SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

THE DESIGN SCHOOL

FOUNDATION IN NATURAL BUILD ENVIRONMENT

NAME: SYED ASWAD AL JAFFREE BIN SYED SOBRI

STUDENT ID NO: 0318625

FILMS SELECTED: 50 FIRST DATES / ANGER MANAGEMENT

WORD COUNT: 815

ENGLISH 2 (ELG 30605)

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 1: COMPARE – CONTRAST ESSAY

LECTURER: CASSANDRA WIJESURIA

SUBMISSION DATE: 19TH SEPTEMBER 2014

For the comparison essay, the film genre that I have chosen to write about

is drama / comedy (dramedy). The drama/comedy film genre is a genre

that mainly focuses on the stories of everyday people, who experience love

in the most serendipitous and unusual circumstances. These stories are

often mixed in with elements of quirkiness and humour to lighten the mood

of the film and the audience, as well as tragedy, misfortune and heartbreak

to give a sense of suspense and climax. Dramedy films are intended on

bringing the audience on a roller-coaster of emotions while also leaving the

audience with a warm feeling in their hearts after the movie. The crowd that

these films are targeted at mostly include teenagers and adults, or

generally people who would be more in tune to romantic elements. The two

movies that I have chosen to write about are “50 First Dates” and “Anger

Management”.

Among the qualities that are shown in both movies is the ability of love to

change people for the better. In 50 First Dates, the protagonist of the

movie, Henry Roth, is a womanizer who lives in a Hawaiian paradise with

the company of endless women with no strings attached. When he finally

meets Lucy Whitmore, a woman whom he feels that he could potentially

have feelings for, he begins to pursue her, only to find out that she has

short-term memory loss, and cannot recall events past a specific day in her

life. This causes Henry to become dedicated to making her fall in love with

him every single day, eventually making him change and leaving his

previous womanizer lifestyle. Whereas in Anger Management, protagonist

Dave Buznik is a temperamental man who suffers from anger management

issues, and circumstances force him to be forced into anger management

therapy. When his relationship with his loving girlfriend Linda, is

jeopardized by his therapy, Dave goes out of his way to stand up for

himself and face his inner demons, ultimately overcoming his anger. In both

movies, love is the common factor that makes both characters change to

become better people.

Another quality that is displayed in the films are about working to build and

maintain relationships with people. In 50 First Dates, protagonist Henry

Roth is faced with the challenge of building and maintaining a real

relationship (something that he isn’t used to) with no ordinary woman, but

an amnesiac who constantly forgets of his efforts in doing so. Despite this

setback, Henry persists to maintain the relationship by frequently

encountering Lucy “for the first time”, and taking her out on 50 different first

dates. In Anger Management, Dave faces his own struggles to maintain

and save his relationship with his long-time girlfriend Linda. In order to

avoid “losing” his girlfriend to his therapist, Buddy, Dave works through his

anger and inner demons in hopes that Linda will “take him back”, although

the whole situation was part of the anger management programme,

unknown to Dave.

The films also give messages to the audience about chasing after what one

wants, and going out of one’s way to make things happen. Toward the

endings of both movies, the protagonist eventually overcomes great

obstacles and odds to go after what they want and working things out,

rather than just leaving things to fate and chance. In 50 First Dates, on one

of the many dates, after Lucy overhears of Henry’s plans to throw away his

dreams of sailing to the Arctic in order to be with her, she ends the

relationship, not wanting to hold Henry back. Brokenhearted, Henry

proceeds with his trip. Shortly after realizing that his friend Marlin hinted

that Lucy had indeed remembered Henry, he races back to see her. Upon

realizing that she had retained vague memories of their love, the couple

reunite. Henry goes back for her, and eventually marries her, despite her

issues. In Anger Management, Dave goes out of his way to put a stop to

Buddy’s (fake) marriage proposal to Linda, overcomes his anger and ego

issues, and finally gains the courage to proclaim his love for her in front of a

baseball stadium crowd. In both scenarios, protagonists overcome

challenges to go after what means most to them.

Through carrying the audience through a touching journey of heartfelt

emotions whilst showing people a good time, dramedies are about sending

positive messages to viewers about lessons in life and love, and inspiring

viewers to do more with their lives, or to simply be happy and appreciate

the little things that make living enjoyable. Viewers in turn can extract

positive values from these films, interpret and apply them in whatever way

they wish in their own lives. In both movies, 50 First Dates and Anger

Management, the same qualities are displayed to the audience in different

ways and through different circumstances, for audiences to interpret and

relate to for themselves.