11.15.2010

A Dude's Guide to Chick Flicks

There are other blogs out there dedicated to movie reviews, like this one by a colleague of mine.  I call him a colleague because we work for the same organization that employs over 27,000 people.  I've met him once.

Anyway, I don't have the time, inclination, or expertise to make a meaningful contribution to the field of cinema critique.  But there seems to be a lack of guys who are willing to stand up and call it like it is... in the world of chick flicks.

I've already written about my thoughts on the genre itself, so I will just stick to sharing my opinions about the best and the worst "rom coms" from a guy's perspective.  I will even have the audacity to speak to the entire male gender in the process.

The Top Five Chick Flicks for Dudes
(or, My Five Favorite Chick Flicks)


5. What Women Want



There are tons of reasons this makes the top 5:
  • All guys have dreamed of being able to read women's minds, or for that matter, to understand them in any way.
  • It reminds us of brighter days for Mel Gibson, who was once very cool.
  • It juggles about 3 or 4 storylines at once, thus escaping the boring, predictable simplicity of most chick flicks.
  • The movie is ultimately about Nick Marshall's growth, not their relationship.

4. You've Got Mail


You've Got Mail is by far the most typical movie on this list.  That's its biggest weakness -- a very typical, linear, predictable, yet unpleasantly unrealistic plot.  However, the great performances by Hanks and Ryan allow it to still be great, and then these drawbacks become a strength.  By virtue of its being a "typical chick flick," chicks like this flick.  Meaning you can enjoy it alongside a lady, should you be so lucky.


3. Forget Paris


As you'll see, the top 3 of this list share a lot in common.  Specifically, nonlinear plots and unpredictability.  Forget Paris is an excellent example of that, plus you get the bonus of Billy Cystal's awesomeness.  He plays an NBA ref, which is also sweet.  There are great interview snippets with old married couples throughout, a plot that jumps back and forth from past to present, and a great story of love's endurance.


2. (500) Days of Summer


This movie has pretty much everything going for it.  An awesome cast (seriously, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is rising toward the top of my man-crush list... I don't keep an actual list..), a great soundtrack, wonderful animation themes, a plot that skips around through time, but more than anything else, it is raw and honest.  This is what is missing from most rom coms, and the reason I think most guys hate them -- their picture of emotions and romance doesn't line up with our actual experiences.  But in this movie, it does.


1. When Harry Met Sally


This movie contains most of the features that I mentioned for the other 4 films.  On top of all those things, WHMS just contains awesome dialogue.  Any dude can be drawn into those conversations, particularly the debate about whether or not a man and woman can be friends.  And, for the record, the answer to that question is, "No."  [Perhaps than can get its own entry!]

Dishonorable Mention
(or, the Some of the Worst Chick Flicks for Dudes)

Sweet Home Alabama - tacky, predictable
A Walk to Remember - sad; too sad
The Notebook - I hate this movie on too many levels to describe briefly
Something's Gotta Give - don't EVER see this; naked old people
Mona Lisa Smile - by women, for women, about women

Men, I hope this is helpful.  Women, I hope this helps you understand how what we think about movies typically made for you...

What do you think about chick flicks?

Jon

 

25 comments:

  1. Jon -- I love you. This blog is awesome. And I appreciate that in a family full of women, you are always willing to catch a romcom with us! =)
    A chick flick I do love is The Proposal...did you see that one? It's pretty entertaining, I'm curious what a guy's perspective is of that one!

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  2. As you know, I completely agree with "When Harry Met Sally" as #1 and the answer it gives to "can men and women be friends?", which is so clearly "no!" A movie critic actually chose "When Harry Met Sally" as his most overrated movie of the 1980s(?). He lost all credibility with me after that choice.

    I disagree with "A Walk To Remember." I thoroughly enjoyed that movie despite it being very sad.

    My dishonorable mention: "The Holiday" - I take advantage of every possible opportunity to bash this movie (much to the dismay of many women). (SPOILER ALERT) The first 95% of the movie was actually quite good. They wonderfully executed a sad, yet realistic, ending, then... the movie kept going! It ends up with the most cliche, happy ending ever. The switch from sad to happy in the final minutes was completely unjustified and totally ruined the movie for me. I was actually yelling at the TV screen things like "You don't deserve to be happy!" :p

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  3. I mean, I get that you love When Harry Met Sally, but I think 500 Days of Summer should top the list. It's just so good. It's real and raw, and the little sister is a voice of reason rarely heard in chick flicks.

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  4. I always seem to leave comments in list format, so bare with with me.

    1. Why is there such an overwhelming response (ie. 2 people) of "NO" to the guy/girl friendship question?! Yes, there can be complications, but I think it could be totally possible (examples: Jesus, Mary, and Martha; Tommy Pickles and Lil; Sacagawea and Lois and Clark.)

