7 Lessons I Learned From Chick Flicks
Dangerous delusions about love—and the romantic comedies that feed them.
Don't panic. Contrary to what you might think, this divorce stuff is a piece of cake. Your stepkids hate you? All it's going to take to turn that around are some good old-fashioned sex tips from you (to make the brats more popular, duh) and the untimely death of their mother.
Your ex couldn't seem to tie his own shoelaces when you were together? Rest assured that once you've signed the divorce papers, he will clean up his act and become the kind of guy you meant to marry.
See also: The Philadelphia Story, High Society, The Parent Trap, Mrs. Doubtfire.
The Real Ending: You continue to hate the bastard for years to come, despite the fact that your shrink says rage won't help you heal. And whatever side of the joint custody battle you might fall on--be it mom or stepmom--the kids aren't going to make the situation any easier.
If you're a stepmom, get ready for the cry of "You can't tell me what to do! You're not my mother!" to take up permanent residence in your psyche.
If you're the real mom, the line will be "When we're at Dad's house, Bambi never makes us do our homework/eat our vegetables/stop playing with knives."
The Pretty in Pink Trap: Your next-door neighbor just happens to be a Calvin Klein underwear model. Lucky you. You've brought him countless jars of jam that need loosening, and even gotten locked out of your place in your cutest dress.
Yet he hasn't asked you out. In the words of Journey, "Don't stop believin'."
See also: Notting Hill, Love Actually.
The Real Ending: There's a fine line between healthy optimism and insanity. There's also a reason the quarterback in high school always dated the head cheerleader—their kind is biologically predetermined to go forth and make other popular kids for everyone else to envy. It might be smarter to set your sights on the guy in 2B with the sweet smile and the receding hairline.
From J. Courtney Sullivan's Dating Up: The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Man You Deserve.
Discussion
Dude ... try watching musicals, instead. Men should, too. They're very instructive. They teach us men that we need to be gentlemen and teach us all that where romance is concerned, it never hurt anyone one bit to just let their heart SING!
Really great!!! Even though "Sleepless in Seattle" is my favourite movie and I really love every single movie named, it's true they don't help women in our search for our soulmate, but let us dream a little and keep seeing this nice movies, but knowing what you see is almost never real...
The author seems REALLY bitter, is she speaking from experience?
Although some of the advice is valid, I don't really think blaming hollywood for showing romance in idealistic terms is the answer. Folks. THEY ARE MOVIES!!
I also have to wonder if the author watched all of the movies that were categorized under the different misconceptions: comparing Sabrina and Sweet Home Alabama, to Pretty Woman and the Titanic? In Sweet Home Alabama the man had proved his worth, and was in-fact a successful businessman. In Sabrina she was an educated and articulate woman, making sharp class distinctions in romance simply doesn't fly anymore.
Admittedly Pretty Woman was quite a leap, but considering Titanic was roughly based on a true story, is it really that bad if we hold out for the impossible?
If all else fails it will help prevent the world from becoming overpopulated with underacheivers.
Fun to read. These movies definitely reinforce our lifelong "Cinderella" stories and other things that we are taught about love.
Funny, to the point and EXTREMELY true. This is a must read for all women who need a reality check.
You're just figuring this out NOW? and you're a published writer on relationships? Good lord. Myself and quite a few other men I know figured this out a long time ago. As Marlon Brando said in "Last Tango in Paris", the "fairytales are complete bullshit". Good and funny take on the movies though.
