Big Love

Who do you envy? Interior designers and people who can bake

At some point I realized I needed the art form that is the romantic comedy, or rom com, back in my life. Its job was to fill two hours of my day, make me laugh, and remind me that love (no matter how ridiculous) exists.

For example, a ridiculous set up and meet cute is evident in Love in the Villa (2022, Netflix). A woman obsessed with the story of Romeo and Juliet finally takes her dream vacation to Verona, Italy, the site of the famed Shakespeare story. She rents a villa that shares a courtyard with the balcony off of Juliet’s room. You know the one..Juliet delivers her famous lines from this balcony “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” Trouble is, and meet cute scenario, the villa is double booked. With a handsome stranger. Though ridiculous and silly, the best part of this rom com was when the two strangers declare war on each other, with the aim of getting the other to leave so they can have the villa to themselves. Ridiculous and silly, but very funny too.

Another creative set up for a rom com is found in The Book of Love (2022, Prime Video). A novelist is struggling to sell books or get people to book events in his hometown, London. However, he becomes a best-selling author in Mexico and is sent to do press for his book at sold out events. The secret to his success is the addition of passionate love scenes by the book’s Spanish translator. Who is single, as is the author. That’s the set up. The best part of this film is the British humor and reactions of the serious author while his audience and fans are cheering on the racier bits of his novel, which he is unaware of. The second best part is the blatant honesty of the Mexican heroine.

Another fun Italian rom com is Out of My League (2020, Netflix). The set up is a bit more tragic, a girl with a rare genetic disease is told by her doctor to find meaning to live and to make the most of the time she has left. So when she comes across a handsome Italian man she decides to make him her new inspiration. Eventually she gets him to agree to a date with her. It goes horribly and yet that is the beginning of their meet cute moment. This film reminded me of Amelie (2001) at times. The best part is the way the main character so rawly puts it all on the line.

And, (spoiler alerts), the other best part is the good old fashioned rom com ending of true love:)