Many stories have a love story in them and, as
you'll see in the 15 Beats section later, many a B Story involves
the “love story” of a film. This is why we are often
confused when we say a movie is a “love story.” After
all, what does that mean? I prefer to call these “Buddy
Love” tales because these are stories about how the most
important event in our lives is... meeting someone else! The
overarching rule of the “BL” tale is: “My life
changed for having met another!”
These movies all chart the slow realization that
one is not as good without the person who completes him or her.
There is an essence in each that their “other”
identifies with, compliments, and appreciates, that no one else
can. And yet, our heroes both fight being together! Why? Partly
this is just good drama. It would be a very short movie if the
lovers “got it” on page one. The key is to have them
hate each other at the start and slowly come to learn their lives
are much better with their “better half” than
without.
Here are the three components — and note
especially the examples below, because Buddy Love stories include a
wider range of tales than you might think:
1. It’s about an “incomplete
hero” who is missing something physical, ethical, or
spiritual; he needs another to be whole.
2. A “counterpart” who makes that
completion come about or, in the case of a three-hander (story
about a triangle) or a four-hander (story about two couples), has
qualities the hero(es) need(s).
3. A “complication,” be it a
misunderstanding, personal or ethical viewpoint, epic historical
event, or the prudish disapproval of society.
Examples: The Other Guys, Brokeback
Mountain,
Titanic, When Harry Met
Sally…, Lethal Weapon, The Black
Stallion
