Why Are Romantic Comedies Bombing Lately? - Morning Glory (2010) Discussion

[–] jltyler 14 years ago

Except this movie isn't a romantic comedy, and doesn't fit into the same category as the other movies you mentioned.

If McAdams was in an actual romantic comedy with Jake Gyllenhaal or Ryan Reynolds (not to mention Ryan Gosling), the movie would have attracted the under-25s and opened with at least $18 million. However, with all the ads featuring Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton along with Rachel, it's clear to females under 25 that this is not a romantic comedy and they're staying away.

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[–] drock689 14 years ago

I don't know if I agree with that. While this might not be a romantic comedy, it certainly was marketed as one. In the trailers an attractive plucky young woman (played by a well known actress) is seen struggling at her high profile job, and making out with an attractive man. That screams romantic comedy to me. While it might be more accurately referred to as a workplace-comedy/drama, i'm sure to the casual viewer this is a romantic comedy.

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[–] jltyler 14 years ago

Most casual viewers check in with the internet and even visit this website when they're thinking about seeing a movie. And just looking at the poster (no sign of the attractive man) would have told them that this movie is not a rom-com. Casual viewers looking for a rom-com would say to themselves, where's the attractive man?

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] Everwoodfanforever 14 years ago

Was Life As We know It a bomb? What was the budget on that film, because it doesn't seem like a bomb to me. Morning Glory doesn't seem like a bomb to me either. Jonah Hex is what I would consider a bomb or Jennifer Aniston's The Switch.

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[–] drock689 14 years ago

Compared to 27 Dresses it vastly underperformed.

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[–] Everwoodfanforever 14 years ago

I guess it underperformed compared to that movie, but I would still not call it a bomb.

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] saschatuchardt 14 years ago

The Switch, on a 19 million budget, grossed 27 million in the US, 44 million worldwide. Not a hit. Not a bomb.

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[–] Everwoodfanforever 14 years ago

So I guess that movie wasn't a bomb either, which means Life As We Know it definitely wasn't.

38 million budget, grossed 50 million in the US, and 84 million worldwide.

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[–] jltyler 14 years ago

I know that boxofficemojo.com gives the production budget for The Switch at $19 million, but given the cast, I'd say the studio is either lying or it's a misprint.

Also, I notice that it stayed in theatres for 12 weeks. Assuming Morning Glory has a similar run, it has 11 weeks and 4 days, plus its theatrical run in the rest of the world to at least break even.

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[–] Bulldog_Braddock 14 years ago

Morning Glory's production budget was $40 million (probably another $15 million on advertising) and it needs to roughly make double that to even out. Unless there is spectacular word of mouth, it's looking bomb-esque.

Life as We Know it has a similar budget and has made around $50 million so far. Definitely not a bomb, but not a great success either.

You're absolutely right about Jonah Hex though. $50 million budget and made as much money in its entire theatrical run as Morning Glory did in its opening weekend.

If you think 1 political party is exclusively evil, I probably don't care about your opinion.

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[–] jltyler 14 years ago

Don't forget the rest of the world. Why do we americans always forget the rest of the world? Their money is just as good as hours. In some cases way better.

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[–] jltyler 14 years ago

dlandcher, I agree with what you said. Except there were also some funny elements in the trailer.

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[–] drock689 14 years ago

Perhaps I misspoke in calling it a romantic comedy. It is more of a "chick flick." But any theories on why chick flicks are flopping lately?

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[–] Cinema_Love 14 years ago

The movie comes out during a tough period... Harry Potter is out next wednesday and big horror movies were the highlight last month. Plus, people are much into fast-food movies than this one that will make you think even if it's a comedy ! Truly a great film !!

Last Movies: - Morning Glory - 4/5
- Unstoppable - 3/5
- Conviction - 4/5
- R.E.D. - 4/5

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[–] jltyler 14 years ago

I'd hate to think that movies like this will stop being made because the audience for them is sitting at home complaining that "they" aren't making movies like this anymore.

Fortunately, audiences in countries like France, Belgium and Italy(particularly France) still show up for chick-flicks, even though they make a lot of them themselves.

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] jltyler 14 years ago

That's true. Eastwood's Hereafter is tanking even with all the hype he gets as director, a sci-fi theme, and Matt Damon. It's on my Netflix list.

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[–] Cinema_Love 14 years ago

People prefers Jackass, you will see in 2020, Jackass 10- in 4D... the Wheel Chair attacks !!

Last Movies: - Morning Glory - 4/5
- Unstoppable - 3/5
- Conviction - 4/5
- R.E.D. - 4/5

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[–] jltyler 14 years ago

" Jackass 10- in 4D... the Wheel Chair attacks !!"

Hahaha... I'm laughing with tears in my eyes.

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[–] lambiepie-2 14 years ago

People prefers Jackass, you will see in 2020, Jackass 10- in 4D... the Wheel Chair attacks !!

To be honest, I am one of those folks who has seen the Jackass movies. The reason why...I also have seen the Faces of Death films too. I've watched Evil Knievel on TV while growing up and occasionally I turn into NASCAR and the INDY 500 to see if anyone crashes. But none of this is a habit for tomorrow I'll go and see a love story starring Quasimodo if it interests me.

Ya never can tell what a consumer will actually watch....

"The World is so full of crap, why bother wiping your behind."

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[–] jltyler 14 years ago

I think the vast majority of the audience for the Jackass movies are males, 12-39, and that very few of them would also go to see a girl-power workplace movie unless some form of bribery was involved.

