11th
Isn't it romantic? Kim Brown's favorite (overlooked) romcoms
Ah, to be young and in love.
To me, summer is one of the best times for a romantic comedy, but to the Hollywood Powers That Be, the season mostly means superheroes, digitally animated wonders and Will Smith.
Not that there’s anything wrong with these mainstays - I loved “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk,” and I’ll probably attend a 6 a.m. viewing of “The Dark Knight” if they offer one.
But it just wouldn’t be summer without a charming meet-cute, a good love-hate relationship, or a wacky set of circumstances that brings two flawed but lovable characters together onscreen for eternity.
Sadly, this summer doesn’t seem to have much more to offer in the romcom arena. So here are a few of my favorite, underrated romantic comedies, in no particular order – films that either critics or audiences have, in my humble opinion, shamefully neglected.
These movies might not be on the big screen anymore, but a flat screen TV will do just fine.:
“Down with Love” (2003). This throwback to the Doris Day/Rock Hudson era starring Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor is cheeky, a bit silly and oh, so clever. And, it knows it. Zellweger shines as an ahead-of-her-time female self-help author in one of the most sublime settings created in films – 1962 New York City. She meets her match when she tries to catch the city’s biggest cad played by McGregor. The critical consensus was that the pair had no chemistry. Phooey. Aside from the stars’ terrific comedic timing and a clever script, it is a movie made for movie-lovers.
“Two Weeks Notice.” (2002). Again, critics say “poor chemistry,” but the audiences flocked to this rom-com (it grossed $93 million at the box office). In fact, I believe Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant have such stellar chemistry in this movie, that I’ve said more than once I could watch them all day. The plot’s simple: he’s a crazy rich person and she’s his exasperated attorney. Grant is at the top of his leading-man form here, and Bullock is one of the few actresses quick enough to keep up with him over the years.
“Blast From the Past” (1999). Sissy Spacek and Christopher Walken also win the “I-could-watch-them-all-day” award in this strange, but funny romcom. Brenden Fraser is their son, Adam, who has spent the first 35 years of his life in the family’s fallout shelter. Once he comes up for air, Adam meets Eve (Alicia Silverstone) but it’s no paradise. The film’s refreshing, old-fashioned charm combined with excellent writing by Bill Kelly (who also wrote “Enchanted”) makes it a winner.
“Gidget” (1959). I’m talking about the original, Sandra Dee-helmed “Gidget” here. Of course it’s not “From Here to Eternity,” but it’s a movie I’ve seen dozens of times since I first rented it at Popingo Video in the 1980s. What can I say? Dee is perfect as a peach as the awkward surfer wannabe, Francie. The boys nickname her Gidget - half girl/half little person (the rhyming ‘m’ word is no longer kosher). By the end, no matter how many times I’ve seen it, I’m still holding my breath, waiting for Moondoggie to come to his senses.
