Tyler

Many of the relationships portrayed in romantic comedies are presented as fun and flirty in the film, but would be considered abusive in reality. Stalking and other abusive behaviours are common to the genre. Power imbalances are also common. Everything is put aside so the female protagonist can be made whole by finding a male partner. Much of what the genre presents as romantic or funny would be good reasons to call the police in reality, so why is it acceptable in the movies?

A good example would be Sweet Home Alabama, in which the female protagonist goes back home to try and get a divorce from her husband who she hasn’t seen in years. He refuses to sign the divorce, forcing her to stay longer and doing everything he can to try and force them back into a relationship. In 27 Dresses, the male lead defaced the protagonist’s planner and lied to her about his intentions. There are almost as many examples as there are rom coms.