What would men like to see in a romance?

drevil915 · May 4, 2008

So I've been writing this romance screenplay and subsequently watching romance movies: Titanic, the notebook, bridges of madison county, etc. to get a feel on the genre.

However, romance today has become synonomous with "mush" and chick-flick" and "kleenex movies."

I'd like to get some ords from guys, and see what you'd like in a romance? What would make you enjoy one?

Thanks

-Jason

Daydreamer · May 4, 2008

I don't think men enjoy romances any less than women. At least, I know I don't.
A well-made film is a well-made film.
The trouble with romance films is often the abundant presence of 'schmaltz' and clichés. It's a very fine line between melodrama and great 'love-of-their-life moments'. (I believe romantic comedies are more forgiving because the comedy aspect can sometimes cover up what would otherwise be frowned upon).

zeprosnepsid · May 4, 2008

I'm not a man, but if you want to see some good romance, you should check out Korean films made between like 1998-2005 (the last couple years of films in Korea have not been as strong). The Koreans have absolutely perfected the Romance genre (and Romantic Comedy). I would actually suggest watching some Korean dramas (television shows that are all written and directed by the same team, with a beginning, middle and end story), but they are pretty long. Either way, they've taken a genre that is sort of a b-genre now in America, and really made it respectable.

And while it's certainly worthwhile to get men's opinion on Romance movies, you should probably keep in mind that 80% of your audience will be female. But for a recent Romance film that guys like you can check out Eternal Sunshine. And Malkovich is also technically a *spoiler* Lesbian romance film when you get down to it.

Korean films include Il Mare (which was remade as the Lake House), Oasis (about a mentally challenged man and a woman with cerebral palsy, kind of hard to watch at times but kind of brilliant), Failan (about two people who fall in love without ever meeting, I'm not sure it entirely succeeds, but it's sure interesting), Christmas in August, there's a gaggle. I certainly recommend My Sassy Girl if you are thinking of Rom-Com at all (it was evidently disastrously remade and has been on the shelf here for 2 years). If you are interested, either do a power search on IMDB for genre: Romance and Language: Korean. Or you can get a start on this great page: http://www.koreanfilm.org/

kullervo · May 4, 2008

Gunfire.

NikeeGoddess · May 4, 2008

Titanic, the notebook, bridges of madison county

these are definitely flicks with strong male romantic leads. i think that's where you need to start if you want to appeal to men. clint eastwood in love? how can you go wrong with that appeal?

sideways and lost in translation are other good (male lead)flicks to check out if you don't mind the comedic aspect.

don juan demarco (johnny depp) was very romantic.

punch drunk love is my favorite adam sandler flick. who woulda thunk?

and then of course you have that cowboy love, brokeback mountain. everybody loves a sexy cowboy

DWSTXS · May 4, 2008

I just want a woman who is not overly infatuated with unrealistic gestures that never happen in real life.

I thought 'Sideways' was very well done.

odocoileus · May 4, 2008

kullervo said:
Gunfire.

And female nudity.

And dick jokes.

She_wulf · May 4, 2008

odocoileus said:
And female nudity.

And dick jokes.

Motorcycles and shotguns

Wait a minute, I'm on the wrong team aren't I?

Seriously, IMO guys thought Star Wars (4,5,6) was romantic. Han Solo did what again? He scowled, called Leia derogatory names, acted like an ass and still saved the day all while scratching himself, gee...if that isn't real life IDK what is. The goofy look on his face when Leia told him Luke was his brother was worth all the chaos for us gals.

I almost believe men are more subtle than women when it comes to romance. For instance, Clark Gable can get away with, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." and men understand that much better than women. I mean Scarlet put that poor sap through hell and back, he constantly showed up to save her stupid Southern Belle tail and the thanks he gets? Ashley Wilks. GACK!

I guess that's why I'm not married, huh?

KTC · May 4, 2008

A lack of predictability.

Haggis · May 4, 2008

KTC said:
A lack of predictability.

Exactly. Might as well keep it true to life, eh?

IceCreamEmpress · May 4, 2008

Lots of my male friends liked Sideways and High Fidelity.

My husband hated them both, because he thought the protagonists acted like jerks and the love interests put up with too much crap from them.

drevil915 · May 4, 2008

Cool. I'd just really like to turn this whole genre on its head. I know I can't please everyone and I don't even want to, but I'd like this script/film to be as real as possible, and as differnt as possible, but still feel familiar.

Hmm...now how would you feel if the female lead was the jerk to the guy?

Gary · May 4, 2008

Sideways is on my top ten list of alltime favorites, but I can't tell you why, though I think the casting was perfect. The Bridges of Madison County was a great story, but in my opinion, the movie was mis-cast. I liked Titanic, but didn't much care for the actors.

I like romantic movies where the story resemble the lives of real people. I also like some humor in the mix, but no slapstick. I always liked Cary Grant movies. He was classy without arrogance, and despite his high-brow accent, he usually played the role of an everyday guy. You also never saw him scratch, belch or pass gas. I can't think of a single young actor today who has an ounce of class.

Too much sex, excessive foul language, urinal scenes, scatological humor, wimpish men, macho men, over-pretty women, whiners of either sex, political commentary...they all turn me off.

Okieslims · May 4, 2008

I think men like to see both sides. Not just a sappy girl perspective. The Break Up is a good example. I don't watch many romances, but if I do, it is ussually something that shows a little bit of the guys perspective in a way that is believable.

