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Guide to the Fairytale Romance film: the Chick Flick
ERH 101, Section #__11__
Date Due: _14, Oct. 2014___
Date Sub.: ____
Assignment Name: Guide to Writing in a Genre Draft Essay____
Help Received: ___none_
Andrew Vaccaro
Writer’s signature for “Work for Grade”
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You’re finally in the theatre after buying a coke and bag of popcorn to share with your
girlfriend. Playing the masculine role, you wanted to take her to an action, horror, or adventure
movie; but being the wonderful boyfriend you are, you have been dragged along to watch the
Notebook, which your significant other has claimed to be a Chick Flick. Chick Flick? You may
ask yourself: what does this mean? The characteristics and features of this genre to the dazed and
confused boyfriend are extremely easy and overly simple to pick up. Chick Flicks: the
dilapidated love story, the daisies, the rosy lipstick. Don’t know what a Chick Flick is? Without
knowing it, you’ve probably been exposed to the genre ever since you possessed two teeth and a
diaper. Ever watched Cinderella or any other sappy Disney princess movies? These childhood
films are select examples of Chick Flicks, and could almost serve as a textbook for all other
romance movies to follow. Truth is, the Chick Flick movie genre is both simple to explain and
painless to comprehend because it almost always flows in a predictable manner, with established
rules and guidelines. The Chick Flick is, in its most general sense, a romance film attempting to
appeal to the audience of young women; in fact, the scene most paired with the film genre is the
image of an audience of females with rivers of tears gushing out their weeping eyes. Although it
dutifully serves as the most cliché genre throughout cinema history and a constant source of bane
for the annoyed boyfriend, the cinema genre is not always dry and formulaic; these love stories
emanate passionate and creative plots which touch elegant strings within all audiences that are
not ordinarily brushed upon with other cinema dramas.
Once understood, the Chick Flick can germinate an automatic schema in a watcher’s
eyes, allowing them to foresee future events and understand the filmmaker’s intentions. Every
film belonging to this genre first introduces the main character: a ridiculously attractive single
female protagonist. We can see this in the prime films the Notebook, Made of Honor, and
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Cinderella. Imagine Cinderella, the lovely princess in the Disney film, the stunning blonde
Rachel McAdams in the Notebook, or the glowing Michelle Monoghan in Made of Honor. All
the damsels are intended to pull and appeal to the female spectators who sympathize and relate to
their romantic efforts. These special individuals are introduced as a lure to the female and male
observer; they are both relatable and effortless to adore. The generic, yet captivating Chick Flick
films’ protagonist allows the audience to envelop themselves with emotion and a sense of
relativity on a deeply personal level.
This romance genre is a love story at its core, so the plot must effectively introduce the
charming male lover, then proceed to ensure the film’s couple is brought together through unique
circumstances or chance encounter. A suitable example proves evident in Made of Honor when
Hannah and Tom Bailey (Patrick Dempsey) meet by chance at a Halloween party; Bailey,
masked as Bill Clinton, appears alone in the bedroom with Hannah after the two mistake each
other as their dates. In Cinderella, the star encounters her prince charming when he
instantaneously grows into a trance after her glowing appearance, given to her by the fairy
godmother, attracts him at the ball. After the film writer inserts these introductory scenes of the
pair’s encounter, the two begin to “fall in love”; when noting this special phrase, “fall in love”,
there are always visual and auditory indicators implicating that the buds of a beautiful
relationship have been planted. The pair, immediately attracted towards one another, develops a
mutual bond and appear ecstatic in each other’s presence. Smiles, biting lips, rosy cheeks, and
flirtatious conversation draw the audience in, quietly yearning for the two to unite. The spark of
the relationship, the indicator of glorious love, and the signature, universal seal in the couple’s
realization of their love germinates from one act: the kiss. Once this sexual gesture is employed,
the lover’s relationship status is openly displayed and the fluttering butterflies within the teenage
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girl’s heart begin to take flight. The two are now girlfriend and boyfriend and the film begins to
emphasis this relationship in its full glory. The audience is taken along the journey of their
budding love and the rollercoaster of their relationship begins to fly up the racing track. This
“journey of love” takes various forms, only limited to the filmmaker’s discretion. The Chick
Flick allows viewers a taste of perfect love; no matter how dramatic or unrealistic the scenario,
the audience is allowed to experience the beautiful romance as it envelops itself around their
fervent hearts.
