Why Are Characters Always Running In Rom-Coms?
If you're planning on falling in love this season, yo may need sneakers.
'The Darjeeling Limited'
My wife is obsessed with romantic comedies, so when it's her turn to pick out what we're watching on TV, it's almost inevitable that we're going to watch two people fall in love.
Now, I don't know if you've seen as many rom coms as I have, but if you've seen any, I bet you picked up on a little detail that seems to be in most.
There's always someone running somewhere! Whether it's through an airport or up a block or chasing someone in a car, or just trying to make a deadline, someone is always running in these movies.
But why do we do this to our characters? Why does love require a sprint?
In a brilliant video from Nerdwriter, "Why Is Everyone Running In Rom-Coms?", we get a deep dive into the history of the "mad dash" and why it remains one of the most effective storytelling tools in a filmmaker's arsenal.
Let's dive in.
Running In Rom Coms
One of the filmmaking phrases I bet you get tired of hearing is that you need to show, don't tell.
When you're dramatizing different events, you can't have characters walking around just saying how they feel; you need them to embody it.
That's what builds drama on screen, and it's how a great film story is told.
As the video notes, every profession of love is inherently dramatic, but that drama is internal. The "mad dash" trope externalizes those interior fireworks, transforming a feeling into something kinetic and cinematic.
You're showing the audience that this person will go to great lengths to be with someone else and to profess their love.
No one is taking a leisurely walk to find their soulmate.
The Modern Quest for Meaning
To understand why the "run" works, you have to look back to the 1700s. It turns out, they've been running for love for over three hundred years.
It all started with novels.
People sitting at home could read a story about something happening and read about the inner motivations of ordinary people. People like them!
Novels brought a different way of thinking to people looking for entertainment. They saw life as a "unity of a narrative quest," with fulfillment as the ultimate grail. And a lot of times, that fulfillment became romantic.
Now, we have a whole new generation of seekers out here looking for someone or something.
Over time, we got movies, and still, we had people out there searching.
Lessons for Writers
Running is one of those age-old tropes that just makes romantic comedies more relevant and interesting. It spices up the story and makes us wonder if we would ever spring to try to catch someone.
Or if we'll ever find someone worth running for?
In a rom-com, the goal is simple. You run in a straight line toward a person you are absolutely certain of and who you want to be with. It's an action that shows the audience they are really in love, without having to hear them say it.
And for writers in general, we get to show that real life isn't a straight line. We "stumble and spiral," haunted by doubt and obstacles.
But at the end of the day, if we can surmount all of that, we may just end up where we need to be.
Summing It Up
When you’re writing your next script, don't just use the "running" trope because it's expected. Use it because you understand that your character is running toward meaning and because it helps you solidify your themes.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
