JOBS YOU'LL FIND FEATURED IN ROMANTIC COMEDIES

Now, if truth be told, I'm not a big fan of rom-coms, saying so because they can sometimes be repetitive, trite, formulaic, and neither romantic nor funny. Come to think of it, I'd rather play a game at my local online casino, using the Multi Lotto Bonus Code 2018, than actually sitting down and watching one! Although, to be fair, going to a casino is kind of like watching this genre of movie, but only a little bit better. If it's good, it's really good, and if it's bad, it's really bad, keeping in mind that both past-times seemingly share a similar reality -- one steeped in financial reclassification.





After all, no matter who you are, everyone needs to earn money! Just ask my mates at Elite Singles, as they've recently compiled a list of jobs commonly featured in rom-coms. At their own discretion, they have carefully selected 50 of the most globally recognized rom-coms and taken note of the careers of their lead characters, both male and female. Along with this, they've also recorded data associated with each production, such as the year it was released, how much it made at the box office (measured in millions), and it's Rotten Tomatoes score.  Here, check this out to see what I mean.

Movie Title		Year	Male Job	Female Job	Box Office	Score
His Girl Friday		1940	Editor	Reporter	N/A	98%
Breakfast at Tiffanys		1961	Writer	Socialite	14	88%
Annie Hall		1977	Comedian	Photographer	38.3	97%
Moonstruck		1987	Baker	Bookkeeper	80.6	93%
Coming to America		1988	Prince	Retail Worker	288.7	68%
Working Girl		1988	Stockbroker	Secretary	102	85%
When Harry Met Sally		1989	Sports Writer	Journalist	92.8	89%
Pretty Woman		1990	Businessman	Sex Worker	463.4	61%
Sleepless in Seattle		1993	Architect	Reporter	277.8	70%
Groundhog Day		1993	Weatherman	Producer	70.9	96%
Four Weddings and a Funeral		1994	Unknown	Unknown	245.7	95%
One Fine Day		1996	Reporter	Architect	97.5	47%
As Good as It Gets		1997	Novelist	Waitress	314.1	84%
My Best Friend's Wedding		1997	Unknown	Restaurant Critic	299.3	73%
There's Something About Mary		1998	Insurance Salesman	Orthopedic Surgeon	369.9	83%
Shakespeare in Love		1998	Playwright	Actress	289.3	92%
You've Got Mail		1998	Book Chain Store Owner	Book Store Owner	250.8	69%
The Wedding Singer		1998	Wedding Singer	Waitress	123.3	71%
Notting Hill		1999	Book Store Owner	Actress	364	83%
Runaway Bride		1999	Columnist	Retail Worker	309.4	45%
Never Been Kissed		1999	Teacher	Journalist	84.5	57%
What Women Want		2000	Advertising Exec	Advertising Director	374.1	54%
Coyote Ugly		2000	Bartender	Songwriter	113.9	22%
Bridget Jones's Diary		2001	Barrister	Publicist	281.9	80%
Amelie		2001	Retail Worker	Waitress	174.2	89%
Shallow Hal		2001	Businessman	Philanthropist	141.1	51%
America's Sweethearts		2001	Actor	PA	138.2	32%
The Wedding Planner		2001	Pediatrician	Wedding Planner	94.7	16%
Serendipity		2001	Producer	Counselor	77.5	59%
My Big Fat Greek Wedding		2002	Teacher	Travel Agent	368.7	76%
Two Weeks Notice		2002	Real Estate Developer	Lawyer	200	42%
Sweet Home Alabama		2002	Glassworker	Fashion Designer	180.6	38%
Maid in Manhattan		2002	Politician	Maid	154.9	39%
Something's Gotta Give		2003	Music Producer	Playwright	266	71%
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days		2003	Advertising Exec	Journalist	177.4	42%
50 First Dates		2004	Veterinarian	Waitress	196.3	44%
13 Going on 30		2004	Photographer	Journalist	96.5	65%
Hitch		2005	Dating Coach	Gossip Columnist	368.1	68%
Just Like Heaven		2005	Landscape Architect	Doctor	102.8	56%
The Wedding Date		2005	Sex Worker	Unknown	47.2	11%
Failure to Launch		2006	Unemployed	Counselor	128.4	24%
Knocked Up		2007	Unemployed	TV Presenter	219.1	89%
Music and Lyrics		2007	Pop Star	PA	145.9	62%
Sex and the City		2008	Financier	Columnist	415.2	49%
27 Dresses		2008	Reporter	PA	160.3	41%
Forgetting Sarah Marshall		2008	Composer	Receptionist	105.2	85%
The Proposal		2009	PA	Editor in Chief (Pub)	317.4	44%
It's Complicated		2009	Architect	Baker	219.1	57%
500 Days of Summer		2009	Architect	PA	60.7	85%
Bridesmaids		2011	Police Officer	Baker	288.4	90%

So what can we glean from looking at this list? Well, for one thing, journalism seems to be a pretty romantic profession because journalists (or writers in general) have nabbed the top spot for both the male and female categories, all thanks to films such as His Girl Friday (1940), When Harry Met Sally (1989), One Fine Day (1996), Hitch (2005), and Sex and the City (2008), among others. Then, coming in at a close second, was the role of an Architect for a man (Sleepless in Seattle) and a PA for a woman (Music & Lyrics). Which, to be fair, isn't very surprising, because most Architects make a lot of money and are pretty smart, whereas PAs tend to be more subservient yet are equally as proficient. 

Yes, I do know this all sounds rather sexist, and yes, this doesn't sit well with me either. But, that said, please remember that most of these films were made by people living in the Hollywood bubble that presume -- I repeat, presume -- these are the types of careers we aspire to achieve.

Do we though? Do we really want to be a Journalist or an Architect or a PA? Not that I have anything against this, mind you, because each of them are pretty good jobs. Yet, for the sake of argument, let's say we did want one of these roles, do we really need Hollywood to point us in the right direction? Personally, I don't think so, not at all, as we can all make our own minds up and aim to achieve things we see in the real world, rather than a fictionalized story, no matter how glamorous it may seem on the screen. I mean, would you be inspired to become a monster after watching a horror movie? Or better yet, would you want to venture into outer space because of a sci-fi flick?

No. I wouldn't think so. Not generally, anyway, although I do acknowledge that sometimes they can lead us into directions we wouldn't normally take. Besides, most movies, regardless of genre, are generally oversimplified and over-dramatized versions of a fictitious reality. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a rom-com featuring a scruffy mechanic and a prim-and-proper pharmacist? Or for that matter, a modern romance starring two people over the age of 75?  Not often, I'm sure, and goes to show that film is film and life is life, and never the twain shall they meet, face to face, or screen to screen.