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[–] Cinema_Love 14 years ago

And i don't judge you for that ! You have 100% right of watching this movie ! It's just that it's not really a film, much more of a documentary/stunt movie ! I don't say it's bad, it's just that i found it quite embarassing to see that it's this kind of movie that people want to see, and specially that the studios make them pay a 3$ more (and the reason they were first the 1st week too at the Box-Office), when the 3-D is almost inexistant ! That is pure marketting !

Last Movies: - Morning Glory - 4/5
- Unstoppable - 3/5
- Conviction - 4/5
- R.E.D. - 4/5

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[–] lambiepie-2 14 years ago

It's not that...

I think that the business of predicting what people like..isn't a business anymore. We like what we like. What that is, executives do not 'really' know so put out entertainment and see what clicks.

There is not any "bona fide" (gosh I hate writing while 'speedy'/sleepy!)box office stars anymore, in my view, those days are over. There are some actors and actresses audiences will consider strongly, but I cannot name many actor/actress with "top billing" appeal that will automatically bring in audiences like in the 'old' days. There has to be that draw actor/actress in conjunction with more. Directors and Producers and Studios are filling that void. I mean if you say, Pixar has come out with a film, or Spielberg, Scorsese, Lucas, Scott, Abrams, Nolan, etc., with a combination of names...people tend to respond to a film more. Especially if it is genre related. I mean we love Scorsese gangster land films but would scratch out heads at a G rated Scorsese fantasy animation featuring fairies and cute woodland creatures. Sad, but true. (Hugo Cabret has people scratching their heads. Why shouldn't Scorsese look into other genres? Will it work?)

Audiences seem like a combination of things, and I think audiences really go for comedies, animation, action, horror and fantasy...done right. A story is more important than effects. Ground breaking effects and a spell bounding story brings them in all the time -- chick flick or guy flick. Audiences are always searching. And want to discover someone new too..especially at the high movie prices.

"The World is so full of crap, why bother wiping your behind."

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] jltyler 14 years ago

And King of Comedy was the only good one in the bunch!

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[–] jltyler 14 years ago

I think you're right about there being very few bona fide box office stars anymore and that it depends on the type of film they're in and the storyline. Kristen Stewart only makes money for the studio when she's in a Twilight movie. Same goes for guy who plays Edward. Oddly, 60-year-old Meryl Streep comes the closest to being a box office star these days.

I think the answer is lower budgets. In Morning Glory, Harrison Ford's paycheck was probably what bumped the budget up too high. Rachel gets about $5 million per movie. If Jeff Golblum had played Ford's role the budget would've probably come down by $5-6 million.

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[–] Bulldog_Braddock 14 years ago

Actually, from what I've heard, Ford took a paycut for this film. Not sure what the final figure was though.

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[–] jltyler 14 years ago

If it was a pay cut relative to his Indiana Jones fee, it was still considerably more than McAdams got. His paycheck is the only reason I can think of why this movie cost $40 million to make.

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] Bulldog_Braddock 14 years ago

Men haven't had balls in TV or film for quite some time. Think of any sitcom with a blundering father or a movie where guys chase anything in a skirt. Not saying that isn't true in some cases or that there aren't exceptions, but its a little ridiculous sometimes.

If you think 1 political party is exclusively evil, I probably don't care about your opinion.

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[–] yoweetobin 14 years ago

I find it difficult to answer this question, but I can say why I am lately not interested in recent romantic comedies (by the way, I don't think that "Morning Glory" is a romantic comedy, and is therefore not related to my following response).

1. Cardboard Mary-Sue characters- Hollywood seems to think that by making the female lead quirkily klutzy, adorably clueless, with a "trendy" job, seemingly hopeless with men- despite being incredibly well-dressed and beautiful (not that fashionable and attractive women don't have relationship troubles), and seemingly no real challenges in her life other than that she doesn't have a boyfriend, that she is automatically a protagonist that women can relate to and will enjoy watching. What this actually does is make her entirely forgettable- not to mention more than often a little unsympathetic.

2. Rehashed and tired plotlines- The coworker/partner in crime set-up (The Ugly Truth, The Bounty Hunter, Knight and Day, Killers). The Workaholic/manipulative control freak scenario (Post-Grad, 27 Dresses, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days). Actually, I can't think of anymore overused subgenres within modern romantic comedies. Most of those made within the past decade fit somewhere within these two groups.

3. Less than memorable lead actresses- Katherine Heigl, Kristen Bell, Kate Hudson, etc. I'm not saying that these are altogether poor actresses. However, they haven't made the impact in their roles that women such as Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts, two actresses known for their more memorable romcoms, have.

4. Stock character, recycled male leads- Josh Duhamel, Mathew McConaughey, Gerard Butler, Ashton Kutcher. Actors known less for skill and charisma and more for their appearence playing men who basically are their looks- and nothing else. I realize that because it is a romantic comedy, it is nice to have an attractive male lead. However, it would hurt to have one that can act and bring dimension to his character, as well.

And there you have it. Why I don't watch recent romantic comedies. The ones I've seen have unfortunately turned me off of them. I really miss the days of good romcoms, because when done well, they can be incredibly clever, funny, moving, and wonderful to watch. I wish there were more films like Bridget Jones Diary, When Harry Met Sally,What's Up Doc?, While You Were Sleeping, and Kate and Leopold, to name a few of the great romcoms. I'm an optimist though, so I'm still patiently hoping and waiting for that next great romcom to come out!

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