    2. I understand that you and Tim see predictability and happy/cliche endings as a downfall but you have to understand that that in itself is the essence of chick flicks. Its exactly why we need to watch them. Case in point, the Breakup is an excellent movie, but girls don't call each other up to hang out and pine over it because in the end it just hammers in our biggest fear that even though we want someone who WANTS to wash the dishes for us, there is a good chance that no such boy exists.
    Face it. We were raised on Fairy Tales with happy endings, you can't expect anything less of us now that we are a few years older.
    AAAND, if you really want a tangent, this desire for sappiness and cliches is in fact our curse. So since Adam wasn't there to keep the snake from convincing us that eating the fruit was a good idea, just deal with the fact that you are going to be there while we attempt to convince you that Orlando Bloom is a good actor (which I actually disagree with, but it fit well in my attempt to prove a point).

    3. Amazing movies: Love Actually, Fried Green Tomatoes, Roman Holiday, Definitely Maybe, and Pretty Woman. And lets throw in 10 Things I Hate About, you as well.

    4. Everyone deserves to be happy, Tim. :P

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  5. @Jen: The Proposal is fantastic! If this list were a Top 10 (or even a Top 6), it would be here. Betty White is awesome, and I like Ryan Reynolds in that movie, too.

    @Tim: Right on, dude.

    @Kirstin: I know. Deciding between the two was pretty much impossible. When in doubt, I go with the classic.

    @Kate: Nice response! I can't view your profile, so I have no idea who you are. Davis? I will respond to your points--

    1. I think I will write an entire blog entry about this question, so I won't say anything now. But I like your examples.

    2. Hey, 4 out of the 5 movies on my list have happy endings! I like them! But not when the whole movie boringly, predictably leads to that moment. Also, I understand that girls like those types of movies, which is why this list is for dudes and why You've Got Mail is somewhat of an anomaly.

    3. I've only seen one of those movies -- Definitely Maybe -- and I agree it's really good. If this were a Top 7 list...

    4. Interesting question -- do fictional characters deserve to be happy? Regardless, I can agree that Tim should be less of a curmudgeon. :)

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  6. Dude. The Notebook is legit... Im offended... haha jk

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  7. I like all of your dishonorable movies more than the winners.

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  8. Yea. Its Davis. I don't have a profile, nor do I really know how it decided to just display my first name. Oh well. But to keep the list going:

    1. I will look for said blog, and you can probably expect me to comment on it.

    2. Your list is great. And I do understand its for guys. I just felt this overwhelming need to defend the arguments Tim had against the Holiday for some reason (even though its not necessarily on my top 10 list).

    3. I'm pretty confident that those movies will jeopardize the standings on your current top 5. Consider yourself invited to our next Girls Night. Expect to become fully educated on my top 5(6)list.

    4.No real comment back here. Just felt compelled to end with the original even number.

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  9. Law school severely dampens one's ability to comment randomly on internet-things.

    But to the point - I have seen many chick flicks. I have not seen the top three on this list and so cannot comment on their placement. I have, however, seen Definitely Maybe and believe it perfectly fits your rubric and should be considered the Top Chick Flick for Dudes (with honorable mention for Chicks)

    It is not predictable - that is the very essence of the film.

    It juggles several story lines in a semi-flashback style. That they all end up to be the same story line is the superiority of the writing.

    It contains a plus cast with plus acting. That they're not all huge names is actually a bonus in my book as I can better identify with them as more realistic.

    It is a fairly realistic representation of life. Struggle between jobs and relationships, between commitment and spontaneity, between adventure and comfortability.


    That said, in the category of quality or tolerability in spite of predictability - How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Serendipity, Christmas in Connecticut, My Best Friend's Wedding, Pillow Talk and fairly high on this list as a comedy with romantic overtones but definitely a women's movie, I Was a Male War Bride, and a mystery with romantic overtones, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.

    Additionally, I'd add An Affair to Remember, Sabrina (1954) and Finding Neverland.

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  10. I feel as though I need to respond to Kate, in list form ;)

    1a. I'll wait for Jon's post to discuss that.

    2a. I agree with Jon, happy endings are fine, but only if it is believable. Many things in life don't work out, which is fine, but I think movies should reflect that, even in the Chick Flick genre. BTW, I once had a girlfriend tell me she wanted to run through fields in her dress with me and other things she had seen in a chick flick. I basically told her, "people don't actually do those things in real life." In retrospect, those may not have been the best words to choose. We broke up fairly soon after that :)

    3a. Love Actually and Fried Green Tomatoes are good.

    4a. Not Cameron Diaz and Jude Law in The Holiday :P (Full Disclosure: I had recently broken up with the aforementioned girlfriend when I watched The Holiday for the first time, so this may have contributed to my curmudgeoness. I am usually very pro-happiness.)

    1b. Ditto

    2b. I always enjoy when a girl/woman tells me that she LOVES The Holiday so that I can get in an argument about it. It brings me great joy haha, but your defense makes a lot of sense.

