a Merry War: Romcom Deception 1
I have been studying romantic comedies, trying to figure out what makes them funny. I've found it's not the jokes, it's the deceptions.
Michael Hauge is a well-respected figure in the world of screenwriting and storytelling, particularly known for his insights into the structure and elements of successful stories, including romantic comedies. Two important concepts in romantic comedies that Hauge points out are the "deception" and "revelation" plot points.
Deception: In the context of romantic comedies, the deception point involves characters either deceiving themselves or others about their true feelings, their identity, their intentions, or their circumstances. This deception creates conflict and drives the narrative forward. Trying to conceal the deception is what actually makes a romcom funny.
Revelation: The revelation is the turning point where the truth comes out—where characters' deceptions are uncovered, or they come to a realization about their true feelings, identities, or the nature of their relationships. This moment of truth leads to the climax and eventual resolution. It's where characters must confront the consequences of their deceptions and make significant choices about how to move forward.
I personally think there are four kinds of Deceptions.
1. The Merry War: This type of deception is all about the tension between what characters say and what they truly feel. The banter and apparent antagonism mask a deep-seated attraction, making for an engaging push-and-pull relationship. This Merry War is what leads to humorous misunderstandings and situations where the characters' true feelings slowly become evident to themselves and the audience, building anticipation for the moment when their true feelings are finally acknowledged.
For example Leap Year, The Hating Game and The Proposal.
2. Identity Deception: This involves characters concealing their true selves or circumstances, either from each other or from the world at large. This deception can range from pretending to be someone else to engaging in a fake relationship for mutual benefit. The tension here comes from the audience knowing the truth and waiting for the characters to reveal their true selves. The scenes between the deception and this revelation show moments of vulnerability that deepen the connection between the characters.
For example Notting Hill, Never Been Kissed, and The Truth About Cats and Dogs.
3. The Bet or Wager: This type of deception introduces an element of competition or ulterior motive into the relationship. One or both characters enter into the relationship with a goal unrelated to romance, only to find their priorities shifting as genuine feelings develop. The revelation of the bet or wager forces the characters to confront the authenticity of their feelings and the foundation of their relationship.
For example 10 Things I Hate About You, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, and She's All That
4. Magic Potion: This involves some form of magical or supernatural intervention that influences the characters' feelings or circumstances, sometimes without one or both parties' knowledge. This leads to comedic situations where characters struggle to understand their sudden attraction or changes in behavior, as well as dramatic moments when the magical interference is revealed, challenging the characters to prove that their love transcends the magical circumstances that brought them together.
For example Mannequin, Splash and Penelope.
Each of these deception creates obstacles for the characters to overcome on their journey to finding true love. The eventual revelation and resolution of these deceptions not only provide satisfying conclusions but also highlight themes of authenticity, vulnerability, and the transformative power of love. And they're funny as the characters continually try to conceal the deception.
LEAP YEAR
"Leap Year" is a romantic comedy film released in 2010. The movie stars Amy Adams as the lead character, Anna, and Matthew Goode as Declan, the male lea.
Anna Brady, a stager from Boston, is frustrated that her boyfriend, Jeremy, hasn't proposed to her yet despite being in a long-term relationship. Inspired by an Irish tradition that allows women to propose to men on Leap Day, February 29, and learning that Jeremy is attending a conference in Dublin, Anna decides to surprise him and propose to him on Leap Day.
Her plans go awry when her flight to Ireland is diverted due to bad weather, and she ends up in a remote part of Wales. Determined to get to Dublin by February 29, Anna hires a boat to take her to Ireland but ends up in a village called Dingle due to another storm. There, she enlists the help of Declan, a cynical and gruff innkeeper, to drive her to Dublin in exchange for money, as his inn is facing financial difficulties.
It is dislike at first glance as these two are COMPLETE OPPOSITES. But at the same time, you can tell they're kinda into each other. But if they let the other know it could be disastrous. Thus ensues a Merry War.
As Anna and Declan journey across the Irish countryside, they encounter various mishaps and adventures that bring them closer together. Despite their initial antagonism and differences, they begin to develop feelings for each other. Anna's straightforward and determined personality clashes with Declan's more laid-back and guarded demeanor, leading to both comedic and tender moments.
The Merry War of "Leap Year" is funny because the protagonists initially disliking each other, and are at odds due to contrasting personalities, goals, and circumstances. Despite this antagonism, there's an underlying attraction that they are at first unaware of then unwilling to admit, which leads to witty banter, comedic situations, and a tension-filled relationship dynamic.
They both try to maintain their original stances and goals, with Anna focused on reaching Dublin to propose to her boyfriend and Declan motivated by the financial reward he'll receive for helping her. However, as they face various challenges together, their true feelings start to surface. The deception lies in their continued denial and suppression of these feelings.
The revelation comes as they both start to acknowledge, at least to themselves, that they have developed feelings for each other.
