Shows / The Rom Complex
The Rom Complex
Which came first, the romantic comedy or our messed up ways of thinking about love and relationships? Each week Sam Frontera and Shelby Schwieterman break down the romcom tropes that make their hearts sing and the ones that need to be tuned up. Listen to them talk about how these movies affected their relationships–for better and for worse.
Episodes
The Rom Complex137. Dudley Do-Right: A Confession of Love from a Moose (with James AKA Marsh Land Monster)
This week’s guest James (Marsh Land Monster, Mostly Speakin’ Sentai, Marsh Land Media) nonsensically chose the movie Dudley Do-Right (1999) so we talk about…
The Rom Complex136. Austenland: I Certainly Didn’t Intend on Falling in Love, But…
Grab your… bonnets? I don’t know what they wear. Grab whatever hats they wear in Jane Austen books and join us as we talk about Austenland (2013)! We discuss…
The Rom Complex135. The First Time: You Are in Love with Her Smile and Her Hair Tucking
Sam forces Shelby to slum it through another virginity tale with this week’s movie: The First Time (2012)! We talk monologues, teen decision-making, and the…
The Rom Complex134. Chasing Liberty: They Want You to Have Love, Find Love, and Value Love, but Not Make Love, Ever!
Hop on your scooter and come with us as we go Chasing Liberty (2004)! We discuss human anatomy, overprotective fathers, and Shelby’s capacity for forgiveness…
The Rom Complex133. One Small Hitch: It’s Not Like That, Man. I Love Her.
Sam’s choice month is off to a start with One Small Hitch (2013). This is a bad movie, which is okay, because we were getting too comfortable with good ones…
The Rom Complex132. Palm Springs: Eat, Drink, Dance. Bask in Love.
We’re back in time loop territory, folks! And this time it’s a GOOD ONE: Palm Springs (2020). We talk about why time loops are so interesting, why Andy Samberg…
The Rom Complex131. Obvious Child: I Really Do Love Pregnant Ladies
This week we’re talking about 2014’s Obvious Child, so if you don’t want to hear our opinions on abortion then whoopsie doopsie this is NOT the episode for…
The Rom Complex130. Mr. Right: I Think I’m in Love with Him. Is That Stupid?
Shelby has forced Sam to look at Anna Kendrick’s face with this week’s pick: Mr. Right (2015). Sam confesses to a desire to murder, and Shelby confesses to a…
The Rom Complex129. Bringing Up Baby: The Love Impulse in Man
July is Shelby takeover month, and the first movie up is 1938’s Bringing Up Baby. That’s right, I made Sam watch a movie in black and white! We talk about Cary…
The Rom Complex128. Adventureland: I Realized I Don’t Really Love This Person
Sam and Shelby use 2009’s Adventureland to discuss virginity tales, the positive feminist qualities of gossip, and Academy Award nominated actor Kristen…
The Rom Complex127. 50 First Dates: The Guy That Makes Me Fall in Love with Him Every Day
There’s a lot to dislike about 50 First Dates (2004), but if you squint hard, you might find something cute in there! We discuss being real people instead of…
The Rom Complex126. Say Anything: A Date Is a Prearrangement with a Possibility for Love
We finally visit a classic neither of us have seen–1989’s Say Anything. We talk about precious empty-headed men, smart girls who can say anything, and dads who…
The Rom Complex125. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: Love Your Sisters and Love Yourself
Are you looking for some magic pants? Well, we have some right here! It’s The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)! We rank the four storylines, discuss…
The Rom Complex124. Along For the Ride: All the Things He Loved, I Loved Too
This episode we’re going into the Dessenverse with this year’s Along For the Ride (2022). We discuss being kind to your past self, pie, and how change is a…
The Rom Complex123. How to Be Single: I Didn’t Need an Experiment to Know That I Loved You
This episode is NOT about Dakota Johnson’s naked body! It’s about the movie How to Be Single (2016). Three main storylines of varying quality come together to…
The Rom Complex122. Shallow Hal: It Didn’t Matter, ‘Cause He Already Loved Her
We’re sorry to talk about Shallow Hal (2001), but also you’re welcome because we watched it and now get to give you funny content. We talk about donuts, the…
The Rom Complex121. Morning Glory: You’ll Love It Though, It’s a Great Job
We’ve got some more fan-requested movies for you this month, starting with 2010’s Morning Glory! We talk about leaning into it, the ease of good relationships…
The Rom Complex120. Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Dracula, A Taste for Love (with Lexi Forde)
This episode we return to an old favorite–Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)–WITH a returning favorite–Lexi Forde! We discuss how Sarah Marshall is not actually…
The Rom Complex119. About Time: For Me, It Was Always Going to Be About Love
Hey, can we borrow some tissues? We’ve been crying over About Time (2013), as you do. We can? Great! Thanks! You’re the best! Now go ahead and listen to the…
The Rom Complex118. The Lost City: We’re on a Lovemore and Dash Adventure Right Now
Happy national himbo month! It’s not a real thing, but it’s real to us! We’re celebrating with The Lost City (2022) starring a big beefy Channing Tatum. It…
The Rom Complex117. Bridesmaids: Show Me Your Love Is Eternal Face
I gotta be honest, we spend this episode talking about how much we love every part of this movie! Please find Shelby a spare non-cop golden retriever boy…
The Rom Complex116. Wedding Crashers: Love Doesn’t Exist, That’s What I’m Trying to Tell You Guys
We all have those movies that meant a lot to us in adolescence. Here’s one that didn’t! And also doesn’t mean anything to us now! Wedding Crashers (2005) takes…
The Rom Complex115. Bride Wars: Then You Wouldn’t Be the Woman I Fell in Love With (with Drunk on Rom-Coms)
This episode we have input from some wedding experts (Coni and Marie from Drunk on Rom-Coms) on the mess that is Bride Wars (2009). We discuss weddings…
The Rom Complex114. Jumping the Broom: Everybody’s Going to Love Each Other
Got mommy issues? Then boy, you’re in for a treat with Jumping the Broom (2011)! This movie has not just one, but two (or even three???) momzillas to choose…
The Rom Complex113. My Big Fat Greek Wedding: It’s Done! They Fell in Love!
