It’s nice to see Reuters covering the most important issues: According to the wire service, a psychological study shows that men like romantic movies almost as much as women do. The prof running the survey says studio execs should stop referring to some films as "chick flicks" and that usually, men and women make the decision together to see a romantic film. What? Is that like when the girl says "We’re gonna go see this" and the guy says "Fine"? Because I’m pretty sure the guy isn’t saying, "Yes, I too would very much like to see Jack Black as a romantic lead. Let’s definitely go see The Holiday [pictured, with Kate Winslet and Black]. And after that, if you don’t mind, I’d love to talk about my feelings over hot cocoa. Scatter the votives!"
Just kidding—I’ve actually witnessed many instances of men liking romantic movies. One of said men was watery-eyed for three whole minutes after we saw Love Actually in the theater. True story. Or not. Maybe I was lying. Maybe some of the guys in that survey lied, too. So tell us, guys—did they? Or are the sexes more alike in their movie tastes than we ever imagined? And if so, won’t it be kind of a drag to ditch so many of our favorite outdated stereotypes?
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I think there is a difference between a “chick flick” and a romantic comedy.
A romantic comedy has two romantic leads that, through comedic circumstances, eventually end up together. For example, “How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days,” “The Holiday,” or “Fever Pitch.”
A chick flick usually lacks males at all and focuses more on girl power/female bonding/friendship stuff. For example, “Because I Said So,” “Hanging Up,” “The Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood,” “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” etc.
It boils down to this: most men like romantic movies when they’re good (“When Harry Met Sally,” “Titanic,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”), most women still like them even when they’re god-awful (“What Women Want,” “Must Love Dogs,” “Sweet Home Alabama”).
Ben, your theory was fine until you put “Titanic” in the good movie category.
Samantha and Ben both made great points. Most guys probably don’t mind the good romantic comedies. I think they sit through the bad ones for the reward that usually follows…
I enjoy a good romantic comedy. Go to quite a few each year, even by myself. It is like most genre, a lot of it is simple formula crap but there are gems to be found.
I agree with Ben and Samantha. I like all of the Nora Ephron movies(WHen Harry Met Sally, Sleepless In Seattle, You got Mail) And I usually hate the movies that are aimes at men, such as Sylvester Stallone’s, Steven Segal, and Chuck Norris. Thankfully, those movies don’t get made anymore
“Scatter the votives!” Annie, you just made my day!
I’m not feeling that argument at all. I hate cheesy romantic flicks where the guy wants the ugly woman who’s pretty on the inside. Or the even lamer one where a beautiful woman falls for a schmucky guy because he’s nice. Can’t stand ‘em a bit. Exemptions exist of course, as Office Space and Tao of Steve might be considered romantic comedies by some…
Clearly there was something in the koolaid when the study was done.
Since no one knows who I really am on here…..yes…..yes men do. I have Love Actually, The Last Kiss, and stuff like that in my collection.
Count me OUT of any romantic comedy that involves Matthew McConaughey. Who decided that this guy was funny. I don’t even like him as the romantic lead. Stick with drama, please. Anyhoo, I’d say guys like romantic movies, they just don’t shout it out to the world. I’ve definitely caught some with Love Actually on dvd.
My VERY limited DVD collection, alphabetically, Blair Witch, Die Hard, For Love Of The Game, Heat, LOVE ACTUALLY, Matrix, Seven, Shawshank Redemption, oh yea, my xmas present to myself, Moonlighting Seasons 1-4. Love Actually is one of the greatest “romantic” movies EVER! Maybe it’s because Keira Knightly is my future wife (FYI, she was 16! gulp, when it was made) And the theme music is in heavy rotation on my iPod. Yes, men do like GOOD romantic movies.
I like romantic comedies, because what what happens after I watch them with my wife
Yes, we like romantic comedies (I myself own Love Actually, Serendipity, Pretty Woman, and a few others). The secret, though, is that guys like romantic comedies with A) good, respectable male leads (see Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle or You’ve Got Mail, or Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally), and B) movies where the “comedy” doesn’t get short-shrift to the “romance.” Make us laugh consistently, and we won’t feel ashamed of enjoying the “romance.”
my parents are a walking contradiction. my mom’s favorite movie? Rambo: first blood. My dad’s? Dirty Dancing. Also i came home from work one day to see my father looking sad and distant on our front porch. I asked my mom what was wrong and she said “oh, we just watched the notebook. He said he needed to go out there and recover from it. “
Why can’t a man like a romantic comedy? I’m a woman and I usually HATE chick flicks–my favorite movies are of the horror genre. To each their own, I say.
