Cadenza | Film
Embracing the imperfect romantic comedy heroine
In the classic Christmas romance “Love Actually,” Natalie, a new junior member of 10 Downing Street’s household staff, has no filter, and her awkwardness becomes a running joke. She curses in front of the Prime Minister on her first day—how embarrassing! In romantic comedies like this one, women are often imperfect, but only to a limit; when the secretary swears in front of her boss, it’s not the end of the world.
The problem is that when filmmakers skimp on making a graceless character actually graceless, other aspects of her tend to also be sketched in, and she falls short of her potential to be real. For example, Natalie remains static throughout the rest of the movie. When I’m looking for a good love story, I like romantic comedies with quirky female leads because it’s often a sign that time and thought have been put into sculpting whole characters, not just shadows of women.
A heroine from off the beaten path also provides a brighter and more entertaining alternative to the stereotypical rom-com narrative; this time, instead of being undesirable because of her flaws, the female protagonist’s charm embraces the quirks—that women can be desirable not in spite of their flaws but because of who they are. These narratives can bring confidence to viewers instead of a longing to be unattainably perfect. When a romantic comedy has an unconventional female lead, it gives a spark of life to the movie. By developing believable characters, the story is immeasurably more poignant, convincing and funny.
In the following movies, I find the female characters to be joyfully real human beings. The films on this list have their issues, like most rom-coms, they only feature heterosexual couples, but all satisfy guilty pleasures and a hunger for good cinema. Because of their depth and compassion, they also appeal to viewers who wouldn’t normally watch rom-coms.
Without further ado, here are three great romantic comedies with beautifully awkward heroines:
“Annie Hall”
(1977)
Woody Allen
In this classic Woody Allen movie, comedian Alvy Singer falls for Annie Hall, an aspiring singer, during a match of doubles tennis. Annie, played by Diane Keaton, is a fully fleshed-out character, very different from a typical heroine. Her unique fashion sense and refreshing world perspective seem at first to be compatible with Alvy’s anxious animation. However, Singer’s neurosis and paranoia swivel quickly from charming Annie to gobbling up their relationship, until she finally leaves him for someone else. Singer then travels to California to see if he can win Annie back.
“Chungking Express”
(1994)
Wong Kar-Wai
This movie’s two halves tell two almost separate stories—one of a young man who’s just broken up with his girlfriend and one of a fast food restaurant cashier who falls for a frequent customer who’s pining over a different woman. It’s this second story that the movie invests more time in, and Faye Wong plays a woman whose affection for policeman number 223 knows no limits. She regularly breaks into his apartment to try and spruce up his lonely life.
“Chungking Express” is also a hearty visual meal and has inspired filmmakers like Barry Jenkins, creator of the recent Oscar-winning “Moonlight.” In addition to its love stories, the movie offers a snapshot of Hong Kong just a few years before its reunification with China, and director Wong Kar-Wai colors scenes of fast-paced nightlife with the nervous energy of a city unsure of its future.
“The Brothers Bloom”
(2008)
Rian Johnson
Bloom and Stephen, played by Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo respectively, are con men who decide to pull one last heist. Things become complicated when Brody’s character falls in love with a reclusive heiress who’s been duped into helping them. Played by Rachel Weisz, Penelope is a woman who can rap, skateboard and make a camera out of a watermelon, and Bloom falls for her because of her clumsy candor. The movie also asks the viewer to consider the real meanings of the lies we tell ourselves and others, as Stephen’s cons grow more and more elaborate. “The Brothers Bloom” received mixed reviews upon its release, with many dismissing it as stale and pretentious. However, the film is sweet and interesting enough to deserve a second chance in spite of its flaws.