Listen closely. . . do you hear the wedding bells? That’s because we are March-ing down the aisle, starting with My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)! This movie…
The Rom Complex112. Bring It On: Worldwide #Cheersmack: I Wanted to Love It, but I Just Didn’t
Hoo boy, the last installment in our Bringing On the New Year series goes ahead and flips the script on everything we know and love about the Bring It On…
The Rom Complex111. Bring It On: Fight to the Finish: Love Birds Alert
We’ve made a lovely discovery, which is that Bring It On: Fight to the Finish (2009) is one of the better Bring It On movies! Sam and Shelby discuss family and…
The Rom Complex110. Bring It On: In It to Win It: I Love It When We Win
Come with us on a journey into to the past… AKA the year 2007, when Sam, Shelby, and Bring It On: In It to Win It were all in the beautiful, soggy...
The Rom Complex109. Bring It On: All or Nothing: Quit Something That You Love
We’ve tumbled and herkied all the way to the third installment, Bring It On: All Or Nothing (2006), and we picked someone up along the way–Torry of the Ready…
The Rom Complex108. Bring It On Again: They Have the Love of the Crowd
Grab your dorm posters and meal plans because Bring It On Again (2004) is whisking us away to college! This cheerleading college experience is extremely…
The Rom Complex107. Bring It On: The Boys All Love to Stare
We’re bringing on the New Year with, well, you get it. Bring It On. Bringing on the New Year. Get it? Yeah, you get it. Shelby opens 2022 by comparing…
The Rom Complex106. Single All the Way: We Can Pretend We Fell in Love After All These Years
Happy almost-Christmas! To celebrate, we’re talking about Netflix’s Single All the Way (2021). It’s a sweet little treat to help get you through the holidays…
The Rom Complex105. The Spirit of Christmas: You Will Remember What It Means to Love and Be Deeply Loved in Return
The Spirit of Christmas (2015) brings us joy, holiday spirit, and a hot ghost who makes his own cocktails. Shelby thinks we should call the scientists, and Sam…
The Rom Complex104. The Perfect Holiday: There’s True Love, and My Big Break
What does it take to have the perfect holiday? We hope to learn by watching and discussing The Perfect Holiday (2007)! Rush our Christmas frat and learn how to…
The Rom Complex103. No Sleep ‘Til Christmas: . . .and Tell Lizzie That I’m Madly in Love with Her
This episode we discuss No Sleep ‘Til Christmas (2018), a movie whose title is the most Christmas-y thing about it. We talk about how exciting it is to tell…
The Rom Complex102. Zack and Miri Make A Porno: I Love You, and I Have for As Long As I Can Remember
It’s been a while since we both truly hated a movie, but now here we are talking about Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008). Look, we love a bad, unintentionally…
The Rom Complex101. The Girl Next Door: Because I Loved the Way You Looked at Me
Want to know what teen girls are like? Well, forget it, because this movie won’t tell you! The Girl Next Door (2004) is all about the boys. Sam and Shelby…
The Rom Complex100. Sleeping with Other People: I Love You for Free
Look at the number there in the episode title. Three digits! Can you believe it?! We are so excited to get to 100 that we had to talk about one of our...
The Rom Complex99. The To-Do List: Did You Make Love with Him?
We’re kicking off Naughty November with 2013’s The To Do List, starring Aubrey Plaza. Sam takes a hard stance on the sanctity of movie theater popcorn butter…
The Rom Complex98. Mean Girls: It’s Not My Fault You’re Like in Love with Me or Something
This episode about Mean Girls (2004) was as inevitable as the Jingle Bell Rock dance at the talent show every year. You CAN sit with us as we discuss Janis’s…
The Rom Complex97. Shakespeare in Love: I Loved a Writer and Gave Up the Prize for a Sonnet
Does thou bite thy thumb at me? Well, please don’t! We don’t want to fight, we just want to give you this new episode about Shakespeare in Love (1998). Listen…
The Rom Complex96. She’s the Man: For the Love of God, It Burns!
