Romance Movies 101

Some people, most often men, refer to them "chick flicks," but romance movies cannot be so easily defined. Almost every genre of movie has a subcategory with romance in its title. Love stories are often the central or underlying thread in most comedies and dramas. Action films, fantasies, even historical dramas, can serve as a backdrop for a classic tale of romance.

The definition of a romance movie is not written in stone, rather it's a subjective matter. However, one rule of thumb that applies in 99% of all romance movies is that they must have as their central theme, a romantic attraction between at least two of the major characters. Romance films then build their story around that featured storyline. The romance can stem from unrequited love, passion, love at first site, or any number of other factors. Integral to any romance film is the ability to move the audience emotionally; hence romance movies are often labeled as "tear-jerkers."

Hollywood has strayed from the tried and true story of "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back and they live happily ever after." Romantic movies can often leave you wishing for a different, happier version of the ending. Fortunately for those of us who still believe in happy endings, there are still enough diehard romantic screenwriters around to write the fairy tale ending to a majority of romance movies.