I think we can all agree upon the fact that romantic comedies can be quite difficult to settle into and properly enjoy. Because this is a genre of film that is designed from the get-go, to provide its audience with a sweet and sappy story, one that features little conflict outside of how a particular couple is going to get together and it also offers us perfect relationship scenarios so that we can get lost in the wonder and magic of love. But it is those very scenarios that quite frankly make these films tough to enjoy. For some of those moments are simply too good to be true and impossible to achieve and that really can detach an audience as the story rolls on.
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But from time to time, there are romantic comedies that pop up in theaters that are actually quite enjoyable. For these are the ones that figure out a way to inject a genuine sense of realism into the story, the kind that we can actually relate to, and they feature enough laughs and fun moments that when the sweet and sappy stuff comes along, you’re invested in seeing the couple succeed at love and all the gooey stuff that comes with this particular genre. And recently I had the opportunity to revisit a film that manages to pull all of that off in Music and Lyrics.

Now for those unfamiliar with this particular film, in it we are introduced to a washed up 1980s pop-music star named Alex Fletcher and well, Alex is just trying to get by these days. He knows his career is a distant memory, one preserved by a love of nostalgia, but he would love to get back into the game and make music once again and as fate would have it; he is granted that opportunity. Because pop superstar Cora Corman wants him to compose a new hit single for her, and while Alex is grateful for this chance, his past failures and firm belief that he cannot write all that well put him in a tough place. But a chance encounter with a woman named Sophie Fisher is going to change a great many things for Alex. For Sophie is a natural songwriting talent and her beautiful words may give Alex’s career the boost he’s been hoping for and… it may give him something more since he finds himself falling for his newfound muse. 

So, you’ll note that the plot is pretty by the numbers for a romantic comedy, which leaves one to wonder why on earth I would say this movie offers up any sense of realism and well, the devil is in the details. Because while Sophie and Alex eventually find their path forward together and get their happily ever after, it is a bit of a struggle to get there and that makes the story worthwhile. Because both of these characters are filled with doubt and anxiety in regard to what they are feeling and whether or not they’re actually good for one another and let’s be honest, we all go through that in the early days of a relationship when we meet someone we really like. Because we want to be their everything in those early days it was quite wonderful to see that on display here and see them struggle with their doubts and even clash over them.
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Yet what truly impresses me about this motion picture, is the sheer fact that it flips the script on the most common trope when it comes to romantic comedies. Because let’s be honest, most of these movies involve a career driven woman who has zero time for love, only to discover that the man she just met is everything she’s ever been missing in life and now she has purpose through his love, but this one does a fine job of getting away from that stupid trope. For Alex is lost until Sophie comes into his life, and it is her actions and her insight and wisdom that help him to get back on track and her genuine nature also prompts him to open up like never before and that is just so supremely refreshing to see in this genre and I wish more films in this vein would attempt to flip the script in this fashion.

Yet while those two elements make this movie quite enjoyable for certain, it’s the comedy that is the icing on the cake. Because this movie is genuinely funny, and the 80s pop music homages and concert sequences absolutely leave you in stitches and that’s also thanks to the quality performances from Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant, since they play Sophie and Alex respectively and their comedic timing and overall acting skills are what sell every single moment in this magnificent gem of a motion picture. So, if by chance you haven’t seen this one, please seek it out and do so. Because this one really is something special and you really cannot go wrong with a romantic comedy that does everything it can to tell an original love story that everyone can relate to and enjoy. 

Family is a word, that invokes different responses in different people. For some, hearing that word makes their heart beam with joy as they reflect fondly upon how tight knit their family turned out to be, while others, feel disdain as they ponder upon a less than stellar childhood wherein they wanted nothing more than to escape their home life because their family was disappointing to say the least.
 
But regardless of your experiences with your siblings and parents, and how you feel about them, there are a pair of universal truths when it comes to family. The first one, is that family matters because the people we grew up with helped to define who we are today in just about every single way, and the other one, is that love them or hate them, family is family and there is a special bond that comes with these people that can never be broken because when the chips are down, we can always rely on someone we are related to and recently, I revisited a film that focuses heavily on that second element in Uncle Buck.
 
Now taking the time to summarize the plot here would just be silly, because this is an iconic comedy in its own right, that you’ve no doubt seen at this point. So instead, I want to talk about the fact that this particular film, is in many ways one of the most intelligent comedies out there since it does dig deep into the notion of family and what it means to people and the importance of never forgetting how important it is to appreciate family as a whole and it accomplishes this particular feat in subtle and beautiful fashion, by using the comedy as the setup for its commentary on the family unit.

​Which is a good thing because let’s be honest, this is a damn hilarious film. Uncle Buck is one goofy guy who gets himself into some hilarious situations and some of the stuff he does here is classic to say the least. I mean come on, the clown scene is utterly amazing, as is the moment he shares with the principal. But once you get past the laughs, you see some incredibly realistic characters in front of you, and I found myself fascinated by the fact that this family unit is more or less an amalgamation of every family related stereotype out there since we have the rebellious and disrespectful kids and the estranged dynamic which is handled by way of the brothers, Buck and Bob.
 
