Dear Meg Ryan – I Miss You
Film critics tell me I’m wrong, but damn it if I don’t miss the romantic comedies of the 80s and 90s. Pretty Woman, You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral. Pretty much any movie with Julie Roberts, Meg Ryan, or Hugh Grant. I lived and breathed these movies growing up, and they’re part of my movie collection now. When you walked into a romantic comedy, you knew the hero and heroine would end up together. Like genre romantic fiction, the surprise came in who the hero and heroine were – what their quirks and personal disasters were – and how they would end up together. Always, though, you could count on a happy ending.
Now, before you tell me, “Cory, happy endings don’t happen in real life,” let me remind you that you’re talking to the product of nine marriages and eight divorces (my parents’, not mine). I’m more educated than most in how fairy tales are fiction at best and propaganda at worst. And you know what? I don’t care. Sometimes, I need to be able to count on the fairy tale ending, if only in movies or books. I need to know that if I’ve had a crappy day dealing with finance worries or a fight with a friend that I can turn on that movie and not waste two hours investing in two characters that don’t end up together.
Lately, movies like this are few and far between. I’m not really sure why. Did we stop believing in romance? Did people get tired of what they considered formulaic movie-making? Whatever the reason, I really wish they’d get over it and feed my romantic comedy addiction. What romantic comedies do you shamelessly love and watch repeatedly?
Some romantic movies you may have missed (not all are comedies, but all are dearly loved by me):
Jack and Sarah
Dear Frankie – early Gerard Butler
August Rush
It Started with Eve – Deana Durbin
Holiday – Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn
The Philadelphia Story – Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn
Bringing Up Baby–Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn
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7 Responses to "Dear Meg Ryan – I Miss You"
on February 17, 2010 | to this post
Have you seen “The Shop Around the Corner”. It’s the movie “You’ve Got Mail” was based on. Great movie. Jimmy Stewart is adorable in it.
on February 18, 2010 | to this post
So, although it’s not all happy happy, have you seen “Love, Actually”? It’s seriously one of my favorite movies ever, and I freakin’ happy cry every time I watch it.
on February 18, 2010 | to this post
I’m with you. For some reason the Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts romantic comedies always hook me. They played You’ve Got Mail over and over this Christmas, and I just couldn’t. change. the. channel. It’s weird. But they’re fun.
on February 18, 2010 | to this post
I quote Pretty Woman almost daily. One of my all-time favorites. And of course “You’ve Got Mail,” because I met my husband on the internet 14 years ago. Love When Harry Met Sally also. (“I’ll have what she’s having.”)
Good post Cory. I love romantic comedies, happy endings. And your blog. : )
on February 18, 2010 | to this post
You miss Meg Ryan? Meg Ryan misses Meg Ryan.
Ryan carved out a niche for herself in rom-coms, but so much of it was predicated upon a pretty and perpetually perky appearance. Age and gravity don’t care about that kind of thing and Meg overdosed on too much Botox, collagen and bad plastic surgery.
To preserve her career, she lost her looks. It’s hard to pull off the “When Harry Met Sally” orgasm scene when you no longer can move your face.
The result? She’s history and the genre has really fallen off.
on February 19, 2010 | to this post
Meg Ryan was the Doris Day of her time. Someone else will come along and the genre will pick up steam again. I think like books, these things go in cycles.
It’s nice to remember all these old gems though.
on February 23, 2010 | to this post
Oh lordy, you are singin’ my tune. Not only do I love this stuff (the old and the new), it’s pretty much what I write. Both YA and adult. Let me tell you, the market for it is super thin right now and it’s been querying hell. But, I soldier on, because you know what? The world loves a happy ending and the rom-com shall rise again! (In fact, my way too long list kind of bears out that it’s not dead, just sleeping)
Some of my favorites:
Singing in the Rain
The Princess Bride
10 Things I Hate About You
13 Going on 30
You’ve Got Mail
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Sweet Home Alabama
50 First Dates
How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
Two Weeks Notice
While You Were Sleeping
Never Been Kissed
Music and Lyrics
Happy Viewing!
- Liz