Stereotypes of Comedy Films

Slapstick

This film contains lots of different types  of humour one of these being slapstick which a lot of audiences find amusing. It usually involves aggressive, physical or visual actions. People are invited to laugh at other people’s misfortunes. Perhaps it is the surprise element that makes the audience laugh or perhaps they just enjoy seeing somebody suffer minor accidents to make them feel better.

Hero

The main character of the film is usually seen at the end as a hero. This may be shown in many different ways. He is usually known as one of the idiots at the beginning of the film who wants to overcome his misfortune. This causes the audience to know right from the start that this character is going to entertain them throughout the film, and as he is a likeable character the audience will want him to be happy. They will also be interested to see how he can overcome his stupidity.

A best friend/ Side kick

The main character usually has a few friends who are also idiots at the beginning. They are quite often hopeless as friends which can be seen as funny to some audiences as they get to see the mistakes made by them. The audience may be able to relate to the main character and feel sorry for him as he doesn’t stand a chance.

Stereotypes

There are a variety of stereotypical characters used in the comedy genre and they are very often connected with a minority group of some kind. People are more inclined to laugh at or about somebody who they feel is different from themselves. It is perhaps not so much that they are actually laughing at the minority group but more that they are trying to show that they are part of the main stream community. Laughing at other people makes them feel more powerful. The minority groups targeted may be those with disabilities, those of a different race, of the opposite sex, of a different sexual persuasion or two dimensional characters. As an example of this in ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’ the best friend of one of the main characters is obviously gay and the audience laughs both at him and with him as his ‘campness’ is exaggerated.

Romantic sub plot

This type of comedy is usually called ‘romantic comedy’ which typically involves a relationship between a man and a woman. This story line may appeal more to the female audience as it is about relationships and love interests, although the male audience may be able to relate to the male main character if he has had unfortunate situations with his own relationships. This could add more entertainment and enjoyment for the audience.

Journey

One of the clichés seen is a journey which the main character and their friends will embark on. This means that as the film progresses the audience will feel attached to the characters and begin to understand them.