Feminist Film Theory and Pretty Woman, by Mari Ruti

Abstract

Over the last decade, scholarly interest in the contemporary romantic comedy (or “rom-com”) has grown significantly. A central focal point in the recent literature has been to interrogate the genre’s much-maligned reputation (Deleyto), and to highlight the sexist undertones in its usual dismissals as “trite or lightweight” (Abbott and Jermyn 2). A number of works have sought to rehabilitate the genre by tracing its lineage back to the more prestigious screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s (Jeffers McDonald; Grindon).

Keywords

• contemporary romantic comedy
• rom-com
• representation of gender
• sexist
• postfeminism