INTENDED EFFECT AND TYPICAL THEMES - ROM COM

Romantic comedies are designed to entertain and emotionally engage their audience by using humour side by side with heartfelt moments. Romantic comedies often follow conventional storylines and the audience usually know what to expect. This means that producers need to work harder to engage the audience as they usually know how the end will turn out. 

Intended effect: 

1. Creating escapism and hope: 

Romantic comedies offer a romanticised view of relationships which creates some distance between the audience and the characters. The effect this has on the audience is that they hope and aspire to have a relationship like this. They act as an escape from daily life and reinforce the idea that 'love like theirs' is attainable because it can surpass any obstacles. 

For example, 'Notting Hill' shows an 'impossible' romance between a famous movie star and an ordinary man. This has the effect on the audience that this is attainable and gives them hope for their own future. 

2. Encourages emotional connections with the characters 

Romantic comedies blend comedy with moments of awkwardness and vulnerability which allows the audience to connect and possibly relate to the characters. Emotional connections are formed because the audience become invested in how their relationship will turn out. Furthermore, because in many romantic comedies there are montages of their relationship developing, the audience feel as if they have watched their relationship unfold, and then feel apart of it.  

For example, '500 Days of Summer' blends montages of their relationship, happy and sad moments, including the audience in how their relationship unfolded. It makes the audience feel connected to Tom after seeing how the breakup broke his heart, it creates a connection with the characters as we want to see them grow and be okay. 

Typical themes: 

1. Overcoming obstacles - the protagonists have to overcome problems either within or outside of their relationship to stay together. This could be something like an argument or long distance.

Example: 'Sleepless in Seattle', they have to overcome long distance to be together. 

2. Self discovery and growth - when characters evolve and grow as individuals, usually this has either been sparked from a relationship or the loss of one, and once they've grown and evolved, they find a new romantic journey. 

Example: Elle Woods in 'Legally Blonde'

3. Fate and destiny - when fate or random circumstances bring two people together where they are clearly 'meant for each other'.

Example: 'Serendipity' which revolves around the belief that true love will always find a way.

4. Opposites attract - when two people that are clearly completely different, either in personality, work or lifestyles come together and fall in love in the end. 

Example: in 'The Proposal' the boss and her assistant fall for each other when pretending to be engaged. 

5. Second chances and redemption - characters may re-explore or rekindle past relationships to show that true love can overcome and forgive mistakes. 

Example: In 'Sweet Home Alabama' the main character reconnects with her first love. 

6. Misunderstandings and miscommunication - where misunderstandings or bad circumstances drive the plot which, in turn, creates tension. 

Example: In '10 Things I Hate About You', the scheme of paying Patrick to take out Kat blossoms into romance.