Rating: 6/10

Boy meets girl, they become friends and then something complicates their relationship. Girl dates other people, boy realizes he loves her, boy fights for girl, they fall in love and live happily ever after.

This ever-so-typical equation for the perfect romantic comedy is what writers just can’t seem to stray from. It’s time to up the ante a little and think of something new.

This weekend I saw the movie “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” wait, I mean “Made of Honor.” It was hard to remember exactly what movie I was watching, as I sat in the theater for 101 minutes of déjà vu. While there were new faces, characters and silly little jokes that danced around the main storyline, the same boring, “girl-pleasing” formula was clearly present, making each major plot point more predictable than the next.

Few things made this movie interesting, and some unforgettable scenes will be talked about around the water cooler. For example, “Made Of Honor” took the guy’s perspective instead of the girl’s, so it may be a little more “guy-friendly” than some of its “romcom” counterparts. Also, the adorable but naive Grandma Pearl and her glow-in-the-dark thunder beads she wore around her neck is something I will laugh about for a while.

Memorable characters, great one-liners and awkward moments aside, the film was unoriginal enough to say that once you’ve seen the previews, you’ve seen it all. Knowing what is going to happen every step of the way is like finding your Christmas presents in Mom and Dad’s closet; it’s fun at first, but when the big moment finally comes, it isn’t as rewarding. When the movie finally comes to a close, everyone is happy knowing that fairy tales really do come true and girls are left waiting for their own Patrick Dempsey to come sweep them off their feet and whisk them off into the sunset, but there’s a problem.

Life’s not always full of “happily ever afters” and fairy tale weddings. There isn’t always a sweet and dashing Prince Charming with a stellar smile that knows all the right things to say. If you want to make a truly great romantic comedy, make it real. Cut out all the stereotypical hopeless romantic baloney and add in a splash of reality. People fall in love with best friends everyday, and that often makes a great match. Add some more conflict, make his heartfelt speeches something that could actually come out of a guy’s mouth and just leave the audience in a little suspense so we don’t find ourselves begging for a reason to get more popcorn or refill the pop.

Hopefully, these tips will reach some of Hollywood’s writers out there, and I can stop dreading the day I have to review chick flicks. Maybe the days of romcom monotony will soon be over, and we will be pleasantly surprised when an unlikely couple finds love. But until then, expect to see the same boring concepts and outcomes as “Made of Honor.”