Chick Flicks can almost always be observed as possessing cute love montages set to an
emotional, moving song. These clips display the openly joyous couple engaging in adorable acts
of love or pleasing activities which softly touch the emotions of the audience, even convincing
the watcher to yearn for such emotions and beautiful moments in their own lives. But just as the
fruits of the relationship begin to blossom and unravel, the apple turns sour; the Chick Flick by
convention possesses a key defining aspect to contrast these joyous and comforting emotions: the
major fallout. To keep the audience engaged, the writer creates some complication, obstacle,
antagonist, or divergence that tears the two lovers apart, much to the discomfort and
disappointment of the watcher’s teary eyes. This major fallout also descends on the writer’s
discretion and could take form in an overblown breakup, a major clashing of ideals, or maybe
even the physical disconnection of the lovers by some external factors. A prime example of the
classic fallout takes flight in the Notebook when Allie’s mother demonstrates extreme distain for
Duke after discovering her daughter’s puppy love with the boy, calling him “trash, trash, trash”.
In this film, the lovers are then separated when Allie moves to Charleston, forcing the two to live
separate lives as Noah fights in WWII and Allie engages a rich, charming lawyer. In the basic
Cinderella example, the Prince and Cinderella are torn apart at the ball once her magical spell
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breaks away and she is reduced to rags, leaving a yearning prince in search of his lover and
possessor of the glass slipper. Breaking from the initial melancholy and whimsy of the budding
romance, the fallout generates a plot twist: a way of keeping the reader’s attention to seek out the
final result of the relationship. This, by default instinct, urges the reader to root on the couple’s
relationship and yearn for the lovers to reunite in ecstatic pleasure. The purpose of the fallout is
to generate suspense and awe, not unlike rooting for your favorite baseball team which is losing
by a couple runs in the ninth inning.
The signature, most distinct and climactic phase in any Chick Flick is the ending. No
matter the circumstance, fallout between the lovers, or obstacle in their relationship, the two will
always magically end up happily together in a “fairytale” ending. The entire plot and sequence of
actions is encompassed around this glorious finish; the moment when your girlfriend’s watery
eyes finally burst and let out the expected torrent it had been waiting for. This ecstatic ending
plays a pivotal role in the Chick Flick, providing the pleasant ending the audience has been
craving for. A moment such as the classic airport scene in which the hero of the film valiantly
rescues his relationship in the dying embers of time just before his lover steps onto the plane to
depart forever. Made of Honor places a creative twist to this sequence, as Patrick Dempsey rides
gallantly on horseback through the chapel to process his love for his dear Hannah just as she is
about to marry the antagonist. The two lovers then tie the knot and the movie ends with them
romantically fondling on their honeymoon. Utilizing the fairy tale classics, imagine Cinderella
and prince charming married happily with birds and flowers enshrouding the two. Or even the
finish to the Notebook when Noah and Allie die in each other’s arms, knowing that their love is
complete, has conquered everything, and will last the test of time. The fallout generates suspense
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and exaggerates the ecstasy of the already known fairytale ending, leaving a smiling, teary
audience.
The Chick Flick genre doesn’t just belong on the shelf of some teenage girl; the
emotional, heart-warming, and awe-inspiring love tales find appeal in the diverse and varied
audience. Viewers adore the films which allow them to tap into unrealistic love, and witness
emotional tales which the audience yearns for personally, illuminating their emotions and tender
feelings within. Knowing the conventions of the classic Chick Flick genre may generate a spoiler
effect on every future romantic, erotic movie; for some mystical reason, you will be drawn in
again and again to love, mourn, and rejoice with the characters. Although you may not feel the
epitome of pleasure and love in your own personal life, rejoice and seek comfort knowing that
fairytale endings truly exist.
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Works Cited
The Notebook. Dir. Nick Casavettes. Perf. Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. New Line
Cinema, 2004. DVD.
Made of Honor. Dir. Paul Weiland. Perf. Patrick Demsey and Michelle Monoghan. Columbia
Pictures, 2008. DVD.
Cinderella. Dir. Clyde Geronimi. Perf. Ilene Woods. Walt Disney/ RKO Radio Pictures, 1950. DVD.