Getting asked by my friends to recommend them a good romantic comedy has become a norm for me. I love picking out the perfect film that would make them laugh and forget about their problems. Sometimes after a rough day, all you need is a tub of ice cream and the perfect rom-com. Lately, the stigma surrounding romantic comedies has become a hot topic. I’d just like to say that I’ve learned some pretty important lessons from these “cheesy, predictable and boring” films. Granted, I could have learned about these lessons anywhere else, but maybe it’s just better when Gerard Butler is on the screen.
1. Sometimes you don’t always get the guy and that’s okay!
I remember watching My Best Friend’s Wedding and loving everything about it except for the ending. I mean, Julianne, played by Julia Roberts, goes through all this trouble to ruin her best friend’s wedding because she realizes she’s in love with him, only to be left alone on his wedding day. Where’s the happy ending? What kind of rom-com is this? Let’s just say, I wasn’t satisfied. I felt like I had wasted an hour and 45 minutes of my life that I would never get back. Eventually, I grew to understand that sometimes you don’t get the guy and it’s okay. Believe it or not, he will not determine your happiness. I’d say that’s a valuable lesson for any 13-year-old girl to learn.
2. First impressions aren’t everything.
Everyone always says, “first impressions are a big deal.” In The Ugly Truth, I learned differently. Mike Chadway, played by Gerard Butler, and Abby Richeter, played by Katherine Heigl, are not friends. In fact, they hate each other because of a really bad first impression. You know the rest, though. They realize they have feelings for each other and maybe, just maybe, they misunderstood each other in the beginning. So next time a guy gives off a bad first impression, maybe he was just having a rough day, give him another chance. Boys, if you’re reading this, the same goes for you.
3. Fight for what you want.
Something Borrowed has to be one of my favorite movies ever and not just because John Krasinski is in it. Rachel, played by Ginnifer Goodwin, has been in love with her best friend’s fiancé ever since she met him in law school. I know, it’s messed up, but let me finish. I think what I took the most out of this movie is that if you want something, you have to fight for it. One night, Dex and Rachel go out for drinks and when confronted by Rachel’s best friend, Darcy, at the bar if they’re on a date, Rachel completely denies it and friend zones him right then and there, thinking he has zero feelings for her. In one scene, Dex confesses to Rachel later on that she was all he thought about in law school. Obviously, the timing isn’t perfect, but towards the end of the movie, Rachel wonders what would have happened if she didn’t walk away that night. What if she told him how she felt? I’ll end this one on that note.
4. The perfect guy isn’t always the right one.
Watching Sweet Home Alabama with Reese Witherspoon was such a fun time. Who doesn’t love a small-town romance? Only, small-town girl Melanie Smooter hasn’t been home in years ever since she moved to New York City to pursue her passion for fashion design. She’s also engaged to wealthy, future politician Andrew, played by Patrick Dempsey, AKA McDreamy. Before she marries Andrew, she needs to make a quick trip back home to finalize her divorce to her estranged husband, Jake. Being back home, Melanie realizes a lot of things. One thing she realizes is that no matter how perfect her fiancé is or how perfect her life is in New York, her heart belongs at home and maybe with someone else too. To this day, my friends and I always describe what “the perfect guy” would be like. Maybe he does exist or maybe he just isn’t the perfect guy for you.
5. And lastly…
There are way more things I’ve learned from romantic comedies, but I think these spoke to myself the most. Yes, these are fictional films, but I think everyone can learn at least one lesson watching any film, whether it’s a romantic comedy, a horror or science fiction film.
All gifs courtesy of Giphy.
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