Dramedy or Comedy-Lite?
2006 saw the release of both The Breakup, a mostly unfunny, almost-too-authentic tale of a couple splitting up, as well as Stranger Than Fiction, a mostly unfunny, but sweet, gentle story of redemption and what it means to really live. I don't dislike either movie, but I have to say, I'm a little surprised that two of the classier (read: attracted great casts 30+ and were clearly targeting grown-ups) pictures of the year would walk this tonal line.
The kicker is, both of these movies have comic premises. They've just got great comic hooks. Instead, each movie went for something that was, perhaps, more interesting... but definitely less funny. What is this, as a genre? Unsuccessful comedy? Successful dramedy?
I was disappointed by both films, because to me, many a dramedy is just a comedy lacking self-esteem. Imagine if these films had kept their story structures, and their great characters, and their strong thematic threads, and been funny.
They'd be elevated from "might rent" to "must own".
It can be done. Groundhog Day. 40 Year-Old Virgin. Sideways. Little Miss Sunshine. About a Boy. Any one of them could have had their comic teeth extracted, and a solid story would remain. Instead, they reached higher.
With their comic teeth. Or something. You know what I mean.
The kicker is, both of these movies have comic premises. They've just got great comic hooks. Instead, each movie went for something that was, perhaps, more interesting... but definitely less funny. What is this, as a genre? Unsuccessful comedy? Successful dramedy?
I was disappointed by both films, because to me, many a dramedy is just a comedy lacking self-esteem. Imagine if these films had kept their story structures, and their great characters, and their strong thematic threads, and been funny.
They'd be elevated from "might rent" to "must own".
It can be done. Groundhog Day. 40 Year-Old Virgin. Sideways. Little Miss Sunshine. About a Boy. Any one of them could have had their comic teeth extracted, and a solid story would remain. Instead, they reached higher.
With their comic teeth. Or something. You know what I mean.
posted by Jennica at 3:59 p.m.
2 Comments:
I don't know what Stranger Than Fiction was, but I liked it. The Breakup was very funny during the first half or so and then it changed tone or course or something. It went from laugh-out-loud-funny to meh. What a shame.
I found this column completely on the money, Jennica.
I've seen Groundhog Day, The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Sideways (one of the decade's best so far), Little Miss Sunshine and About a Boy.
I haven't seen The Breakup or Stranger Than Fiction and really have no plans to. This in spite of several favorable reviews, and the fact that I tend to blast flicks that exhibit no tolerance for reality, the ones that just do jokes.
Yet every review I've read of these two says the same thing you did. "Good, but not funny." This is not what you want to hear when you're on the fence about watching something starring Will Ferrell or Vince Vaughn.
I hate the word "dramedy". All the movies or TV shows I've heard use that term were never funny.
What this says to me is that in my own writing, I should pick a track - drama or comedy - and not veer off it. That only results in a wreck.
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