Year of the Comet
The Rom Com Rewrite
Moustachioed multimillionaire adventurer scientist meets flame-haired kick-ass wine babe in this adventure rom com from 1992. Year of the Comet Year: 1992 Written by: William Goldman Directed by: Peter Yates Stars: Penelope Ann Miller, Tim Daly Show notes: Like loving parents on the touch line at their child’s hockey match, we really get into this film. It is already so charming and has so much good stuff in. We just want it to be better! If you would like to skip the plot summary for this month’s film you can spool forward a little over 4 and a half...
info_outline
Leap Year
The Rom Com Rewrite
A film that begins with a meet-cringe and ends with mis-apportioned blame. Leap Year Year: 2010 Written by: Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont Directed by: Anand Tucker Stars: Amy Adams, Matthew Goode Show notes: Happy 5th anniversary to us!!! In this year that is not a leap year please allow us to propose a film about proposals that also did not come out in a leap year. If you would like to skip the plot summary for this month’s film you can spool forward about 13 minutes into the episode. In this episode we mention the films: Saving Face* (2004)...
info_outline
Bridget Jones's Diary
The Rom Com Rewrite
Not so much a rewrite as an appreciation of this 25-year-old classic in general and of Daniel Cleaver as played by Hugh Grant in particular. Bridget Jones’s Diary Year: 2001 Screenplay by: Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies, Richard Curtis Based on the novel by: Helen Fielding Directed by: Sharon Maguire Stars: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant Show notes: CN: discussion of fatphobia and diet culture; derogatory language If you would like to skip the plot summary for this month’s film you can spool forward about 12 and a half minutes into the episode. In this...
info_outline
Love Hard
The Rom Com Rewrite
Why isn’t this film called Love Sleeping? Or Love You Were Sleeping? Or Actually, Love, Were You Sleeping? Or Do You Actually Love Sleeping? Or some other combination of the films Love Actually and WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING!? Love Hard Year: 2021 Written by: Daniel Mackey and Rebecca Ewing Directed by: Hernán Jiménez Stars: Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, Darren Barnet Show notes: This film wants to exist at the place where Love Actually meets Die Hard but the story of a woman who falls for a guy she knows nothing about beyond how he looks makes us think of a different film entirely. There is...
info_outline
Runaway Bride
The Rom Com Rewrite
This one is worth returning to - it might be better than you remember! Runaway Bride Year: 1999 Written by: Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriott Directed by: Garry Marshall Stars: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Joan Cusack, Hector Elizondo, Rita Wilson, Paul Dooley, Christopher Meloni, Laurie Metcalf (uncredited) Show notes: Always the bride-to-be! This month we conclude our all-too-brief Julia Roberts mini-season with this gorgeous small-town battle of the sexes. If you would like to skip the plot summary for this month’s film you can spool forward about 11 minutes into the episode. In this...
info_outline
Notting Hill
The Rom Com Rewrite
It’s just a film standing in front of two podcasters asking them to take it lovingly apart and put it back together better. Notting Hill Year: 1999 Written by: Richard Curtis Directed by: Roger Michell Stars: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant Show notes: We really get into this one - and for ‘this one’ read Richard Curtis films in general and their male leads in particular. 26 years after its release there is much that is good about this film and also much to fix. If you would like to skip the plot summary for this month’s film you can spool forward about 12 minutes into the episode. In this...
info_outline
Hitch
The Rom Com Rewrite
Women have surfaces, men have depths. Hitch Year: 2005 Written by: Kevin Bisch Directed by: Andy Tennant Stars: Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James, Amber Valletta Show notes: We are not aware of many rom coms that centre a straight man’s experience. Maybe this is the only one. Straight men rejoice! Content note: In this episode there is some discussion of incel culture, assault, violence and death. If you would like to skip the plot summary for this month’s film you can spool forward about 5 and a half minutes or so into the episode. In this episode we mention the films: He’s Just Not...
info_outline
27 Dresses
The Rom Com Rewrite
Always the bridesmaid never the bride. 27 Dresses Year: 2008 Written by: Aline Brosh McKenna Directed by: Anne Fletcher Stars: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Edward Burns, Judy Greer Show notes: This is a film about a woman who says yes and her hate-able sister and the guy they both fancy and another guy called Kevin and a closet full of dresses. If you would like to skip the plot summary for this month’s film you can spool forward about 8 and a half minutes or so into the episode. In this episode we mention the films: The Princess Diaries (2001)...
info_outline
A Nice Indian Boy
The Rom Com Rewrite
Pride season continues! A Nice Indian Boy Year: 2024 Written by: Eric Randall Based on the play by: Madhuri Shekar Directed by: Roshan Sethi Stars: Karan Soni, Jonathan Groff Show notes: Another one for the pile of films that we liked, this is a film about love and culture and family and who does the bride’s family’s dance at the wedding. If you would like to skip the plot summary for this month’s film you can spool forward about 10 minutes or so into the episode. In this episode we mention the films: The Wedding Banquet* (2025) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32214413/) DDLJ (1995)...
info_outline
The Wedding Banquet
The Rom Com Rewrite
Happy Pride Month! The Wedding Banquet Year: 2025 Screenplay by: Andrew Ahn and James Shamus Based on the screenplay by: Ang Lee, Neil Peng and James Shamus Directed by: Andrew Ahn Stars: Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Han Gi-Chan, Joan Chen, Youn Yuh-jung, Bobo Le Show notes: A remake of the 1993 Ang Lee film, this 2025 update is queer struggle and queer joy and green cards and IVF and family and chosen family. It's not a rom com but it's a beautiful film and we loved it. If you would like to skip the plot summary for this month’s film you can spool forward about 12 minutes...
info_outlineLa Lohan is back with another Christmas rom com.
Our Little Secret
Year: 2024
Written by: Hailey DeDominicis
Directed by: Stephen Herek
Stars: Lindsay Lohan, Ian Harding, Kristin Chenoweth
Show notes:
The second of Lindsay Lohan’s forays into festive romance is more interesting than the first but it still needs a little work (no pun intended). Luckily, we have ideas.
If you would like to skip the plot summary for this month’s film you can spool forward about 14 minutes into the episode.
In this episode we mention the films:
Falling For Christmas* (2022) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14715170/)
The Family Stone (2005) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0356680/)
While You Were Sleeping* (1995) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114924/)
And the TV series:
Derry Girls (2018-2022) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7120662/)
Greenleaf (2016-2020) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4971144/)
*These films have previously been featured on the podcast.
Next month we plan to watch Holidate (2020) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9866072/).
If you would like to suggest films for future episodes, you can tweet Lisa: @LisaStowaway.
We record these episodes over the internet. Sometimes the audio is not perfect. We apologise for that.
Music in this episode is by Martin Zaltz Austwick (martinzalzaustwick.com).
Artwork is by Lisa Findley.
Thank you for listening!