When you think of a romantic comedy, what usually comes to mind is emotional declarations of love, a thousand roses and a big grand gesture. And this is what you usually get, which is why I’m not particularly fond of rom-coms. 

Don’t get me wrong; I can fully appreciate them for what they are, and I completely understand why people like them. They’re just not my thing. Maybe it's the sickly sweet over-the-top gestures to win over the girl, or maybe it's all the fashionable outfits. The point is, when I want to watch a fun movie for the weekend, I rarely pick a romantic comedy.

That’s until I saw the trailer for “Lisa Frankenstein.”

The moment the trailer interrupted the YouTube video I was watching, I was intrigued. This was a movie that was being marketed as a romantic comedy but whose main plot line seemed to revolve around the lead couple going on a bit of a murder spree. I mean, what is not to love about that concept?

So I immediately bought tickets for my friend and I to go watch it. And let me tell you I was not disappointed.

The movie features Lisa (Kathryn Newton) as a teenager navigating the trauma of her mom’s murder while adjusting to life with her new stepmom (Carla Gugino) and step-sister (Lisa Soberano). Lisa copes with her loneliness by going to the cemetery and talking to the tombstone of Cole Sprouse's character, who is credited as The Creature. Lisa’s life is then turned upside down when The Creature suddenly appears in her house, unable to talk, with a bad ear and only one hand. 

After The Creature kills her stepmom to defend her, they find out that they can use the body parts from the corpse to replace the ones that are not working or fully missing from The Creature. What ensues is Lisa and The Creature going on a small killing spree to get all the parts they need, which ends with Lisa electrocuting herself with a tanning bed to avoid getting caught. 

The movie ends with Lisa’s dad (Joe Chrest) and step-sister visiting her grave, which has some gummy rings laid next to the words “beloved wife” carved into the stone, followed by a short scene of a fully bandaged up Lisa lying on The Creature’s lap. The perfect happy ending. 

“Lisa Frankenstein” is a movie that knows exactly what it is. It plays to the weird and the macabre and laughs at it. It uses murder as the thing that brings the couple together, and somehow, it works. 

I think the main reason why this movie has been well-received by audiences is because it offers an alternative to the typical rom-com. It takes into account that not everyone is into the cookie-cutter idea of romance that comes with butterflies and heart balloons. 

Not everyone enjoys the typical romantic gestures, and I think we should acknowledge that more. Take Valentine’s Day for instance. All over the place, there are chocolates and roses, but what if I don’t like that? What if, instead of getting a teddy bear with a heart stamped on its stomach, I’d rather spend some time in a haunted house or stab a cake? I think we should push more for the uncommon gifts and gestures that, in the end, are far more meaningful than going with the same old flowers. 

“Lisa Frankenstein” just goes to show that romance and love come in a lot more shapes and sizes than we usually give it credit for. Instead of roses and chocolates, I want gummy rings and tombstones.