Who would have thought you could get Shakespeare, Channing Tatum, and CHEESE all in one place? We found that place for you, and that place is She’s the Man…
The Rom Complex95. A Cinderella Story: Love the Dress, Hate Her
Was waiting for us to come back like waiting for rain this drought? Well, get ready to be FLOODED because we are back with A Cinderella Story (2004). We talk…
The Rom Complex94. Good Luck Chuck: If You Love Something, Sometimes You Just Wanna Be Surrounded By It
Ugh. Believe me when I say you do not need to check out Good Luck Chuck (2007). This movie exists in a world in which all women could possible want is to...
The Rom Complex93. Glitter: All My Life My Love’s Been Waiting for You
They say the glitter shouldn’t overpower the artist, so it’s a good thing Mariah Carey isn’t known solely for her work on Glitter (2001). What a grim world…
The Rom Complex92. Little Italy: Never Squeeze the Love Out of a Man’s Heart
The next course in our Truly Awful August meal is a zesty little pizza dish called Little Italy (2018). This nonsense film has it all–voiceover narration, bad…
The Rom Complex91. Gigli: A Charming, Loveable Guy Like Yourself? You Should Get Out More.
Folks, we did it. We watched the legendarily awful mob-based rom-com that manages to be offensive to everyone–that’s right, we watched Gigli (2003). And guess…
The Rom Complex90. Center Stage: She’s A Ballerina and She’s in Love with You (with David Michael Burke)
The delightful and hilarious David Michael Burke (yes, the one from TikTok!) joined us to talk about Center Stage (2000), the dance movie that started it all…
The Rom Complex89. Earth Girls Are Easy: Sensualize the Atmosphere of Your Love Trap (with Happily Ever Slasher)
Amanda and Brooke of Happily Ever Slasher join us to talk about Earth Girls Are Easy (1988). Who would have thought that Jim Carrey could be… a hot guy??? We…
The Rom Complex88. Two Can Play That Game: When It Comes to Love, There Are No Rules (with Drunk on RomComs)
Grab your headphones and your favorite beverage because this week’s guests are Marie and Coni from Drunk on Romcoms! We discuss Two Can Play That Game (2001)…
The Rom Complex87. Stuck in Love: Just Avoid Love at All Costs. That’s My Motto (with Movies That Raised Us)
Our guests for this episode are Mo and Christina from Movies That Raised Us who did us the honor of chatting about 2012’s Stuck In Love. This movie is filled…
The Rom Complex86. Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist: I Loved Your Mixes, By the Way (with Sick S.A.D. Film Club)
Oh hi, July. That one’s for you, listener. And let’s get another “oh, hi” for our first guests for this month–the hosts of the Sick S.A.D. Film Club podcast!…
The Rom Complex85. Tangled: I Really Want to Make a Love Connection
Is that a pet chameleon in your pocket or are you just happy to hear us talk about Tangled (2010)? Flynn Rider might be the hottest Disney love interest, but…
The Rom Complex84. Your Name: No Jobs, No Love, No Happiness
I gotta be honest, we spend most of this one gushing about how much we loved Your Name (2016). But then it turns into a discussion of why we are so…
The Rom Complex83. Shrek: The Ogre Has Fallen in Love with the Princess
You know what? Get INTO our swamp because we’re talking about Shrek (2001)! It’s got fairy tales, it’s got anti-Disney sentiment, it’s got a beautiful love…
The Rom Complex82. Enchanted: How Does She Know That You Love Her?
Do me a favor real quick–sing that little song that makes all the animals near you come running to help you clean your kitchen and iron your clothes, then have…
The Rom Complex81. Celeste and Jesse Forever: Do You Think the Obamas Are Really in Love?
We’re closing out May with 2012’s Celeste and Jesse Forever, a movie in which the asshole protagonist learns how to let people cut her in line. Sam and Shelby…
The Rom Complex80. Crazy, Stupid, Love: Because They Fell in Love and Love Is For Stupid Assholes
Sam and Shelby are back and sliding into your flip-phone texts to talk to you about 2011’s Crazy, Stupid, Love. We discuss cheating, creepy thirteen-year-olds…
The Rom Complex79. What’s Your Number: Being in Love Means Being Yourself
First thing’s first… HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAM! All she wants for her 30th is Chris Evans to reenact her favorite scenes from What’s Your Number? (2011), which…
The Rom Complex78. The Broken Hearts Gallery: Now All I Have Left of Our Love Is This Sad, Second Place Duck
The Broken Hearts Gallery (2020) shares some elements with last week’s The Break-Up (art gallery owned by cool older lady) but is one thousand times more…