But, while the film is relatable and hilarious, I did make mention of the fact that this movie focuses upon the importance of family and how some of the people we share blood with are there for us when things get rough and all of that is presented to the audience by way of the plot itself since crisis serves as the catalyst for everything in this tale and the potential loss of life and the anxiety that comes from that forces these characters to face some hard truths about their own lives and realize how fleeting and precious life truly is and well, that’s the best part about the film; the fact that the characters grow and come to realize that it is never too late to forgive and forge ahead in life. 
 
Now, if you’re thinking that this all seems like a bit much and there’s no way a comedy could feature this kind of thoughtfulness, I would have agreed with you a week ago. Because it has quite some time since I’ve seen this film. But watching it again after all these years after getting a taste of what life has to offer, well, I came to discover that this one was ahead of its time and that’s courtesy of John Hughes’ brilliant script and John Candy’s phenomenal performance. Yet perhaps the true beauty of this film, is that it never brings its points up in heavy handed fashion. For the casual viewer, they are treated to a rip-roaring hilarious comedy that brings them joy. But it’s obvious that Hughes wanted to accomplish a little more with this story, and he did that well, once again cementing his status as a true filmmaking genius because this one, is a special film indeed.

I would venture to say, that many filmmakers out there, hope to see their work reach iconic status when they set out to make a particular motion picture. Which is an ambitious but understandable goal. After all, who wouldn’t want their movie to be a beloved piece of art, one that people fawn over on a regular basis and look back upon with nothing but joy in their heart. And ironically enough, there is a tangible checklist that filmmakers can go through in order to create a movie that people remember. For it needs to feature a unique and powerful story, one that people have never seen before, and it should also captivate our imagination and offer up some dynamic characters that stand out from the rest.

If anything, that short checklist is why we are seeing films that push the envelope like never before in this day and age as various writers and directors work to meet that criteria and enjoy silver screen immortality. But the only problem with this push to be remembered, is the sheer fact that there is a little more that goes into making a film, iconic, then just checking off boxes that a marketing company has deemed to be ‘the answer’. Which means that in order to truly become legendary, the story in question has to resonate with the audience on a personal level. It has to give us something to outright relate to, be it a memory or a feeling, and that’s why some of these big budget attempts at motion picture history do well at the box office but are quickly forgotten, because they simply don’t have the heart required to become a genuine classic. But if there’s one movie that filmmakers who wish to achieve that iconic status should look at to use a blueprint for their future works, it should be the one that managed to accomplish everything we’ve discussed so far; Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Yeah, this is a great flick and one that you’ll definitely watch if it is on the air, but is it really ‘iconic’? Well the answer to that question is yes, for several reasons. First and foremost, it really does offer up a unique plot and something we really hadn’t ever seen before when it came out; an accurate look at the day in the life of an American teenager. Granted, there are plenty of 80s flicks that cover this topic, but not like this. For this movie really encapsulates the wonder of those final days of high school. Where we were ready to take on the world and leave the institution behind and we wanted nothing more than to just get a taste of adulthood on our own, and that’s precisely what Ferris does in this motion picture and it’s wonderful to re-live those magnificent memories vicariously through Ferris.

Plus, this is a story that truly does feature some incredibly dynamic and realistic characters. After all, we either were Ferris in high school or knew a guy or a gal like him, that person that everyone loved and admired and always had the perfect idea in mind for any situation and the relatability factor people wise, doesn’t end with Ferris. Because Cameron and Sloan are another pair of characters that feel painfully familiar from our high school days, since we knew that kid like Cameron who was always on edge or the cool gal like Sloan who always went with the flow and having characters like them present, and to a lesser extent, jerks like Rooney, really does help to create a functional world that we can get lost within. Yet at the same time, while this trip down memory lane runs the risk of bringing about bad memories, the story’s desire to focus upon the joy of those days is really its greatest accomplishment.
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Because as I made mention of a moment ago, iconic films need to evoke an emotional response and being able to look fondly upon the past is a wonderful way to do that. Yet at the same time, this movie also deserves serious kudos for being able to look at the flip side of that era in our lives as well. For Camerons’s difficult plight with his father and even Jeanie’s struggle to be noticed by her parents resonates with the audience in surprisingly positive fashion. Because in many ways, those issues suddenly pale in comparison to the things we deal with as adults, and seeing these internal battles almost makes the viewer swell with pride over how far they’ve come in conquering some of those issues from their past.

But while these are some powerful storytelling elements in their own right, what truly makes this movie worth our while, is that it is a lot of fun. Because we do get to go on a grand adventure with Ferris and his buddies and the comedy that results from their shenanigans is simply top notch. In fact, the jokes here are some of John Hughes’ finest for certain and even after all these years, their timing and their delivery work in flawless fashion on screen and well, all of these elements truly do make this movie an instant classic. For it really is timeless in nature, since it does capture the plight of the American teenager, and it is filled to the brim with beautiful moments and incredible performances and if by some off chance you haven’t seen this one yet, please do. Because this film really is quite the pleasant delight, and it really does have the ability to resurrect the finest memories in our mind from an era in time that is long gone.