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#Classic Romantic Comedies with Problematic Premises

“Classic Romantic Comedies with Problematic Premises”

Romantic comedies include some of the most well-known films ever, with iconic classics such as When Harry Met Sally, Pretty Woman, and Grease filling up the long roster. However, while the plot seems to be lighthearted and sweet, when one removes the rose-colored glasses and starts to notice that there are one too many offensive jokes in the dialogue, opinions can change. Filmmaker Judd Apatow is known for being brash and unapologetic when it comes to the jokes that land in his movies, and in Knocked Up, there are a few that leave viewers scratching their heads now in 2022. Here’s a short list of romantic comedies that have problematic premises, and tropes that shouldn’t necessarily be used in film anymore.


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5 Knocked Up (2007)

In 2007, Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl graced the big screen as an unexpected duo in this romantic comedy. The film depicts Alison and Ben, total opposites from each other and the result of their one-night stand is a pregnancy. For the year, it’s expected that there would be some off-putting jokes and moments that now, in 2022, wouldn’t exactly fly. Heigl even stated that she doesn’t enjoy the movie as much because of how sexist it is, says Slate. The problematic premises for this film revolve around sexism as well as the talk of abortion, and how the filmmakers handled the subject. When Alison learns she’s pregnant and tells her mother to get advice, she’s shocked to hear that her mother thinks she should terminate the pregnancy, and that she’ll be able to have a “real” baby when the time is right. Abortion is also brought up with Ben and his friends, stating that Alison should get an abortion, so he can stay carefree all the time and not have the added responsibility of a child. The talk of abortion in this film could have been handled with much more care than it was, especially since it affects so many individuals in the real world.

Related: Superbad 2 Idea Revealed by Producer Judd Apatow

4 You’ve Got Mail (1998)

When it comes down to it, You’ve Got Mail is one of the most iconic romantic comedy movies, not only because of the chemistry between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, but because of the classic enemies-to-lovers trope. It’s hard to imagine what could be problematic with a classic such as this, but it’s clear when the viewer turns their attention to the underlying fact that both Joe and Kathleen were both in relationships for the majority of the time. The intimacy and emotional relationships people form when talking every day, whether it be online or in person, is not technically “cheating”, but very much borderline. Even if one doesn’t consider that to be problematic, they both agree to meet in person, at a cozy little coffee shop! Despite both those facts, there are the comments made by Joe and his friend Kevin about Kathleen that should be considered, about her possibly being a “total dog”, and how anxious Joe gets because of that thought before he goes and meets the potential love of his life… while in a complete relationship with another woman.

3 The Break-Up (2006)

Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston star in this romantic comedy that for once, doesn’t end on a happy note, and for good reason. Brooke and Gary have that classic story of meeting at a baseball game, guy finding girl attractive because she’s into sports, and the two quickly fall in love with each other. From there, it’s revealed that the two don’t mesh well together; Gary also complains that Brooke is uptight, controlling, and never leaves him alone, while Brooke just wishes that Gary would communicate more. It’s no surprise that this movie paints a woman who wants more substance from their partner as a controlling monster, while the man should just be able to do whatever he pleases. Vince Vaughn wrote, produced, and starred in this film that has a sexist/offensive joke in every other line. The movie ends with the toxic pair going their separate ways and flourishing without each other, which is a relief.

2 Sex and the City (2008)

Sex and the City, was a successful television series that ran in 1998-2004, two movies that went to theaters, and a reboot on HBO, and is one of the most talked-about franchises when it comes to romantic comedies. However, the show is also known for its problematic issues, such as a major lack of diversity in both the shows and movies, so much so that Buzzfeed made an entire list of things that went wrong for this series. The problematic issue that’s most relevant to this article, is Carrie and Big’s relationship. Maybe it was the age gap or how different they seemed to be, but in the first Sex and the City movie, it’s clear that Big wasn’t ready or mature enough to get married to Carrie, someone with a notably huge personality and several friends. When Big leaves Carrie at the altar and blames it on her not making time for him during the wedding preparations, it’s clear that Big couldn’t communicate well enough, but it was still Carrie’s fault. When they get back together at the end, Carrie has to settle for a courtroom wedding in order for Big to be satisfied.

Related: ’90s Family Movies That Have Problematic Premises

1 The Notebook (2004)

While it might be hard to think that The Notebook has problematic issues, since it’s so highly regarded as one of the best love stories, the character of Noah, played by Ryan Gosling, is to blame for it being on this list. Right off the bat in the beginning of the film, Noah and Allie (Rachel McAdams) meet, and he wants to go out with her; she says no, several times, and he still persists after each rejection. When they’re at the same carnival, Noah intercepts her date and hangs from the top of the Ferris wheel, claiming that if she doesn’t say yes to going out with him, he would jump.

Noah essentially bullies Allie into dating him, and while some viewers might be on the defense and claim that Noah was just pining after Allie, and how it’s just a guy chasing a girl… when in reality it’s a common trope for men to chase after women, even after they express zero interest in them, because they simply can. It’s explained throughout the film that the pair fight all the time; the montage scenes where they’re arguing result in them passionately making up, so of course that makes it okay. The Notebook is certainly a classic, but shouldn’t be regarded as the perfect love story, or as a guide for how one wants their relationship to go.

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