What Filmmakers Ought To Aspire To Create

Many movie makers follow a template that has proven successful, all in an effort to appeal to the masses. Boys and Girls is not widely regarded, but like the vast majority of romantic comedies, it follows the very same logic: It is comedy interwoven into a plot that sees boy meet girl, boy and girl fall in love, something drastic then puts said love to the test, all concluding with love prevailing and audiences treated to a happy ending. This is a concept not lost on the writer(s) of the aforementioned movie, but it is one stitched together in a rather riveting way that doesn’t make the hour and a half spent in front on the television seem so rehearsed. It is a tale that takes the entire notion of love and asks questions of it.

While the conclusion of the movie highlights the fact that love is all about taking chances and setting fears aside, the manner in which its most significant premise is framed around the odd quirk, and a talented cast and crew really renewed my faith in the movie making process. Yes, I know that romantic comedies, despite a good script, a talented ensemble of actors, and a distinct premise, is still a romantic comedy; one disposed to clichés and a predictable conclusion, but for, I believe, the very first time, I felt something unusual. It is not enough to hail the movie and rave of its ability to captivate me for its duration; I am a college sophomore hoping to pursue a career in creative writing (writing tailored for the big screen) and this movie instilled in me the belief that creativity does not have to be limited to the drivel, certainly entertaining, but frivolous drivel nonetheless that many movie makers decide to subject moviegoers to. The core element of this movie seemed REAL to me, it is of course entertaining, but it is more than a movie for moviemaking sake, it encompasses within it depth, depth and profundity, the likes of which movies seldom possess. I’ll leave it at that, I know I sound like a raving lunatic.

My point is that it is a good movie, one that, from the rant I have taken time to compile, I thoroughly enjoyed. Artists shouldn’t succumb to conventional thinking, art shouldn’t be watered down to the point that its creator has no identity, and to a point were no real meaning or value can be extracted from his or her work. I just feel that something as real and as complex as love needn’t be painted in a manner that has no substance or asks no questions. For writers, there is a fine line between over thinking love and under thinking it, the middle ground is the ground on which geniuses like Jane Austen stand. Perhaps succumbing to the “industry’s ideals” is what must be done to attain success, but art is about a lot more than money. I am not naïve enough to negate the role the almighty dollar plays, but as a writer, I know only my inner most beliefs and wishes are transferred from pen to pad. With the quality, or lack there of, in the romantic comedy genre, perhaps it is time I faced the fact that I might just be in the minority on this topic.