Romantic Comedies are usually set in an urban setting such as a city and may be centred around the workplace, they follow a typical 'boy meets girl' scenario, they often include a voiceover which usually is present from the onset of the film and there are two protagonists - usually one male and one female.
Example: Love Actually
How does this film conform to or challenge the generic conventions of it's genre?
Love Actually is a fairly unique film as it does not follow the relationship of just one couple but several, because of this it is harder to identify the generic conventions of the genre in it. However, although the generic conventions are not all present in every relationship that is follower, it is easy to pick out elements of each relationship that conform to the generic conventions. These are:
Urban setting - As 'Love Actually' is set in London, all of the relationships take place here. Love Actually completely conforms to the idea of being set in an urban environment and because of this it is easy for people within different relationships to interact with each other in some way, making the film more attention grabbing.
Workplace - The relationships between both Harry and Annie and Sarah and Karl develop in the office. Both of the relationships are fairly dysfunctional and this gives the film more grit. The dysfunction exists especially in the relationship between Annie and Harry, in which Harry is cheating on his wife to be with her.
'Boy meets girl' - The strange relationship between John and Judy is sparked when they have an unusual encounter posing together as nude models.
Voiceover - Hugh Grant provides a voiceover from the outset of the film. His voice is used to introduce the theme of love which continues throughout the film. In using his voice as the narrator's it also introduces him as a character without showing who he is or what his story is.
Two protagonists - Love Actually is a fairly unique film as it does not follow the relationship of just one couple and therefore there is not just two protagonists as the story shifts from couple to couple so that each character has a turn to play the protagonist.
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