Why Everyone is Obsessed With the Fake Dating Trope

Despite how predictable the ending can be when it comes to the “fake dating” trope, it seems as if books and movies incorporating it never fail to captivate large audiences. Just recently, I watched the movie ‘Love Hypothesis’ after a recommendation from a friend. I will admit I did like it, but even while not reading the book, I knew what was going to happen next, yet I still felt the excitement and was captivated the entire time. ‘Love Hypothesis’ is one of the few movies this year with this trope. This trope has been in full use for years with films like ‘The Proposal,’ ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before,’ and my personal favorite”Pretty Woman.” This trope is also used in TV shows. Recently, I watched ‘Off Campus.’ It was practically  the same trope, and now I’m eagerly waiting for season 2. What is it about this trope that keeps thriving in a world with such short attention spans?   

Forced Proximity

When two characters decide to “fake date,” there’s always something they’re both hoping to get; at times, they can be friends or strangers who see an opportunity to fool those around them to get to their end goal. To make everyone else believe they’re actually dating, they have to spend time together, which is where most of the appeal comes from. Many fans enjoy seeing the slow progression as two people who know almost nothing about one another start to develop a friendship. They start knowing what they each like, their habits, and even their goals. As they get to know one another, these characters will usually start doing things for one another to show appreciation. Then comes the forced proximity, usually the travel plans or the friend who needs extra convincing, forcing them to spend more time together. 

Pretending becomes Reality 

Knowing that this is all “pretend” allows the characters to truly be themselves with one another, letting their guard down. As their feelings start to become more real, we start to see those small moments of jealousy . As the relationship moves on, there’s always an expiration date; in other words, a breakup date that raises the question for the audience if they will confess their true feelings for one another. I think the real appeal of this trope doesn’t come from the ending but from the buildup. Seeing the bond they can form in such little time and the evolution of those feelings mixed with the slow burn. Even though it’s been done many times, audiences still stay loyal to the fake dating trope in hopes of seeing the development. 

• entertainment
• film analysis
• love
• tropes