It is typical of romantic-comedies to have most, if not all, of the drama revolve around or involve the leading female character. Women involved in drama? It's a shocking claim, I know. Some examples, such as the classic battle between the father and the daughter's boyfriend, the male lead chasing the female lead, and the once womanizing male character renouncing his old ways to win the girl all provide support to this sound, and might I add, credible argument.
The epic father-future son-in-law battle is consistently used in romantic-comedies and often the major conflict in the film. Take Meet the Fockers, starring Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. Gaylord "Greg" Focker (Ben Stiller) is introduced to his soon-to-be fiance's father, Jack Byrne (Robert De Niro), is ex-CIA counterintelligence. Because of Jack's disapproval of Greg's occupation as a nurse and feelings that Greg is unworthy of his daughter, Jack constantly tries to belittle Greg and find fault in him. Greg does an excellent job digging an even deeper hole for himself through many failed attempts at fitting in with the family. The conflict culminates to a final showdown with the two men facing off across a lie-detector discussing Greg and Pam's (Jack's daughter) relationship, and Jack ultimately gives Greg his blessing to marry his daughter.
This battle over the prized daughter appears in Crazy, Stupid, Love as well. (For those who have not seen this movie, skip this paragraph and continue reading at the next. Actually, skip the next also. I'd hate to be a lowly spoiler) Cal (Steve Carell) will not allow his friend/relationship coach, Jacob (Ryan Gosling) to be in a relationship with his daughter, Hannah (Emma Stone). Cal does not approve of their relationship until the end of the film because he has seen Jacob's womanizing ways.
Womanizing is a popular theme in the genre of romantic-comedies. In Crazy, Stupid, Love, Jacob sleeps with (this is a very rough estimate) hundreds of girls prior to ultimately falling in love with Hannah. Cal is actually coached by Jacob in the ways of picking up women solely to have sex with them, and Cal is successful if you agree that the practice of womanizing can have a successful ending. Another example of a womanizer-gone-soft can be scene in the romantic-comedy 50 First Dates, starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler. Henry Roth (Adam Sandler) is a womanizer prior to meeting his future wife Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore). Henry stops his womanizing ways in order to try to win over Lucy, and devises new ways to meet her everyday since her medical condition causes her to forget her memory overnight.
The last point relinquishing of womanizing ways ties into this next example, which is the typical inclusion of the boy chasing the girl in romantic-comedies. This applies to all of the films provided above. Cal tries to win his wife back and Jacob pursues Hannah in Crazy, Stupid, Love. Henry Roth faces a lot of adversity in chasing Lucy in 50 First Dates, with challenges ranging from shear persistence to winning over Lucy's father and brother. Greg comes back Pam's house to try to fix their relationship in Meet the Parents. The list of examples could go on and on because this is such a popular and important aspect of this genre.
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