Is there anything more soul crushing than entering the theater to see a romantic comedy these days?
The Hanks/Ryan era is long gone, leaving us with one convoluted romantic farce after another.
Consider these inane plots trotted out for our amusement:
* A woman tries to woo – and then dump – a new beau in less than two weeks (“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”)
* A bounty hunter must bring in his ex-wife but ends up falling in love with her all over again during the chase (“The Bounty Hunter”)
* A man is cursed by being the person women date just before they meet their true love (“Good Luck Chuck”)
* Parents hire a woman to make their 30-something son move out of their house (“Failure to Launch”)
Not funny. Not romantic. Not even close to anything resembling reality. It’s no wonder the best romances on screen lately involve two fellas.
The best of the new “bromance” breed remains “I Love You, Man,” a smart, hilarious take on male bonding. This weekend, “The Dilemma” offers up a new version of the modern bromance. Vince Vaughn plays a man who sees his best friend’s wife (Winona Ryder) making out with a young stallion (Channing Tatum). Should Vaughn’s character tell his bud (Kevin James), or will the news destroy the man’s marriage and duo’s friendship?
And, most important, will the boys hug it out before the credits roll?
In today’s cinema, swearing devotion to your best male friend means never having to say you’re sorry.
(Photo: Kevin James and Vince Vaughn play buddies with a secret between them in “The Dilemma.”)
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
This scene alone is the reason I LOVE YOU, MAN is the best bromance ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOckQm-TpWk
Kevin James and Winona Ryder play a married couple in “The Dilemma”? Are you sure it’s a romantic comedy, Mr. Toto? Sounds more like science fiction to me.
Heavyset male stars routinely score with beautiful woman on screen … one reason why the otherwise mediocre “Just Wright” with Queen Latifah was so refreshing.
Your point is still well taken!
Yup, much more realistic (OK, slightly) was James’ pairing on The King of Queens with Leah Remini. Hmmm, also Vaughn’s wife in Old School. Why does my mind think like this?
CT, where do you put 40 Year Old Virgin in the “bromance” category? Sure, more about involvements with the opposite sex, but a fair amount of male bonding as well.
I would also say “Superbad” and “The Hangover” qualify as well. Good call Eric, it might be that “40 Year Old Virgin” started the bromance trend. (At least in my memory, doing no research.) And the professional says?
Superbad’s final scene with the two leads all but declaring their love for each other – platonic, of course – makes it a bromance classic.
I think the love story in 40 Year Old V overshadows the male bonding seen elsewhere in the film
Personally, I can’t stand the qualifier “bromance”. Mostly because it sounds like a term hipsters and poser wannabe hipsters throw around to make themselves sound like they’re in the know. The moniker “buddy film” isn’t much better but I prefer it to “bromance”.
That said, I couldn’t agree more. It appears that these seem to be the only films working today. The whole Rom Com market needs a serious re-evaluation, but more likely there will be a minor Rom Com hit in the next year or so, and then every studio will be tripping over themselves to copy it. Such is life in the movies.
OK, I’ll accept the “de-nied” on 40 Year Old Virgin, but throwing in Role Models (I, for one, love it) and Dinner for Schmucks as nominees, can I at least get Paul Rudd some sort of crown as the king of this category?
Oh, Tink, while readily admitting admitting the larger opposite sex storylines in it, I think even something like American Pie had a decent amount of male bonding as well. Gladly playing by our host’s guidlines, though, I’m going with Old School as (and please pardon the usage) the godfather of the modern buddy/bromance movies.
I totally forgot about “Role Models,” Eric! Thanks for the reminder. And I loooove Paul Rudd. Is comedic treasure too strong of praise? Maybe, but I love him in just about everything I have seen him in. Good call on “Old School” too. A friend of my daughter’s gave her a box of old t-shirts and I had to laugh when the first one she wore was a red Speaker City shirt.
It took me awhile to warm up to Rudd, but Role Models and I Love You, Man sealed the deal.
Mrs. WWTW would leave me in the dust if Rudd suddenly got single!
And after watching the two movies you mentioned I can’t really blame her …
What about “Hot Tube Time-machine”? Bro and then some.