As far as the girl being a jerk to the guy.. thats not so uncommon. I've seen it in quite a few movies like that. Great Expectations comes to mind off the bat. Ussually the girl being the jerk has a small roll though. Especially in romantic movies where 90% of the audience is going to be female. They don't want to see the girl as the villian anymore than guys want to sit and watch a girl empowerment film where a female over comes being in a relationship with a complete ass.

Mac H. · May 4, 2008

drevil915 said:
I'd like to get some ords from guys, and see what you'd like in a romance? What would make you enjoy one?

Isn't that like asking the Amish what they'd like to see in porn ?

Sure, they may be an untapped market, but adjusting porn to suit this new market may just annoy the existing viewers and still fail to get Amish to buy the DVD.

The comparison is a little unfair, because guys will go to see romances as long as the girl they are interested in goes to see it. As long as she's happy, and it makes the guy look deep and considerate by taking her to it, then the guy will be happy.

Mac

IceCreamEmpress · May 4, 2008

Mac H. said:
guys will go to see romances as long as the girl they are interested in goes to see it

I think the question was about male-focused romance/rom coms like Sideways, High Fidelity, Fever Pitch, Hitch and so on.

Of course, all of those except High Fidelity feature plain-looking, dull men bagging gorgeous, fascinating women. Perhaps this is what men want from romance/romcom?

Ken · May 4, 2008

"Adrianne!; Adrianne!"

"Rocky!; Rocky!"

triceretops · May 4, 2008

Romance is great with me. Just give me a thrill ride--action adventure, a quest, a mystery to be solved thrown into the mix to heighten the tension, bringing the couple together. Danger increases sexual tension. Make it difficult or inconvienent for them to consummate, but ultimately, let them have a passionate interlude--but hold out on that and make it special. Flirt, tease. Hang it out there like a slab of raw meant in front of Pavalov's dog, denying the favor until it is well earned.

Tri

JoNightshade · May 5, 2008

anis said:
"Adrianne!; Adrianne!"

"Rocky!; Rocky!"

Um, I'm not a guy, but... yeah. This is it, right there.

She_wulf · May 5, 2008

drevil915 said:
...

Hmm...now how would you feel if the female lead was the jerk to the guy?

How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
Wedding Crashers

There's quite a few examples of this really.

poetinahat · May 5, 2008

IceCreamEmpress said:
Of course, all of those except High Fidelity feature plain-looking, dull men bagging gorgeous, fascinating women. Perhaps this is what men want from romance/romcom?

What the...? No. Well, not everyone anyway.

I guess the presumption here is that men will think, "Hey, I know I'm plain and dull, but I could score big too." Tell you what: PT Barnum said that no one ever went broke underestimating the public's intelligence; he didn't predict the same success in underestimating their self-esteem.

Sure, at some level, many guys want to be that kid in American Pie (the one who gets Stifler's Mom). But ask which they'd prefer between him and James Bond.

Then again, Friends and Sex and the City give me hives.

Big_Al · May 5, 2008

drevil915 said:
So I've been writing this romance screenplay and subsequently watching romance movies: Titanic, the notebook, bridges of madison county, etc. to get a feel on the genre.

However, romance today has become synonomous with "mush" and chick-flick" and "kleenex movies."

I'd like to get some ords from guys, and see what you'd like in a romance? What would make you enjoy one?

Thanks

-Jason

I think you should start by reading (not watching) the screenplays to those movies, except Titanic. Jimmy doesn't write spec scripts. This should give you a better feel on writing a romance. I recommend Love Story, Somewhere in Time and for some reason I love Han Solo and Princes Leia.

jennontheisland · May 5, 2008

Set it in a post apocalyptic environment and include a kick ass monster and spaceships. Stuff blowing up is always good. Break up the big dramatic scenes with touches of comedy. A kick ass heroine, who can hold her own in a gunfight, and in the bedroom.

ETA: I'm a girl, but in movies I generally prefer car chases to kisses in the rain.

Higgins · May 5, 2008

DWSTXS said:
I just want a woman who is not overly infatuated with unrealistic gestures that never happen in real life.

I thought 'Sideways' was very well done.

I pretty much agree. I think men would like some realism with respect to
what women really like...which would make a more entertaining movie since from what I have seen, in an actual romance, lots of women are just as interested in the outrageous adventure aspects of romance as men are. In some ways I'm sort of suggesting:

a) think of all the ways you can make sexual encounters a lot more interesting than pornography
b) think of the real problems of two people with complex lives and lots of earlier romantic histories...getting down to basics and then ending up
at point a)

IceCreamEmpress · May 5, 2008

poetinahat said:
I guess the presumption here is that men will think, "Hey, I know I'm plain and dull, but I could score big too."

I didn't put a

so I guess the sarcasm wasn't obvious.

What would men like to see in a romance?

drevil915

Daydreamer

zeprosnepsid

kullervo

minion

NikeeGoddess

DWSTXS

Mr Mojo Risin...

odocoileus

She_wulf

that's me

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Haggis

Evil, undead Chihuahua

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

drevil915

Gary

Okieslims

Mac H.

Board Visitor

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

Ken

triceretops

JoNightshade

has finally arrived

She_wulf

that's me

poetinahat

Numbers are beautiful

Big_Al

jennontheisland

the world is at my command

Higgins

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago