My first favourite director was Hal Hartley, born from seeing and loving his first two features; The Unbelievable Truth (1989) and Trust (1990). Trust might not be typically classed as a romcom – the romance doesn’t drive the narrative and the comedy is decidedly dark – but it is hands down my favourite.
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The definition of guilty pleasure is “something that one enjoys despite feeling that it is not generally held in high regard.” I have a trousseau of romcoms that would fit this brief and one of my favourites is this British gem starring Kelly Macdonald and David Tennant.
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Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron were a magic combination for witty dialogue and interesting characters. Combine that with Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby at the height of their game and you have a film that you can’t help but quote.
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I don’t love everything that Jennifer Garner does but I find her films usually very watchable and there is something about the characters she chooses and the way she comes across in her socials that makes me like her. She is funny.
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I didn’t know that I’d end up with two Austen adaptations from 1995 in a row. This sublime comedy by the under-rated Amy Heckerling takes Austen’s novel Emma and deposits it in 1990s Hollywood. The dialogue is sharp and funny and regularly quoted in my household – “She could be a farmer in those clothes.” It’s the only Emma version I have seen where I thoroughly like the heroine and Alicia Silverstone is at her best as spoiled but well-meaning rich girl Cher. I feel sad every time I watch it at the loss at the young age of 32 of Brittany Murphy, who plays Tai.
What’s your favourite book to film adaptation? Is it a book you loved first or one you’ve never read?
Posted as part of the 30-Day Fillums Challenge, created by me. If you want to see what’s coming up, have a look at my post here and feel free to join in by commenting each day with your own choice.
Coming Next: Day 5: The first film you saw at a cinema
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I went in expecting an over-sugared gingerbread house of a romantic comedy but forgot this was British and written by Emma Thompson and partner Greg Wise. It’s fun and witty and the Christmas theme is front and centre, as is the always delightful music of George Michael that weaves a spell throughout. Continue reading
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Don’t forget the full stop. Emma is my least favourite of Jane Austen’s novels (other than the superlative adaptation Clueless (1995). This remake by Autumn de Wilde is nicely staged with beautiful sets, clothes and a humorous thread of caricature and it mostly surmounts the biggest challenge of the story – that the eponymous character is not very likeable. Continue reading
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This implausible, broadly-comedic romcom surprised me with its deft balance of humour and heart. Continue reading
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If you’re only going to see one romcom this year, make it this one. Set within a Melbourne Muslim community, it tells the story of Ali (Osamah Sami) who is in love with the ‘wrong’ girl. Continue reading
Today we watched one of my favourite romantic comedies just because it was Valentine’s Day. It’s not up there with Love Actually but it has a similar sensibility, it shows us that love has many forms and doesn’t always work out as we planned, it just does it in a slightly cheesy Hollywood style. It still makes me feel good though when I watch it. Continue reading