Men might psychologically enjoy rom-coms as much as women, but I don’t think Hollywood should change their marketing. What seems to be overlooked here is that there is a difference between enjoying a film and actually wanting to spend money to see a film. I’m sure guys might enjoy rom-coms when they are watching them with their girlfriend, but would a group of guys ever get together to watch a “chick-flick”?
For me, it has everything to do with quality and nothing to do with gender. The problem with the whole “chick-flick” designation is that it typically links women with awful movies. It’s the same with “guy-movies.” Chances are, if a movie is marketed towards a specific gender in this way, it’s usually becuase it’s a crap-fest to begin with. The entire “chick-flick”/”guy-movie” way of thinking about film is off-kelter to begin with. All it does is reinforce gender stereotypes and insult both men and women.
For me, it has everything to do with quality and nothing to do with gender. The problem with the whole “chick-flick” designation is that it typically links women with awful movies. It’s the same with “guy-movies.” Chances are, if a movie is marketed towards a specific gender in this way, it’s usually becuase it’s a crap-fest to begin with. The entire “chick-flick”/”guy-movie” way of thinking about film is off-kelter to begin with. All it does is reinforce gender stereotypes and insult both men and women.
I and the men I know like good movies, period. And a chick flick is almost never good because it’s formulaic, manipulative, and cloying. These films seem to be aimed directly at the lowest possible common denominator.
Same for “men’s” movies, which are often lowest common denominator, filled with laughable stereotypes and storylines that can be guessed completely within the first 2 minutes.
Romantic comedies aren’t necessarily “chick flicks”. I thoroughly enjoyed “As Good As It Gets”, “When Harry Met Sally” and many others. However, I will never forgive whoever forced me to watch “Thelma and Louise” and “A League of Their Own”.
I do like some romantic comedies as long as they are not necessarily directed towards dissing us or are not full of double standards.
wow, next they’ll be saying that chicks like action films.
I’m with Karla…I just like movies that are good, period. If it happens to be a romantic comedy, a musical, a horror flick, a shoot-em up, who cares? I enjoy movie, and if they’re told in an interesting way, then I’ll watch it. As other people mention, the problem here is that most romantic comedies are painfully formulaic and predictable. In those cases, my enjoyment depends on how much I personally like the leads and how strong the supporting characters are (another cliche…the wacky best friends of the guys and girls)
I think some men do enjoy “chick flicks”. Although in this society, men admitting to liking movies involving feelings is very rare. My dad picked “In Her Shoes” at the video story and we all enjoyed it, my husband included. Maybe someday they will stop referring to these movies as “chick flicks” and all that the term implies.
Romantic comedies are like any other film genres. I like the good ones. But, there have been so many bland sappy copies. I usually stay away. Eternal Sunshine was the only one I’ve seen in awhile. It was brilliant.
It’s the same with all kinds of movies — a good romantic comedy can be great. I liked the Holiday (although just watching the ads for Failure to Launch was enough to make me gag). There is a fundamental gender difference, though — girls tend to forgive anything, ANYTHING, if the guy and girl kiss at the end. And they won’t accept the movie as good unless that happens. (Case in point: I loved In Good Company, although a couple of girls I know slammed it for the sole reason that Topher Grace and Scarlett Johansson didn’t end up together.) Guys just like it if the movie’s funny enough to distract them from the fact that they’re watching what everyone calls a Chick Flick.
I don’t usually cry but I do enjoy some chick flicks. I’m not saying the ones I’ve enjoyed are good, but that I liked them. Such as “Something’s Gotta Give.”
Only time I’ve cried since I finished middle school was “Brokeback.” Is that a chick flick?
I find it funny that many of the guys here are citing “Love Actually” as one of the few “respectable” rom-com/chick-flick whatever you want to call thems, that they actually like. Because I’m a girl, I like smart romatic comedies as much as the next girl, (and can usually bring myself to watch a crappy chick-flick, but then completely regret it when it’s not at all funny) but I HATED Love Actually. And I think I’m the only person I’ve ever met who felt that way. I found it insulting and mean spirited. They went on and on about the so-called fat chick who gets the prime minister and kept cracking fat jokes. It seemed like at the end of the story, it was like, everyone deserves love, actually, except for ugly/fat people. They deserve to die alone, the miserable lazy bastrds that they are. I really really did not like that cruel and (disengenuously) heartless movie!
This is a very nice post, and I want to see how others react to this.
Ashly
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