Flash mobs, casual sex, and beautiful getaways on the beach. Spoiler alert: No. It could be that I have watched Friends with Benefits one or ten too many times, it could be that every time I attempt some complex romantic idea it backfires horribly, or it could just be that I am angry with the standards that these movies are setting, but these fairy tale endings are ruining the perceptions of ideal relationships and making men everywhere look bad. After all, I refuse to compete with Channing Tatum and Justin Timberlake the rest of my life, I just won't do it. That's right, it shouldn't be profanity and violence that require the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) to attend to, but rather kissing in the rain and hot air balloon rides at unrealistic altitudes.
It's not that I don't want to believe that these things could happen. I, like anyone else, would be ecstatic if out of nowhere a girl, later to be my girlfriend, came up to me and started talking to me in the park. Yes, I'm just as romantic as the next guy. Romantic is my middle and legal first name on my birth certificate, but I still can see that coming across the movie Valentine's Day sets you up for destruction the same way the movie The Ring does, only instead of a creepy young girl, there are a lot of really good looking famous people. You still get mind-fucked in the end though, such is life. Seriously, after watching romantic comedies such as (but not limited to) The Wedding Singer, 50 first dates, She's Out of My League, and One Night in Paris, I would even be disappointed if the lunch lady didn't hit on me at school. Talk about expectations.
Do not worry though. For all of you out there who find yourself wiping away your tears while yelling at the screen, "THIS ISN'T REAL, MILA!" You are not alone. Dr. Gabrielle Morrissey, a relationship advisor and author of A Year of Spicy Sex (Which I only can imagine is about an affair that takes place in a Taco Bell) says that "Our Love of rom-coms is turning us into a nation of "Happy-ever-after addicts". In fact, a study out of Australia done in 2010 showed that nearly 500 of the 1000 people who took a survey believed that the perception that romantic comedies create have actually ruined their views of relationships and in addition, another 20% said that the movies have convinced their partners to expect flowers and gifts for no apparent occasion, but come on guys don't be lazy either. There is a fine line between this disease known as romantic comedyidous and just being an asshole.
So what is a man to do? Is this an "if you can't beat them join them situation?" It will cost far too much money to ban all Ashton Kutcher movies, and is it even still cool to stand with a boombox outside someone's window? Although I don't completely support the situations portrayed by romantic comedies, I will admit that they are entertaining and they almost make me want a relationship. Almost. As long as there can be a compromise between this dreamlike world and relationships in real life, romance will still be alive.
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