Task 2 - Just Like Heaven Analysis

Romantic Comedies are films with light hearted, humorous plot lines, centered around romantic ideals such as true love is able to overcome any obstacle. Romantic Comedy films are a sub-genre of comedy films as well as romance films. Rom Coms appeal to women and are also known as 'chick flicks' 

The opening of the film "Just Like Heaven" starts with a tilt up to the DreamWorks Logo and then the DreamWorks music starts to play.  

As the opening scene continues the camera pans around the clouds of the DreamWorks title,

where the audience can now see the clouds as part of the film rather than the DreamWorks title. The camera now goes from Heaven to the ground with the titles fading in and out in various soft colours including yellow, green, pink and blue.

The first time we see the protagonist is as the soft lense/focus effect dissolves two cuts of the scene as we see the protagonist (Elizabeth, played by Reece Witherspoon) for the very first time sitting in the garden of Eden. We are shown the clouds as part of the film because it links in with the film title. The soft lens effect creates a dream-like feel and as two shots are dissolved together it gives the audience the impression that Elizabeth has been there for a long period of time.   

As the scene continues we then realise that it is just a dream as she is awoken in a rush back to her busy hospital job. This suggests that she is stressed at work, finding the long days difficult and had started dreaming about the peaceful place she wishes she was at. As this scene is playing, non diagetic, instrumental music is used. 

In another scene is its set up as a stereotypical romantic comedy where the protagonist is sat in a room with her friends, they're all talking about their boyfriends and children and how busy their lives are. Elizabeth is sitting very quietly, almost isolated from the group as she has no boyfriend or children to talk about. A shot reverse shot is used in this showing the process of conversation and every so often there is a shot of Elizabeth, showing how isolated and alone with no input in the conversation.