The Romantic Comedy has never been in a more dire state. It used to be the easiest of formulas. Take two big stars, give them sparkling and hilarious dialogue, create a couple of obstacles to give the film enough of a plot. Plot was as important as dialogue scenes in a musical, you kind of need it, but that’s not really why people were going. It’s a formula that made movie stars or allowed big names to come off as irresistibly charismatic as you always hoped they would be. So, what happened?
When I watch When Harry Met Sally… the current drop-off seems obvious. Modern screenwriting isn’t as funny as it was in the past. In the 30s and 40s, these were screwball comedies and it’s where you’ll hear some of the best dialogue in all of Hollywood. With Harry/Sally there’s a script full of great scenes and great situations, and supporting that are the in-the-moment comic ideas from old hands like Rob Reiner and Billy Crystal. Whatever Crystal lacks in leading man looks he more than makes up for by being hilarious. (A concept that kept the genre going up through the Apatow era of Steve Carell and Seth Rogen.)
Meg Ryan became a star playing the adorkable woman who likes things… just so, and moves between being proud of her individuality and worrying it may cost her the happiness of a great long-term relationship. This wish stays in our mind thanks to a (fake) documentary sprinkle of other couples telling the audience when they knew they had found true love. It cocoons our story in romance, along with the beautiful use of New York locations and soundtrack of crooner ballads.
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