others: (1)  Sleepless in Seattle; Friends With Benefits.
Rom Com Regulars: (8)  Roman Holiday; Sleepless in Seattle; Four Weddings & a Funeral; Bridget Jones's Diary; My Best Friend's Wedding; 10 Thing I Hate About You; Imagine Me & You; Knocked Up.
No Sequel: (1)  Educating Rita.

Only Bridget Jones's Diary. has a sequel, although most of the actors do regularly appear as leads in other Rom Coms.

~ DUG.

Remember to do the survey to determine the fourth genre to be tested.

Check out the schedule for upcoming Film Rules films to be reviewed.

Also a question for the comments...  Do people prefer the alternating between 2 sets of rules or would they like to see one set finished before the next starts