NPR’s Romantic Comedy Don’t List

Linda Holmes of NPR’s great Monkey See blog has a list of tired cliches that should be barred from all future romantic comedies because they are not funny and they are not romantic. Not coincidentally, several are featured in the movie and even the trailer for the dreary mess, “The Bounty Hunter.” The romantic kidnapping, for example, which in the “Bounty Hunter” trailer has Gerard Butler tossing Jennifer Aniston into the trunk of his car. As Holmes says, this is not funny — it’s creepy. Holmes also wants to prohibit the winking references to Pride and Prejudice’s Mr. Darcy, the trashy best friend, the rain-soaked fights (take it inside, people), and punches in the crotch. Hear that, Hollywood?