8 Movie Relationships That Got Happy Endings But Probably Broke Up Later

We often have the assumption that every couple that gets together on the big screen gets a happily ever after because they were able to work through all their problems in 90 minutes. Call me a cynic, but statistically, some if not most of these happy endings, even our favorite ones, are probably destined to take a turn for the worst. *Note* that this doesn't mean I think these are bad movies, or that their relationships didn't make sense in the context of the movie that they happened. However, if reality hits once the screen fades to black, I'm not sure many of these couples would make it.

1. Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsen, "Grease"

This is the classic summer fling that blossoms into being the one true love. I’m not buying it. Mostly because the two are just so different, and the only reason it works out in the end is because Sandy changes herself completely. Eventually her true self won’t be able to keep up with the black leather, high heeled, and permed façade she’s created, the whole thing will fall to bits. No amount of singing and choreographed dance can save it.

2. The Breakfast Club Gang, "The Breakfast Club"

Now, I know what you’re going to say, “But they addressed this issue when they were sitting around in a circle on the floor, talking about if they were going to acknowledge each other on Monday.” But I think they, and we as an audience, are under estimating the pressures of the high school social structure. I like to think they tried, and maybe even were left, at the very least, being more self-confident within their own social groups. But as nice as it would be, I doubt the Breakfast Club turned into the Lunch Bunch, breaking all the social norms, and leading by example, showing the rest of the school that they could be friends with whomever they wanted.

*Really most John Huges/80’s film where the unlikely duo get together in the end, after working through their angsty teenage problems, probably won’t make it for long.

3. Belle and the Beast, "Beauty and the Beast"

As much as I love Disney, especially this movie, this couple was doomed from the beginning. Their relationship started as her being his prisoner, then she clearly had Stockholm syndrome, which is never healthy. But even if you can put all that aside, it still wouldn’t work. I mean, for the entire length of the movie she doesn’t even bother to find out his name, she just refers to him as “Beast”. Plus, he’s probably always going to be left wondering if they would have ended up together had he not transformed back into a handsome prince, and she’ll probably become a recluse and spend all of her time reading through that gigantic library. Doomed.

4. Harry Potter and Ginny Weasly, "Harry Potter Series"

I love this series and can believe all the relationships that end up blossoming in it; all except for this one. For starters, it came out of fucking nowhere, or was so subtly implied that it just felt that way. We got an entire book of him crushing on Cho Chang for Christ’s sake. On top of that, Ginny was obsessed with him for the longest time, he was basically her celebrity crush. We all have celebrity crushes, but deep down we know it wouldn’t actually work out because you were crushing on them from afar before you really knew them, and that’s just weird. I think what’s really going on here is Harry really wants to be part of the Weasly family, and sure they get married and have kids, but I think things eventually go sour after a while.

5. Edward Lewis and Vivian Ward, "Pretty Woman"

He’s the kind of egotistical guy who only stays in the penthouse because it’s the best room, even though he’s afraid of heights, and she’s the girl who makes her own rules and works in a dangerous profession. The two know each other for less than a week, in which he spends being a control freak, and she gets swept up in the fancy clothes, hand snapping jewels, and Opera music. But in just that short week of them having sex and talking about their family problems, he’s a changed man and they ride off into the sunset in a limo. When people make sudden and major life changes, they rarely stick. This feels more along the lines of that week you decided to change your whole life by taking up yoga and drinking smoothies. Just as you went back to take out and Netflix, so too will he go back to being a corporate douche bag and she’ll go back to being self-reliant.

6. Ben Braddock and Elaine Robinson, "The Graduate"

He was banging her mom all summer. Enough said. No amount of couples therapy is going to get you past that. Besides, the famous last scene on the bus ends with an undeniable change in their expressions, suggesting they’re already having second thoughts.

7. