[Quick Summary: Bianca cannot date unless her shrew of a sister, Kat, also dates. Bianca enlists others to get Kat a date, and chaos ensues.]
I wish I saw more romantic scripts that delivered in Act 3.
Act 1 - These are usually good. Plenty of spark. Plenty of moxie.
Act 2 - Obstacles galore. Good growth! Can't wait for the finish.
But Act 3? It either/often:
- falls to trite forumla ("I love you." "I love you more." I die inside.)
- OR goes off the rails ("I hate you." "You're evil." NOT romantic.)
- OR limps to a weak end ("I do not want to go on." "Yeah." My heart weeps in disappointment.)
The romance in 10 Things was tricky.
Acts 1 and 2 worked beautifully. Act 3, however, faltered for me.
Let's take a look why: *Spoilers ahead*
- Patrick admits to Kat that he was paid to date her.
- Later, Cameron admits to Kat that Bianca was behind the whole dating scheme.
- Kat confronts Bianca, who confesses all the misunderstandings.
- Kat and Bianca finally become friends.
- In front of the whole class, Kat reads a poem she wrote. She tells Patrick," "I hate the way I don't hate you, not even close, not even a little bit, not even any at all."
- Patrick gives her a guitar for her dream band and admits he fell for her.
- They joke, they kiss.
I liked it all, except the line from the poem.
I know she's trying to say, "I forgive you", but not hate him even a little bit?
The romance fizzles for me...maybe because that line kills the tension?
Hmmm...now that makes sense.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Don't resolve the tension all the way, even in Act 3.
Romance needs tension!
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
by Karen McCullah Lutz & Kirsten Smith
Based on "Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare
No comments:
Post a Comment