Unromantic Comedy

Watching When Harry Met Sally last night on TV I was struck by how the romantic comedy genre is well and truly dead. Now, given the recent wave of sacharine 'RomComs' like 27 dresses and Jenifer Aniston's appaling Love Happens you might be forgiven for thinking that I'm not really on top of the latest cinema releases but actually, I'm talking about real romantic comedies. You know, actually romantic and- dare I say it- actually funny. I know it sounds obvious but it's amazing how many so-called RomComs fail to portray convincing, realistic relationships in a genuiely hilarious way.

Take the filth that was Made of Honour (which by the way makes no sense as a pun) featuring a slimy Patrick Dempsey as a player and all-round cad trying to steal his best friend from her new Scottish fiance. The hideous climax of the film (set in what appears to be a poster for shortbread) featured Dempsey eventually 'winning' her over before she jilts Johnny foreigner. I think this is meant to leave us with a warm fuzzy feeling but I felt cheated; I mean, romantic comedy?? Really? The central relationship was depressing in it's lack of depth or warmth and there were no laughs! It's all quite lazy- the script development people decide two characters should fall in love but small matters like plausibility and er, plot fall by the wayside...

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to a time when filmakers go back to making proper romantic comedies but until then I'm sticking to the likes of When Harry Met Sally and Annie Hall.