I believe in the philosophy that if you are ever upset—whether you have just experienced a distressing moment or you are just having a bad day—the cure is a romantic comedy. This advice may seem a bit silly, but I assure you that it will all make sense by the end of this article. Lets get into the reasons why I live by this philosophy.
- Rom-coms are so unrealistic and improbable that they distract you from your emotions. Let’s say that you come home from a bad day at school or work and sadness fills your thoughts. This negative feeling consumes every activity you do that day. What will help this? A distraction! And, what is a better distraction than a movie so far-fetched that it leaves you craving every second of its extravagant plot? Let us look at an example from my very favorite rom-com, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. What are the odds that you stumble upon a journalist, who’s writing an article about how to lose a guy in ten days, while you place a bet that you can make that very same woman fall in love with you in ten days? Of course, against all odds, you fall in love. Those chances are slim, and that is exactly why rom-coms are so great. They create stories of events that rarely occur in real life (if ever) and you cannot help yourself from the distraction of it all.
- Rom-coms are funny! What is a better way to cheer you up than watching comedies? Rom-coms will make you laugh until your lungs are sore. They will make you cry from tears of joy and laughter; it is kind of their job. Look at The Proposal, for example. Other than Sandra Bullock’s iconic acting, the plot centers around a fake engagement between a boss and her assistant who hates her. You can only imagine how those events unfurl, but I am sure you have an idea as to how funny it becomes. This is without even mentioning movies like Crazy, Stupid, Love, or Pretty Woman. These movies are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and uplift your mood. I mean, if they weren’t funny, they wouldn’t be called romantic comedies, right?
- Rom-coms give you hope. Everyone needs a bit of hope that their life will get better, especially on a bad day. Through rom-coms, no matter how anti-“chick flick” you are, everyone’s little bit of hopeless romantic comes out. Deep down, a part of you hopes movie moments occur in real life. That no matter how far-fetched or comical he situation, there are stories of love existing in this world worthy of their own rom-com. It is this hope that gives you the final sense of happiness when you watch a romantic comedy because you want the story to be plausible and real. It is this lingering hope, no matter how hard you try to suppress it, that will cheer you up because it reassures you that life gets better.
If you are willing to take my advice, I promise that your sad days will become a whole lot better. I have to admit, I may be a hopeless romantic myself, but who knows? Maybe you will become one too. So, next time you feel like the world around you is crumbling, and it is out of your control, just turn on a rom-com and your thoughts will fade away. Just like in the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral when Carrie says, “Is it still raining? I hadn’t noticed,” you too will not notice the rain in your life because a rom-com will make it seem like a sunny day.