2008 Woodie Awards
Bill of Rights
Dramas mistaken for comedies
Bill Rhein
Issue date: 2/12/08 Section: Entertainment
For the sake of increasing appeal, a rising trend in Hollywood is to market a film to suit viewer taste. As comedies are a more popular genre, marketers and critics label films as such. Calling serious movies 'laugh-out-loud' is gross misrepresentation. Most of these films have some moments to laugh at, either to break the tension, or if a situation is farfetched, or because they are stories of real life, which is a comical event. Therefore, I chose to re-label these films as dramas with comedic moments.
Though this is not exclusive to the twenty hundreds, I will use recent films to make my point. The first is "Sideways." Even though this 2004 movie includes witty banter between Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, as well as a funny moment about a car and a tree, this is not a comedy. When analyzed, the content of this film is serious and at times dark. It is not right to treat the topics of infidelity, betrayal, and substance addiction so lightly. The flaws of both characters are not laughing matters.
Following that in 2006 was "Little Miss Sunshine." Those who disbelieve, stay in your seat while I explain why it is unreasonable for this movie to garner a nomination for the Golden Globe for 'Best Comedy.' The moments of comedy occur because some scenes are uncomfortable and laughter is either needed to break the tension or because it is the easiest reaction to feel, especially in a movie with Steve Carell. This movie is 100% drama. Consider the themes of suicide, bankruptcy, heroin addiction, depression, and death. I find it hard to even chuckle at any of these situations, which makes me wonder why so many critics called it the funniest movie of the year.
Finally, I find it fitting to mention last year's "Juno." The tagline reads 'a comedy about life and the bumps along the way.' I find this far from the truth. Juno's smug attitude only earns an occasional laugh. However, I enjoyed this film because of the great story about teen pregnancy and relationships. These issues therefore make this a drama. That is not to say I did not like the films, for it is quite the contrary. It is that I appreciated them on the level I saw them, not the way a money-hungry marketer told me to like it.
Though this is not exclusive to the twenty hundreds, I will use recent films to make my point. The first is "Sideways." Even though this 2004 movie includes witty banter between Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, as well as a funny moment about a car and a tree, this is not a comedy. When analyzed, the content of this film is serious and at times dark. It is not right to treat the topics of infidelity, betrayal, and substance addiction so lightly. The flaws of both characters are not laughing matters.
Following that in 2006 was "Little Miss Sunshine." Those who disbelieve, stay in your seat while I explain why it is unreasonable for this movie to garner a nomination for the Golden Globe for 'Best Comedy.' The moments of comedy occur because some scenes are uncomfortable and laughter is either needed to break the tension or because it is the easiest reaction to feel, especially in a movie with Steve Carell. This movie is 100% drama. Consider the themes of suicide, bankruptcy, heroin addiction, depression, and death. I find it hard to even chuckle at any of these situations, which makes me wonder why so many critics called it the funniest movie of the year.
Finally, I find it fitting to mention last year's "Juno." The tagline reads 'a comedy about life and the bumps along the way.' I find this far from the truth. Juno's smug attitude only earns an occasional laugh. However, I enjoyed this film because of the great story about teen pregnancy and relationships. These issues therefore make this a drama. That is not to say I did not like the films, for it is quite the contrary. It is that I appreciated them on the level I saw them, not the way a money-hungry marketer told me to like it.
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