Spring Break
Romantic comedies for people who hate romantic comedies
Justin Pacheco
Issue date: 2/12/09 Section: Entertainment
02/12/09 - Some people just hate romantic comedies.
For the most part, they are overly sappy, predictable and feature unrealistic portrayals of both men and women.
With Valentine's Day coming, now is a good time to look at some of the best romantic comedies ... for people who really hate romantic comedies.
These movies avoid most of the clichés and overly sweet tone of the typical rom-com, but would still be appropriate viewing with your valentine on Feb. 14.
The top of my list would be most of Kevin Smith's movies, particularly "Chasing Amy." While "Chasing Amy" retains the vulgar dialogue from all Smith movies, it has a bit more heart than his other films. Ben Affleck is the leading man, and this is one of his earlier roles. You know, before being universally despised for "Gigli" and "Pearl Harbor."
Some of Smith's other movies like "Clerks 2," "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" and "Mallrats" have the same sweet romance story with the salty dialogue. "Mallrats" in particular plays out like a demented John Hughes movie. Picture "Pretty In Pink" with a copious amount of swearing.
Staying on the demented John Hughes theme, the 1985 comedy "Better Off Dead" fits that description to the letter. "Better off Dead" stars John Cusack as a teen whose girlfriend just broke up with him and proceeded to date most of the high school. He becomes suicidal and many of the best gags in the film come from his failed suicide attempts.
The movie is a little dark, but absurd moments like Cusack's Asian drag racing, Howard Cossell-sounding neighbors and his neighborhood's psychotic paperboy provide plenty of laughs.
The romance comes from Cusack's attempts to win back his girlfriend and his budding relationship with a cute French foreign exchange student.
My next choice sticks a little closer to the traditional romantic comedy, but the first "Bridget Jones' Diary" is actually surprisingly funny and not an overly sappy film. Renée Zellweger is relentlessly charming as the awkward and bumbling romantic, Bridgett Jones.
For the most part, they are overly sappy, predictable and feature unrealistic portrayals of both men and women.
With Valentine's Day coming, now is a good time to look at some of the best romantic comedies ... for people who really hate romantic comedies.
These movies avoid most of the clichés and overly sweet tone of the typical rom-com, but would still be appropriate viewing with your valentine on Feb. 14.
The top of my list would be most of Kevin Smith's movies, particularly "Chasing Amy." While "Chasing Amy" retains the vulgar dialogue from all Smith movies, it has a bit more heart than his other films. Ben Affleck is the leading man, and this is one of his earlier roles. You know, before being universally despised for "Gigli" and "Pearl Harbor."
Some of Smith's other movies like "Clerks 2," "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" and "Mallrats" have the same sweet romance story with the salty dialogue. "Mallrats" in particular plays out like a demented John Hughes movie. Picture "Pretty In Pink" with a copious amount of swearing.
Staying on the demented John Hughes theme, the 1985 comedy "Better Off Dead" fits that description to the letter. "Better off Dead" stars John Cusack as a teen whose girlfriend just broke up with him and proceeded to date most of the high school. He becomes suicidal and many of the best gags in the film come from his failed suicide attempts.
The movie is a little dark, but absurd moments like Cusack's Asian drag racing, Howard Cossell-sounding neighbors and his neighborhood's psychotic paperboy provide plenty of laughs.
The romance comes from Cusack's attempts to win back his girlfriend and his budding relationship with a cute French foreign exchange student.
My next choice sticks a little closer to the traditional romantic comedy, but the first "Bridget Jones' Diary" is actually surprisingly funny and not an overly sappy film. Renée Zellweger is relentlessly charming as the awkward and bumbling romantic, Bridgett Jones.
