We’re a good month or so into the academic year, and the student loan is already dwindling after inevitable splurges on numerous taxi journeys, (necessary) a nauseating amount of alcohol, (necessary) and pairs upon pairs of heels I can’t walk in (VERY necessary). So, after condemning myself to a fortnight of being a social recluse until my next Debenhams wage rescues me, “movie nights” have become quite the regular in our household.
My favourite genre has forever been the sickly sweet and shamelessly sugar coated Rom-Com / Chick Flick. That type of romantic film that has you in stitches, in tears and ultimately leaves you with that warm, fuzzy feeling. Boy meets girl, an obstacle hampers their potential romance, the obstacle is removed, boy and girl run off into sunset….or so I thought. However, despite my love for the genre, after repeatedly watching this magic formula of events simply thrust into different movies, I have grown increasingly frustrated about two things.
Firstly, no guy has ever serenaded me on the steps of the University stadium (10 Things I Hate About You) or turned up at my door with placards and a CD player to apologise (Love Actually). I feel significantly short-changed, that somehow I am missing something here. The lads I know in Leeds still make fart jokes during lectures at the grand old age of twenty-one. Although my friends and I have had our fair share of romantic gestures in our time, I can’t help comparing my own experiences of relationships, past and present, to those played out on screen which inevitably always end in ‘happily ever after.’
Some people may argue that this is because films are a mode of entertainment and thus produced to be unrealistic, dramatic, and a form of escapism. They are not aimed to mirror real, day-to-day life and so the characters are extravagantly heroic and romantic. However, psychologists at the Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh recently concluded that the more people watch and enjoy Chick Flick-esque films, the more likely they are to have unrealistic expectations in their own love lives. And when life doesn’t live up to the movies, they feel disappointed. Could it be true that too many Rom-Coms are bad for you?
It seems, in a way, a plausible theory that women who enjoy these films compare what they see for those two hours to their own lives. A chorus of girls sighing ‘Why can’t I find my Mr Big’ at a Sex and the City showing is all too familiar. But surely, this wishful thinking can’t be potentially damaging to our relationships? I’m not a film critic, nor am I a psychologist, but my take on this is that the Rom-Com should not be a major component to refer to when making rash decisions about love. Sure, we can learn a lot from these films, (He’s Just Not That Into You would be a prime example) and as girls we do like to analyse and reflect on things, but are we taking it too far?
Two more romantic comedies later and I’ve fallen slightly out of love with Rom-coms. Why is it that in the majority of these films the female lead is portrayed in a bad light, as a heartbroken, lonely girl until the Male Lead is back by her side and she suddenly becomes more superior to her former single self? Naturally there are a few films in the Chick Flick category that don’t fit this bill, but this perception that women need a man to be happy seems quite prominent in most.
I’ll admit, chick flicks have made me feel like I am missing out on something, some amazing, perfect relationship – but maybe that is because these types of films are produced with the underlying notion that scoring the boy is a symbol of success. Legally Blonde is an example of a young girl who only originally found ambition in the hope of impressing and ultimately being reunited with her snivelling, shallow ex-boyfriend (thank goodness the plot line thickened towards the end but let’s not mention the sequel hey). Bride Wars, a film that revolves solely around girl rivalry, cat fights, and bitchiness, is another fine example of a movie that shows women being the worst versions of themselves.
But just like any love story showcased in these films, my anger towards such movies is short-lived, because, after all, it is only entertainment. I would hope that we girls will not use the examples I have raised as role models for women, or take realistic love advice from Rom-Coms. They are made to be enjoyed, and, I suppose, to be taken lightly. And ultimately, when the next one comes out we will all be there, front row seats, popcorn and Diet Coke in hand, regardless of whether we’ve laughed and cried at the regurgitated plot line a million times before (which, during my two weeks of movie marathons, I probably have).