Romance in the ‘80s

While Rainer can rest assured that there is no conspiracy to portray the world in Hollywood’s image, romance is, by definition, a bit removed from reality, and fills an important need.

Love, a deeper concept Ranier avoided entirely, was depicted in most of the films he criticized. Love works, and it’s a lot more mature than romance.

Ranier believes optimism recalls a bygone era, but perhaps the author is stuck back in the bra-burning, sexual-war era and its immediate aftermath, which are both passe.

JAMES TUGEND

Los Angeles