Don Kowalewski
Writer. Ad Sales and Marketing. Social Media Content Creator. Aeropress Coffee. Makes the best salsa in the world.
“Marry Me” Reminds Me I’m Sucker for RomComs
We live in a world where anger and misery are headlines, where a pandemic killed millions worldwide, and where truck drivers won’t drive because they don’t wanna eat their spinach. So we need J Lo’s and E Wo’s (that’s what I’m calling Owen Wilson and I hope it catches fire) “Marry Me”. It’s delightful. Charming. A perfect date movie on Valentine’s Day Eve-Eve. I think the wife even teared up a little at the end.
I won’t have it! I won’t have anyone bagging on sappy RomComs (how we insiders refer to the movie genre “romantic comedy”). I’m a guy that won’t actually watch Hallmark Movies, will often make fun of them when my wife is watching them like they’re an Ozark marathon, but I’m glad they exist. The fact that Hallmark movies and RomComs exist and have any viewers at all tells me the world ain’t really as bad as it seems.
Hey. Hats off to you if you and your sweetie are both movie buffs and into sci-fi or artful drama. My worldview still longs for a Blockbuster date night with popcorn (not microwave …never microwave popcorn) and two people sitting on a couch watching a predictable love story unfold. And that was “Marry Me.” I knew the entire sequence of events about to unfold the minute the movie opened …but I didn’t care. J Lo, despite all her mega fame, can still trick me that she’s a big hearted softy. Owen Wilson, well, he could easily be the Owen from the HR department where I work but he happens to be a very famous and funny actor. Again. Sold.
The point of this Blog is to start an angry debate of the best RomComs. “Marry Me” might instantly be in my top-10 (definitely my favorite of the J Lo RomComs). I will only list my the top-5. I felt compelled to make this list because I just so happened to be listening to a Podcast and the host decided to jump-all-over J Lo and bash her and the RomCom genre and said, “hey, and I like RomComs, I really do…”. Then his co-host asked, “oh, really, what are your favorites,” and J Lo-bashing-guy stammered and said, “I would have to think about that,” and he never gave an answer. Never even mentioned a single RomCom. For that, I hated him because he exposed himself as someone who just wants to be angry and say mean things which, again, it seems everyone thinks that’s how we should act, always. Why would he lie? Just say, “I don’t mind a RomCom.” Don’t say “I’m a fan of RomComs” and then fail to name a single RomCom.
Ask me, and my list flows easy…
5. “Notting Hill” … most will say Julia Roberts best RomCom was “Pretty Woman” but those people would be wrong. Richard Gere isn’t an aw-shucks, humble, bookstore owner. My knock against “Pretty Woman” is nobody can relate to either character. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a classic. But Notting Hill has so much more warmth and character and classic lines. I might watch this one again, tonight.
4. “It Could Happen to You” … if this was anyone but Nicolas Cage, everyone would have this movie in their top-5 RomComs. Just a blue collar guy that doesn’t care about money or fame …he just wants someone to love and to love him back. Oh, and the title of the movie is pretty bad …I think that could be the title of every RomCom and that’s the point.
3. “Never Been Kissed” … ridiculous and preposterous in every way but as far as final scenes go, you can’t beat the mash-up of emotion, anticipation, heart ache, eventual soaring joy, and a perfect song. Plus, the movie has star power.
2. “Can’t Buy Me Love” … we all feel like the nerd. I’m convinced. Even the “cool kids” feel like there’s someone cooler than they are and are having more fun. So Dempsey gets to live in the world of the “cool kids” and finds out life’s not about being cool …life it about true friendships and true love. The super hot girl also learns a lesson.
1. “When Harry Met Sally” … actually not the best, but very good, and maybe one of the first RomComs, ever. For me, this is “our movie.” It came out while my wife and I were in college and falling in love, ourselves. It somewhat mirrors our long, unwitting courtship, and …well, OK … it’s nothing like our pre-marriage life, but we love it. We’ve watched it countless times and danced at our wedding to a Harry Connick song from the soundtrack.
Don Kowalewski 