The Rom Com Rewind Podcast

Hit Man is a 2023 Romantic Comedy directed by Richard Linklater, who co-wrote the screenplay with Glen Powell. Richard Linklater directed Dazed and Confused but also the Before romance trilogy, Before Sunset, Before Midnight, Before Sunrise. Hit Man is the story of Gary Johnson played by Glen Powell, a mild mannered professor of psychology and philosophy at the University of New Orleans. Gary also works for the NOPD as a civilian, administering the recording tech for undercover sting operations… when the undercover detective Jasper is pulled off duty, Gary is forced into a series of gambits where he needs to PRETEND to be a Hit Man in order to incriminate suspects in murder for hire schemes… along the way he meets Madison played by Adria Arjona and his role as a fake hit man takes a turn as Gary develops feelings for Madison. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is more important? Love, or hip hop? In Brown Sugar, it's actually both! This week we dive into the 2002 classic Brown Sugar starring Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're BACK!!! After a break we wanted to catch up on a whole bunch of pop culture things that we missed this past month. What in the world is happening with Blake Lively and her movie It Ends With Us. Ben Affleck and JLo... did we all see it coming? Who will play Britney Spears in her biopic. And a new parent corner! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Step Brothers is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Adam McKay, produced by Jimmy Miller and Judd Apatow, and written by Will Ferrell and McKay. This is the story of Brennan Huff played by Will Ferrell, and it’s the story of Dale Doback played by John C Reilly. Brennan and Dale come together as Step Brothers when they’re parents end up falling in love, getting married, and moving in together. Brennan and Dale are unique in that they are in their 40s, they both still live at home, with their parents, Nancy and Robert played by Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins… they are the definition of man children, and all of the chaos in the world erupts… when these two step brothers are forced to live together. There are also supporting performances in this movie by Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, and Rob Riggle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aloha is a 2015 rom com directed by Cameron Crowe… this is the story of military contractor Brian Gilcrest played by Bradley Cooper. After a freak accident in Afghanistan Brian nabs a job with former employer Carson Welch played by Bill Murray and accompanies him on a land deal to launch a satellite from Hawaii. Brian has some history here… in ex Tracy played by Rachel McAdams, her now husband Woody played by John Krasinski, his former military companions ‘Fingers’ played by Danny McBride, General Dixon played by Alex Baldwin. Through his time in Hawaii working for Carson Welch alongside the military he is also shadowed by Allison Ng played by Emma Stone. Brian has to contend with his past, reconcile with some of the mistakes he’s made… and perhaps… find some love along the way… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rumor Has It is a 2005 Romantic Comedy directed by the iconic Rob Reiner. This is the story of Sarah Huttinger, played by Jennifer Anniston, a writer for the New York Times who travels home to Pasadena, California for her sisters wedding. She travels back with her lawyer fiance Jeff Daly played by Mark Ruffalo. It’s a theme early that Sarah doesn’t necessarily feel like she fits in her family, she’s very different from her father Early played by Richard Jenkins, and she learns at the wedding from her grandmother Katharine played by Shirley MacLaine that maybe… her mother had an affair around the time she was born… so Sarah sets off on a journey to find her maybe father.. Beau Burroughs played by Kevin Costner… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eat Pray Love, is a 2010 biographical romantic drama. Based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2006 memoir of the same name. Eat Pray Love is the story of Liz, played by Julia Roberts. Liz seems to have it all. A successful career, financial stability, a marriage of 8 years… yet something is missing from Liz’s life. After a snap divorce and a quick affair with a young actor - David played by James Franco, Liz decides to embark on a transformative journey to Italy, India and Bali, in an effort to seek self discovery. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this weeks episode we chat Bridgerton season 3, new Hunger Games novel, Practical Magic and Legally Blonde sequels, a Parenting Dump and so much more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Puppy Love is a 2023 Romantic Comedy directed by Nick Fabiano and Richard Alan Reid. This is the story of Max Stevenson played by Grant Gustin. An introvert he suffers from massive social anxiety in a post Covid world. To combat his anxiety, Max ends up adopting a dog, a King Charles Spaniel named Chloe. Around this time he jumps on a dating app and ends up on a date with Nicole Matthews, played by Lucy Hale. Nicole has also just adopted a dog, named Channing Tatum. Even though Nicole and Max don’t immediately hit it off… their dogs do… Channing gets Chloe pregnant and it forces Max and Nicole to stay in each others lives… and even maybe… kindle some flames in their relationship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Couples Retreat is a 2009 Romantic Comedy directed by Peter Billingsly. This is the story of Dave played by Vince Vaughn and his wife Ronnie played by Malin Akerman. Dave and Ronnie are a typical married couple raising two young boys in the suburbs of Chicago, kinda in the whirlwind of parenthood and life. They have a few friends, Joey and Lucy played by Jon Favreau and Kristin Davis who have actually already agreed to separate… just… nobody knows that yet. Shane and Trudy played by Faizon Love and Kali Hawk who are polar opposites, Shane is in his 40’s, Trudy is 20… that’s basically all you need to know, and then there’s Jason and Cynthia Smith played by Jason Bateman and Kristen Bell. Jason and Cynthia have been struggling with infertility and because of that, their marriage has been struggling and with that… they have convinced the entire friend group to take a couples retreat to the island of Eden to rediscover themselves… and their marriages. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fall Guy Is a 2024 Action Romantic Comedy directed by David Leitch. This is the story of Colt Seavers, played by Ryan Gosling. Colt is a Hollywood stuntman for A-list actor Tom Ryder played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Colt ends up in a romantic relationship with a camera operator on the set of Tom’s movies, Jodie played by Emily Blunt however, after a freak stunt accident gone wrong on the set of said movie Colt spirals into a pit of self doubt, he leaves his old world of stunt acting behind him… until he is thrust back into this world, when Tom Ryder goes missing on the set of a movie that Jodie is now directing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Idea of You is a 2024 Romantic Comedy directed by Micharl Showalter based on the novel Robinne Lee. This is the story of Solene, played by Anne Hathaway, a divorced art gallery owner living in Los Angeles. Solene ends up going to Coachella with her daughter and her daughters friends where they have a meet and greet with pop boy band August Moon. There, Solene meets Hayes Campbell played by Nicholas Galitzine, Hayes is a member of August Moon. Hayes and Solene end up hitting it off however, they are challenged by the fact that Hayes is much younger, in an internationally successful boy band, Solene has an ex husband, and a teenage daughter, it causes some conflict. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Lake House is a 2006 fantasy romance directed by Alejandro Agresti. It’s based off a South Korean film. The Lake House is the story of Kate Forster played by Sandra Bullock. Kate is a physician living in Chicago and she starts a new job at a downtown hospital. She moved from a really unique lake house outside the city and she leaves a note for the next tenant to let them know a few quirks of the house. On Valentine’s Day the new tenant of the house Alex, played by Keanu Reeves arrives, discovers the letter and also discovers some discrepancies with the note. As Alex writes back to Kate we realize that they are communicating through time. Alex is living in 2004, 2 years to the date before Kate, and through the mailbox at the lake house they can actually communicate… and perhaps… fall in love? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet the Fockers is a 2004 romantic comedy directed by Jay Roach, Jay also directed the original Meet the Parents, as well as Dinner for Schmucks, The Austin Powers series. Meet the Fockers is the sequel to Meet the Parents, we have Greg or ‘Gaylord’ Focker played by Ben Stiller. Greg is engaged to Pam Byrnes played by Teri Polo, the contents of the first film was Greg meeting Pam’s parents Jack Byrnes played by Robert De Niro and Dina played by Blythe Danner. The short of that story is that Jack is a retired CIA agent and did everything he could do disrupt, undermine and ultimately break up Greg and Pam before finally agreeing that Greg was indeed a good guy and a good match. In Meet the Fockers, this story in some ways repeats with Jack and Dina meeting Greg’s parents Bernie and Roz played by Dustin Hoffman and Barabara Streisand. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2024 Mean Girls Musical directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. from the screenplay by Tina Fey. This is based on the Mean Girls stage musical, which is based on a 2003 movie WHICH is based on the 2002 book Queen Bees and Wannabes. Mean Girls the musical follows the story of Cady Herron played by Angourie Rice who movies from being homeschooled in Kenya to high school in the United States. Cady has to do a lot of catching up on high school and is quickly befriended by Janis and Damien played by Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey. Cady also quickly becomes friends with the highschool Mean Girls, the plastics, Regina George played by Renee Rapp, Karen Shetty played by Avantika and Gretchen Wieners played by Bebe Wood. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monster In Law is a 2005 romantic comedy directed by Robert Luketic, he also directed Legally Blonde, Killers and Paranoia. This is the story of Charlie, a temp, dog walker, yoga instructor searching for love, she is played by Jennifer Lopez. On the beach in California she meets doctor Kevin Fields played by Michael Vartan, they immediately hit it off, love at first sight kind of stuff and eventually Kevin brings Charlie to meet his mother Viola played by Jane Fonda. Viola is a recently retired T.V show host who is perhaps slightly neurotic, very type A and can only accept the absolute best for her son Kevin… of which, she believes Charlie is not… however when Kevin immediately proposed to Charlie, it sets off a massive conflict between Charlie and Viola… that is your lead in for Monster In Law. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Horrible Bosses is a 2011 dark comedy directed by Seth Gordon. This is the story of 3 friends, Nick, Dale and Kurt, played by Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudekis. All 3 of these friends in some way have a boss they despise. Nick’s boss Dave played by Kevin Spacey is a gaslighting, manipulating, corporate overlord type. Kurt’s boss Bobby, played by Folin Farrell is a weaselly incompetent drug fueled jerk. Dale’s boss Julia, played by Jennifer Anniston is sexually aggressive towards him. They all end up scheming and coming up with a plan to kill… each other’s bosses, based on some advice from Jamie Foxx’s character Dean Jones. Ryan Gosling as Young Hercules by the way https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0169516/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A special announcement on the Rom Com Rewind Podcast AND an In Case You Missed It of our 2021 episode, What To Expect When You're Expecting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Pop Culture Recap on the Rom Com Rewind Podcast. Where is Kate Middleton? What happened on the finale of Love is Blind? Why was Al Pacino asked to introduce anything at the Oscars? All that and more on this episode of the Rom Com Rewind Podcast! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pride and Prejudice (2005), we did the 2005 romantic drama film Directed by Joe Wright. Joe also directed Hanna, Peter Pan, Darkest Hour, Atonement. This is based of the 1813 Jane Austen novel of the same name. Pride and Prejudice is the story of Elizabeth Bennet, played by Kiera Knightly. Elizabeth lives with her 4 sisters at a rural English estate. Her sisters consist of, Jane played by Rosamund Pike, Lydia played by Jena Malone, Kitty played by Carey Mulligan, and Mary played by Talulah Riley. Her father is Mr Bennet played by Donald Sutherland and her mother Mrs Bennet is played by Brenda Blethlyn. These girls are all single and all pining for their chance at love. This comes to a head as the eligible bachelor Mr Bingley played by Simon Woods arrives in town at a ball along with his relative and another eligible bachelor Mr Darcy played by Matthew Macfadyen and his sister Caroline Bingley played by Kelly Reilly. This launches a runaway train of love, loss, heartbreak, heartache… and the story of… Pride and Prejudice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.