Being an avid movie watcher has allowed me to entertain every romantic trope to ever exist. I’ve seen haters transform into lovers, people prioritize work over love, the occasional fake relationships, and even friends place bets on love. Don’t get me wrong, I love the occasional escape from reality. But in my personal experience, once the dopamine high from watching these movies wears off, I return to the reality of my life, and let’s just say there is a stark difference between fiction and reality in my romantic life.
Instead of watching these movies and feeling unfulfilled in my love life, I’ve come to realize that fiction is inherent in these films and there’s a reason why they are entertaining. In thinking about these movies, I’ve compiled what I believe are the worst lies romantic movies perpetuate:
In order to stop living like a hermit, a romantic partner must show an individual how to start enjoying life.
Movies like Endless Love and The Notebook feature female leads who have spent all their free time studying and pleasing others. However, their perspective on life completely changes when a man shows them how to enjoy life. I’m going to be real with all of you. If Ryan Gosling were to show interest in me, I might even fall into the cliché.
But, to honestly believe a romantic partner is needed to suddenly realize that eating ice cream, going to concerts, and watching sunsets is what makes life enjoyable, just seems a bit far-fetched. I would like to believe that individuals entering relationships have had life experiences that were enjoyable without a romantic relationship.
Being the mysterious, hard-to-get individual automatically makes you more appealing to romantic partners.
Whenever I think of this trope, I can’t help but think about Kristen Stewart’s role as Bella Swan in the Twilight series. I mean, who can forget the iconic scene where she chooses to read a book in a parking lot rather than spend time with her friends? It’s no wonder why some individuals wear their hearts on their sleeves when going to coffee shops or libraries. As someone who spends way too much time in both these places, I can reassure you that you have higher chances of matching with someone on Tinder.
In almost every romantic movie, there is a montage of memorable moments where the two individuals are seen in the process of lighting lanterns, going skydiving, going to concerts, and let’s not forget, falling in love. While these scenes are certainly fun to watch, the reality is that most people have other things going on in their lives and can’t spend all their time and money pleasing the person they are interested in. Also, I would like to believe that romantic relationships are equally strengthened by the seemingly mundane moments in life. A nice night watching TV should not be seen as insignificant
People automatically become the best versions of themselves when they are in love.
This trope usually involves the “bad boy” magically becoming the best version of himself when touched with the “power of love.” While love certainly can make a person more empathetic, it concerns me that people enter relationships wanting to fix the other person.
Disney has mastered the art of ending love stories with a simple “happily ever after” but in reality, life is challenging, and maintaining a love for an individual through life’s obstacles is hard to do. People are dynamic, and I would argue that staying in love is more difficult than falling in love.