Is not it romantic? Director and screenwriter talk about romantic comedy Tropes

Is not it romantic, the eagerly awaited parody of rom-com starring Rebel Wilson, Priyanka Chopra and Liam Hemsworth was unveiled today. It is centered on Natalie (Wilson), a woman who finds herself stuck in a romantic comedy – and all the grumpy overflows that go with it. You know exactly what we are talking about: in this alternate universe, Natalie has an apartment far too expensive for twenty years, a best gay friend who is there just to help advance the plot, and a love interest so great the rest is important.

But do not get me wrong Is not it romantic for the rom-coms of 2003. The brains behind this movie are perfectly aware of the existence of these tropes, that's why they included them. The director (Todd Strauss-Schulson) and the screenwriters (Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox and Katie Silberman) actually subvert stereotypes in Is not it romantic and, therefore, bring back the genre in 2019.

Of course, this required some research, but Strauss-Schulson, Cardillo, Fox, and Silberman quickly became experts in the tropes of romantic comedy. Below, they tell us which ones they like – and which they most want to make fun of – in Is not it romantic?

Todd Strauss-Schulson, Director:

Before I'm ready to lead Is not it romantic? I watched 80 romantic comedies in a row. I became a little crazy, but my heart became more and more tender from day to day. Obviously, I had already seen romantic comedies, but I wanted to become an expert. The idea was to decipher the code and see what story and visuals were used over and over again.

I wanted to break rom-com's genome and isolate textures and tropes so I could rebuild them into something fresh and modern for our film. I found a lot of strange things beyond the famous "gay best friend who has no other purpose than to take care of the main character" and tries to "clothing fitting" ". For example, did you know that there are a lot of crustaceans in romantic comedies? That's true, but why? Maybe because seafood is an aphrodisiac? Who knows, but there are many.

One of the most consistent visuals – and when I say consistent, I mean I was scared to see it when I saw it repeating itself in all the movies – was a half-moon window. Like that:

Wherever I went back, they were there. In the offices of Bridget Jones, A hard worker, and What women Want. In a restaurant in Perfect image. Front and center in the apartments in When Harry meets Sally and Honorary.

I did a little deep dive and found two interesting potential answers. First, half-moon windows are also called glbades and Merriam-Webster says that there is evidence that the word is used to refer to a "little moon". (Although this meaning is now obsolete.) The moon is often badociated with a deep connection with women. It is therefore logical that they be subliminally placed in this particular genre.

In the tarot, the arches symbolize beginnings, initiations and ceremonies of renewal. Walking through an arch represents the abandonment of the old and entering a new phase of life. It looks a lot like a rom-com plot for me! These characters open up to love, get out of their comfort zone … and can even get married.

Moons have cycles and genres too. Rom-coms are coming back, and we hope Is not it romantic? becomes one of your new favorites.

Erin Cardillo, scriptwriter:

My favorite novel is The Realize and Run. In general, when you realize that you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. (Thanks, Harry, see: Nora Ephron.) At the time when mobile phones existed, this trope made sense. You suddenly realize that you are in love with someone – after being upset for most of the movie – but you can not call them to tell them because the landlines are stupid. Moreover, they are not at home. In fact, your interlocutor is probably at the airport, he just pbaded the security, ready to take the flight for "I never come back, and you can not find me." In most cases, they find themselves nondenominational church about to marry the wrong person and they are totally against the cancellation.

So you have to run. Quick! Cars are as stupid as phones. Fortunately, you do not have back pain – or if you do, it was designed in this way to produce a comical effect. Nevertheless, you can run and you are able to cross all the absurd obstacles that are in your way. You must do that! This is the closest thing to an action sequence that the public will have in most romantic comedies, and it is essential to reinvest it in your happy ending before your big and perfect "I love you" speech. A speech that, although often imperfect and totally cliché, is, after your epic epic, always quite freakin 'satisfying.