As they near Dublin, Anna is torn between her original plan to propose to Jeremy and her growing feelings for Declan. When they finally reach Dublin, Anna finds Jeremy and he proposes to her. But it's a Dark Moment as Declan slips away and out of her life, but Anna realizes that her relationship with Jeremy lacks the depth and passion she's discovered with Declan.
In the end, Anna returns to Dingle, where she finds Declan and confesses her feelings for him. The movie concludes with Declan proposing to Anna in his own unique way, and she accepts, completing her journey not just across Ireland but towards finding true love in an unexpected place.
THE HATING GAME
"The Hating Game" is a romantic comedy about the tumultuous working relationship between Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman, who are executive assistants to co-CEOs of a merged publishing company. The story starts with Lucy and Joshua engaging in a constant battle of wits and wills, each trying to outdo the other in a series of daily office skirmishes that Lucy calls games, one of which is the Hating Game. Lucy's longing for professional success and her desire to create a harmonious workplace are at odds with Joshua's seemingly singular focus on winning their petty disputes and clinching a coveted promotion.
In his teaching, Michael Hauge discusses a character's arc in terms of longing for a deeply held desire, a need that will make them whole, a wound that is an unhealed source of a false belief, a fear that this wound will rear its ugly head and bite them in the butt, an identity that is a facade and an essence of who they truly are.
Lucy's journey is marked by her need to overcome her FEAR of confrontation and her excessive NEED to be liked, which stems from a WOUND of deeper insecurities and past experiences that have taught her to value peace over authenticity. Her cheerful and accommodating exterior masks an inner strength and intelligence that she gradually learns to embrace.
Joshua's IDENTITY, on the other hand, appears as the epitome of stoicism and control, using his cold demeanor as a shield against vulnerability. His competitive nature hides a FEAR of emotional exposure and a deep-seated WOUND from past rejections, making his battles with Lucy a way to maintain distance from genuine emotional connections.
In this Merry War, initially, Lucy and Joshua appear to be the perfect examples of "opposites attract," with their contrasting personalities and approaches to work and life fueling their daily confrontations. Lucy's sunny disposition and desire for workplace harmony clash with Joshua's stern, competitive nature, making their interactions a series of strategic moves in their personal "hating game."
As the story unfolds, the merry war between them evolves into a complex dance of denial and desire. Both Lucy and Joshua go to great lengths to hide their feelings, not just from each other but from themselves as well. This deception is multi-layered, involving not only their refusal to acknowledge their attraction but also their efforts to maintain their competitive edge in their work environment.
Just as we have the dates of Fun and Games in romance, I think there are at least four dates that happen in a Merry War.
The first date we see their personalities clash which is every game Lucy and Josh play in the office like the copying game where Josh copies everything she does to annoy her.
Then there is a Try It His Way date where we see what happens if they Hero had his way, which is disastrous as seen when Lucy gets hurt in the company paintball game.
Then there's a Try It Her Way date where we see what happens if the Heroine has it her way, which also ends disastrously when Lucy realizes she doesn't have any romantic feelings for the other coworker she tried to use to make Joshua jealous.
And finally there's a Try It Their Way date where they compromise and see the potential of their relationship working out, like when Josh and Lucy go to his brother's wedding where they have each other's back as Josh's ex marries his brother.
The turning point in "The Hating Game" comes as the layers of deception begin to peel away, revealing the vulnerability and genuine affection beneath their combative exteriors. The revelation of Joshua's true feelings in his bedroom when he shows Lucy that the paint on his wall is the exact same color of her eyes, and that he's always called her Shortcake because one of the first things he learned about her was that she grew up on a Strawberry Farm, and he keeps notes of what she wears and every time he wants to kiss her in his day planner.
The dark moment happens after the revelation that Josh had been in love with Lucy since the first day he met her. It revolves around a critical misunderstanding related to the promotion that Lucy and Joshua are both vying for. Lucy overhears a conversation between Joshua and their boss, which leads her to believe that Joshua has been manipulative and deceitful about his intentions regarding their evolving personal relationship.
It strikes at the core of Lucy's trust and her feelings for Joshua. All the positive developments between them are cast into doubt, making her question Joshua's integrity, the authenticity of their interactions, and the sincerity of his actions and feelings towards her, setting up an emotional and narrative hurdle that they must overcome to reach a resolution. And of course they do, because it's ROMANTIC comedy.
The "Merry War" deception in a romantic comedy happens when the romantic partners engage in a playful, antagonistic, and/or competitive relationship that masks an underlying attraction or affection. This tension-filled interplay is characterized by witty banter, humorous disputes, and a series of conflicts that belie the characters' true feelings for one another.
In utilizing the Merry War deception in your writing, you can explore the complexity of relationships where characters are initially at odds, either due to differing personalities, goals, or circumstances, yet are irresistibly drawn to each other. This setup of a deception and payoff of a revelation provides a landscape filled with opportunities for humor, character development, and the exploration of themes such as vulnerability, identity, and the transformative power of love.