‘As We Know It’ (2023) Perfectly Combines Horror & Rom-Com Elements For A Hilariously Good Time
Hybrid movie genres have been providing quite the blend of things you wouldn’t think would go well together, such as horror movies and romantic comedies. Horror romantic comedies provide a unique blend of fear and romance. They offer movie audiences a refreshing departure from the conventional genres we all flock to the theaters to see. By merging the spine-chilling elements of the modern horror movie with the cheesy yet heartwarming allure of romantic comedies, you are getting an experience carved out of a niche that appeals to a much wider and diverse crowd.
This blending of horror and romantic comedy genres caters to the movie audience who are seeking not only an emotional rollercoaster but also a way to embrace the thrill of the unknown element of horror. It lets us indulge in the warmth that a romantic comedy usually brings with the element of a beheading or gorefest that we horror fans crave. Mixing these two genres not only broadens the film’s appeal to us but also sparks intriguing narratives that can keep movie audiences on the edge of their seats for many reasons.
Horror romantic comedies, or ‘horror rom-coms’ tend to demonstrate the versatility of unique storytelling, allowing the filmmakers who make them to explore some unconventional themes and possibly even challenge the genre norms that have graced the silver screen for over 100 years. The juxtaposition of a horror movie’s intensity with the light-hearted foundation of a romantic comedy can create a scenario that makes quite the dynamic environment for dynamic storytelling. This tends to set the stage for some unexpected plot twists, humor-driven scares, and a bit of a playful exploration of love in the face of the terrifying unknown. Horror rom-coms excel in blending fear and laughter by providing a unique and memorable cinematic movie-going experience that will captivate a joined audience gathering together to enjoy a story that will keep them talking the entire way home from the theater.
Recently I had the chance to watch a 90s-based zombie horror rom-com called ‘As We Know It’. This movie stars Mike Castle, Oliver Cooper, Taylor Blackwell, Chris Parnell, and Pam Grier. It is co-written by Josh Monkarsh, Brandon DePaolo, and Christopher Francis. It is directed by Josh Monkrash and is a Traffic City Productions Film. The synopsis for this movie is as follows:
“Set in Los Angeles in the late 1990s, struggling writer James Bishop grapples with the emotional shrapnel of a recent breakup with his longtime girlfriend, Emily. As James holds up in his Hollywood Hills home with writer’s block, his eccentric best friend Bruce shows up with bad news. The city has plunged into chaos by an unusual zombie outbreak, courtesy of tainted soy milk, wreaking havoc on James’ semi-charmed kinda life.
With the streets of Los Angeles swarming with the undead, James, Bruce, and Emily come together to barricade themselves in the house while reconciling their personal struggles. Not to mention they occasionally let in the only food delivery service still operating, the wing shop Abracadabra.
Bringing together elements of romance, friendship, and the absurdity of survival there is a rollercoaster of laughs and unexpected twists. With the fate of humanity hanging in the balance, our trio must confront their own demons, rekindle lost love, and of course, avoid being turned into the living dead.”
The experience this movie gives its viewers is unexpected, hilarious, and at the core of it a uniquely enjoyable story that keeps you wanting more. It appeals to two genres we all know we love (even if you don’t admit to one of them) horror and romantic comedies. The insanity starts right off the bat with Bruce (portrayed by Oliver Cooper) uses his only mode of transportation, a bike, to pedal his way to help out his buddy, the depressed and down-on-his-luck-with-love writer James (portrayed by Mike Castle). This movie makes one hell of a buddy comedy and makes you feel nostalgic for some of the things that some of us in our 30s may have taken for granted in our younger days.
One example of this is when James and Bruce are hanging out to get away from the onslaught of zombies flooding the streets, they pop in a laser disc of ‘Waterworld’ while providing their own commentary on how it is the best Kevin Costner movie (or quite possibly the best movie of all time). It will remind you of those glory days that you may have had with your friends where your over-opinionated views on what content you enjoyed was the foundation of how you lived every day of your life. Hell, most of us still agree that ‘Waterworld’ is a damn good movie (which I am sure most of you aren’t brave enough to admit, but no judgment here).
There is a witty, hilarious, and extremely fantastic way that this movie keeps you wanting more. The way that it is written really makes you feel you are overhearing a conversation your friends might be having in your basement in high school while you are coming down with some snacks to hang out. It’s very unexpected with how funny the jokes land and it makes you really want more from both of them. Not to mention how the duo becomes a trio when James’ ex-girlfriend Emily (portrayed by Taylor Blackwell) gets added to the mix. Not only is she a great voice of reason, but she provides her own hilarity to the movie’s storyline (especially when it comes to how her friends end up meeting a gruesome end).
You also get an extra dose of comedy with newcomer Danny “Cugine” Mondello’s introduction into the movie world and the world of this movie as Rory, Bruce’s random old friend and former sandwich artist bro. Danny is most known for his hilarious social media content ‘Meals By Cug’ and he doesn’t spare any of his immensely comedic talents in his first onscreen role. He was a great element to the trio for the time he was on screen and really an enjoyable part of the movie’s rooster of side characters (which also include the news anchor character portrayed by Chris Parnell and cop neighbor portrayed by Pam Grier).
There is a particular scene that really stands out in such a hilarious way when Rory and Bruce are reconnecting and laughing about the good old days they shared as ‘Sandwich Artists’ at Subway. The back and forth they have all while James is standing there bewildered by the audacity that these two bros are sharing some laughs while people are being eaten alive mere blocks away from them just adds to the already perfect element of comedy this movie gives us. The comedy, acting, and storytelling of this movie are just a small piece of the powerhouse that this movie provides you with its 1-hour and 24-minute runtime. The way the zombies and gore are in this movie is just the cherry on top of an already deliciously good movie. The transformation scene of one of the characters turning into a zombie was pretty impressive with the way the makeup effects team came together for the final product of their portrayal of a zombie in this movie.
Sure, a zombie is a pretty good element, but if you combine it with how it looks on screen, the acting, and of course the nasty looking they can be, you are going to have a great time watching them slowly make their way to their prey onscreen. You would of course be remiss if you didn’t acknowledge the fact that this movie is truly cast to perfection with everyone on screen (of course of main characters as well being the main focus). The chemistry that is had with the trio of James, Emily, and Bruce in their adventure to survive the zombie apocalypse crumbling around them is so good. There is comedy, heart, and even an element of backstabbing drama that works so well with the delivery that each of the actors gives.
If there is anything bad that can be said about this movie it is that it will leave you wanting more. A good movie tends to be so enjoyable it goes by pretty fast, and this movie didn’t disappoint with that element. It is a well-done addition not only to the world of horror comedies but also to the world of romantic comedies. It has a lot of heart, friendship, and nostalgia that you will keep your eyes on the screen to make sure you don’t miss a moment of it. It is hard to compare this movie to any other greats out there, but if you were you most likely would compare it to ‘Shaun of the Dead’ with a bit of Kevin Smith stoner comedy and with a dash of the 90s romantic comedies we all enjoy. There is such a great twist at the end that really wraps this movie up beautifully.
‘As We Know It’ from Traffic City Films is now available on VOD and digitally. Be sure to grab a Surge soda, and some classic flavored Doritos and enjoy this hilarious yet horrifying trip back to the 90s’ with this new movie.
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