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  11. Also, "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days" would probably be in my Top 5. I remember enjoying that movie quite a bit... and I have somewhat of a man-crush on Matthew McConaughey.

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  12. Wow, I am upset that I have only watched 2 of the top 5 with you, Jon! What's up with that? Oh yeah, I left Pittsburgh...what's up with that?!

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  13. As a guy, I'm too lazy to read through all of the comments, but I just wanna say you got #1 correct Jon.

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  14. Lauren Bailey11/16/10, 4:10 PM

    First and foremost, I have never commented on a blog thing before, I just clicked on your link and got super excited to see this. I am a girl, obviously, but I am rather picky with my chick flicks. A lot of them suck.

    Ok, I TOTALLY agree with "When Harry Met Sally"!!! That is my favorite chick flick! It is so good! I definitely believe that some women and men can be just friends. I don't care what anyone says. Some though... can't.

    I HATE The Notebook and A Walk to Remember. Nicolas Sparks sucks! Period.

    What would you consider Jerry MacGuire? That is another one of my favorite movies of all time. It has the sports aspect for guys (and girls aka me) and the love story with absurdly cheesy, yet wonderful lines. Great film!

    I think guys can handle watching Love Actually too. It's hilarious!

    OK, I just had to give my opinion on this. I love movies!!!

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  15. @Kmech: If we needed any more proof that men and women are different, or that you and I are different, we now have it. (But seriously, come on. ALL of them? Something's Gotta Give?!?)

    @Kate: I appreciate your commitment to 4 points, and the invite to the next girls night!

    @Nick: Yeah, I love Definitely Maybe. If I added one or two more spots to the list, it would be there. And in terms of pure movie quality, I'm sure it's far better than What Women Want and You've Got Mail.

    @Tim: Right on, dude. Except for the man-crush on Matthew McConaghay (spelling irrelevant). The dude's a sleazebag.

    @Matt: Yeah dude. You answered your own question there.

    @LB: Welcome to the fray!! Great to hear your thoughts. Down with Nicholas Sparks. I honestly haven't seen Jerry McGuire for about a decade, so I don't even know what I think of it.

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  16. I feel like I jumped into this list of comments way too late and will attempt to respond to none of them, except agreeing that The Proposal is worthy. I agree with the top for the most part, especially number 2 as we have discussed prior to this post. I also think you should do a list in all genres of movies. And to agree with someone up there saying that the holiday was pretty awful except for Jude Law's face.

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  17. I'm curious, any other fans of 'Away We Go'? It's a little weird, but John Krasinski is one of a select few I could name that could contend with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in terms of man-crushes, and it's vaguely reminiscent of 500 Days of Summer in its level of honesty and authenticity. I'd love to hear more opinions...

    I'd also suggest Knight's Tale if you do in fact decide to turn this top 5 list into a top 10.

    Fantastic list though - if I had an award for most entertaining reading during work lunch break, I'd give it to you. And then go back to work.

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  18. I thought "Away We Go" was decent, but I think it tried too hard to be deep and insightful, without actually being very deep and insightful. That said, it is certainly one of the better movies if placed within the "chick flick genre."

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  19. @Amy: Welcome to tangent spaces.

    @Jeromie: Sadly, I haven't seen that one. But I've wanted to for a while -- I, too, love John Krasinski. And thanks for the pretend award!

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  20. This post is awesome but i think men and women can be friends. why not? Oh! and 500 days of summer should definitely top this list

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  21. I have a fundamental distaste for any "chick-flick" which leaves out the Author of romance, and depicts men and women pursuing romance without His love and guidance. I'm pretty sure that's all of them, but let me know if I'm missing one.

    Incidentally, for all you other single folk, read the book "When God Writes Your Love Story" and/or check out the authors' websites http://ellerslie.com or http://www.setapartgirl.com/set-apart-message.html. I discovered these recently and found them to contain exactly the view of Christian romance that God was already showing me in my times of prayer and study of the Word. If you take this stuff to heart, I promise you will not be able to view most "chick flicks" in the same light again. That being said, I welcome a romantic movie that gets it right! It could be an enormous tool for healing our broken land.

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  22. http://stuffchristianslike.net/2010/11/the-jesus-juke/

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  23. In the context of the prior comments, my comment does seem a bit jarring and could easily be taken the wrong way, so go ahead and delete it if you wish. It was not an attempt to offend in the manner you suspect. A similar comment would have fit better under your more serious-toned "singleness manifesto" entry. And I do recommend the websites and book listed. I think they answers a lot of questions you raised in that prior discussion.

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  24. No worries, anon. I'd rather not delete things. Plus this way it lets people read the hilarious Jesus Juke article. Thanks for the website recommendations!

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  25. Dude! You totally forgot Splash (1984) by Ron Howard. Great movie

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