Famously, on the Hallmark movie channel, every romantic plot line follows the same story: a small-town girl moves to the big city to chase her dreams, only to return home and fall in love with her first love (and occasionally save her family farm or legacy). And while everyone acknowledges this pattern, a less recognized occurrence in romantic comedy classics is commonly overlooked, and that is the career and art of journalism.
The romantic element of this not so common career was televised everywhere, especially in the early 2000s, when it seemed like every movie that hit movie screens focused on their main female protagonist being not only a writer, but a journalist! Don’t believe me? Need a refresher? Here are some of the most beloved characters that you may or may not remember, known for their career of writing, interviewing, and publishing pieces.
1. Andie Anderson from ‘How to lose a guy in 10 days’
This article would not be correct if it were not started by mentioning the rom-com journalist herself, Miss Andie Anderson. The premise of this entire 2003 film is entirely based on Andie’s desire to take her journalism career to the next level, stepping up from her usual “How-To” pieces. To accomplish this goal, however, Andie writes a more intense “How-To” article for Composure, entitled “How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days,” where she then becomes a clingy, annoying, and all-too-attention-seeking girlfriend to the unsuspecting businessman, Benjamin Barry. In romantic comedy fashion, though, they fall in love. Her cover is blown to only find out Ben had secret career motives as well. And while all love seems lost, Andie’s published piece reveals her love for Ben, leading the two back to each other. Who knew journalism would be what lands you the man of your dreams!
2. andrea sachs from ‘the devil wears prada’
Recently debuting its sequel, The Devil Wears Prada is centered around the world of fashion journalism, with the main character, Andy Sachs, landing a job as an assistant to the harsh editor-in-chief, Miranda Priestly. Now working for Runway, Andy takes her assistant job seriously, and it slowly changes her appearance and personality. Her relationships outside the journalism world start to fall, leading her to break up with her boyfriend and have full intentions of fitting into a world she used to judge. Though this movie both glamorously and unglamorously glorifies the journalism world, in the end it delivers a beautiful message when Andy chooses herself and decides to quit and find a job in NYC, where Miranda, despite all their differences, writes a beautiful recommendation letter.
3. Jenna rink by 13 going on 30
Starring Jennifer Garner, this 2004 rom-com features main character Jenna Rink in an unusual situation when, after an embarrassing thirteenth birthday party, she wakes up as her 30-year-old self. Thirty-year-old Jenna is now a highly educated and glorified editor for Poise magazine, where she soon finds out her adult self is ruthless and unkind in this journalism job. In fact, she has distanced herself from her close friends and has hurt many people around her, betraying the morals she set for herself at 13. While this film focuses a lot on Jenna trying to understand herself and the mistakes that she has made in life, this film also heavily represents the journalism world with competitions, creativity, and eventually, true transparency when in the end, an article and photo shoot by her best friend, Matt Flamhaff, saves adult Jenna’s integrity.
These may only be three of many journalism-heavy rom-com films, but they all beg the same question: why journalism? Why that career? The answer may simply be because of the growing number of magazines in the 2000s, or because it was a common job for women in big cities. But I like to think it’s because of all the life lessons and skills journalism may have to offer that even the main characters of romantic comedies must learn.