romcoms: "the deception"

[Randall_Oelerich]

Romcoms always have a 'deception' (on the part of the protagonist usually) that when revealed near the climax often leads to a break up. That is the formula, or rule (I am learning to hate rules more and more, and that word 'always'). So say the gurus, the books.

But is that always the case in romcoms? I was thinking on this, because I am writing a romcom.

One of my favorite romance-comedy-action-drama films is The Big Blue (writer/director Luc Besson); American/USA version with soundtrack by Bill Conti, honestly I can not stand to listen to the European version soundtrack by Eric Serra, ugh. In TBB the deception comes from the Romance (romantic interest; Johanna) right after the cute meet, where she lies to her boss so she can travel on the companies dime to Europe to pursue the protagonist (Jacques). And she lies to the protagonist once there about why she is there. So the deception comes not from the protag but from the Romance; also, the deception is never revealed in the story, it just sort of disappears, and it does not lead to any breakup like in a classic romcom formula.

So romcoms need a deception, but perhaps it can come from the Protag -or- the Romance, and maybe it does not always need to be revealed for a breakup to occur? I suppose the classic formula is safest, I just find it interesting to see this variation on Deception as in The Big Blue.

Could be curious of other romcoms/romdrams that vary from the rule, if anybody knows other film titles.
randall

 

[Batutta]

Could be curious of other romcoms/romdrams that vary from the rule, if anybody knows other film titles.
randall

Jerry Maguire doesn't have one. The break up stems from Jerry's inability to be intimate. Neither does Say Anything (both Cameron Crowe movies). The break up there happens because Lloyd's girlfriend is pressured by her father. Actually, the reverse happens in this film. When she learns of her father's deception, it leads to Lloyd and her reuniting.

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

.... When she learns of her father's deception, it leads to Lloyd and her reuniting.

Interesting. There was a DECEPTION, but not on the part of the Protagonist (as my example in The Big Blue where there was no deception from the Protagonsit).

 

[agcohn]

Lots of comedies and / or rom-coms involve the main character being mistaken for or pretending to be something they are not, so deception is a natural part of those stories, but there are a lot that do not have any of the lead characters being deceitful to one another.

I could be wrong, but I can't think of any major deceptions in Pretty Woman or When Harry Met Sally, and those might be two of the most popular rom-coms ever made.

Honesty is an important part of any relationship, romantic or otherwise, so creating situations for a character to be deceitful is an easy way to require said character to learn to be more honest.

 

[vcassel]

I could be wrong, but I can't think of any major deceptions in Pretty Woman...

Pretty Woman wasn't sold to the studio as a 'romcom' if I remember correctly. It was a romantic drama about haves and have nots. It was mostly the same through and through, just not as funny and lighthearted, Vivian was a cokehead, and at the end Edward kicks Vivian out of his car and they don't reconcile. It got very good coverage, but the studio couldn't abide a down ending.

 

[vcassel]

It's not always deceit that keeps people from connecting in love or even friendship 'buddy' stories, it's ego. The people in these sorts of stories are usually in a form of stasis from which they don't realize they need to break out of. They usually walk right up to the line and flirt with moving on with someone's help, but then they reject that path and deject that person who was helping them to be a better person--a more whole person. They don't want to need anyone, also because of fear of being hurt. That's the old persona vs inner need of drama: their inner need wants them to be with someone, to be happy, but also not to be hurt because they're fragile; their outer persona they've developed for protection shells that inner need and causes them to reject. Every major player is a schizo as they struggle between their inner need and outer persona. Well, not every. Not every major character, not even every main character arcs in successful films.

 

[David W. Richardson]

I think with 'Pretty Woman' and 'When Harry Met Sally', there was deception but it was more subtle -- it was characters hiding their true feelings from each other, or even from themselves. Maybe?