Imagine that you are from a consulting firm that specializes in
Interpersonal Communication. You have been hired to observe different
encounters between individuals. Using what you’ve learned throughout the
course, you need to analyze their behaviors as they relate to interpersonal
communication and then provide suggestions for improvement. The communicative
encounters that you observe will be from a movie of your choice.
Guidelines for your final project:
1. Pick a movie that incorporates interpersonal
relationships as a part of its plot. See below for a list of movies. (NOTE: You
do NOT have to choose a movie from the list; it is merely a starting point.)
2. In one paragraph, summarize the movie (e.g.
main characters, plot, climax, conclusion, etc.)
3. Choose four interpersonal
communication concepts/topics for the analysis (see “Key Terms” at the end of
each chapter). Provide a definition of each concept. 4. Use each concept to analyze the characters’
behaviors and relationships. In your analysis, provide specific
examples from the movie to evidence your arguments and explain how the
concept is applied in the story. Be specific as you describe the characters
and/or events where the concept is demonstrated.
o Do not simply recount what happens in the movie.
o The objective of this assignment is to explain
a concept/theory by using examples from the movie to illustrate the principle
in action and to evidence how these concepts in action affect the characters’
communications styles and/or behaviors.
o For example, one of the stages in Knapp’s
relational theory is called “Initiating.” In the film “When Harry Met Sally,”
the two main characters engage initiating behaviors as they are identified in
our textbook. You may want to describe the nonverbal communication and insert
the dialogue from the movie to evidence that the two characters are in fact a
good illustration of the theory.
o At times, the movie will actually stretch your
understanding of a theory, which you may also want to explore to deepen your
analysis.
Sample list of Movies:
· Blind Side · Jerry
McGuire · Rudy · Never Been Kissed
· She’s All That · Outsiders · The Wedding
Singer · Rocky · The Breakfast
Club · Sixteen
Candles · Pretty in
Pink · Boys Don’t
Cry · Austin Powers
· Mr.
Baseball · Avatar · Dirty Dancing · Clueless · Mr.
Doubtfire · When Harry Met
Sally · Reality Bites · Grumpy Old
Men · Dying
Young · Regarding Henry · Ferris Bueller’s Day
Off · Fool for Love
· The Thin Red Line
· Edward
Scissorhands · Billy Madison · Groundhog
· Mask · Bridges of Madison
County
· Bull
Durham · Coming to
America · Top Gun
· Father of the
Bride · Steel
Magnolias · Fatal Attraction
· American
Beauty · Christmas
Vacation · Fried Green Tomatoes
· Who’s Eating Gilbert
Grape · The Color
Purple · Driving Miss Daisy
· Waiting to
Exhale · Sleepless in Seattle
· Crazy Stupid Love
· Joy Luck
Club · I am
Sam · Revolutionary Road
· P.S. I Love
You · Stand By
Me · Stand and Deliver
· Apollo
13 · Wall Street