What is the deal with rom-coms and opposites attract?
My first question to you is what romantic comedy movies feature the most dramatic example of opposite personalities falling in love? With the remake of Arthur out, I’m reminded of the mismatched coupling of Arthur (Dudley Moore) and Linda (Liza Minnelli). But just off the top of my head, there are these:
It Happened One Night (1934)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Pretty Woman (1990)
I.Q. (1994)
Maid in Manhattan (2002)
There are plenty others, so please indulge me by adding suggestions.
The larger question is this: What is the deal with rom-coms and opposites attract? Even in movies where the lovers don’t start out in completely different socio-economic or cultural backgrounds, they almost always begin far removed in terms of the personality type.
One obvious reason for this is there’s a lot more drama to a story when the point is seeing how too characters who start in conflict end up falling in love.
I get that.
But from a psychological perspective, what is going on? These opposites attract stories have persisted in popularity for decades so they must obviously be speaking to some deep-seated aspect of the human psyche.
Is it because we want to believe we can change (i.e., if we see characters go through a metamorphosis on-screen, it encourages us to think we ourselves can change)?
Is it because we want to believe love conquers all?
Is it because those of us in a romantic relationship, especially one where she’s from Venus and he’s from Mars, need to experience an affirmation that in the end, we can work it out?
What is the deal with romantic comedies and why do so many of them feature opposite type characters who end up falling in love?
And Billy Mernit of Living the Romantic Comedy fame, this is a shout-out to you because if anyone has the low-down on this issue, you do.
I ask because it’s such an obvious dynamic in the genre, yet I never once thought to wonder why that’s the case.
GITS readers, your thoughts on the matter greatly appreciated.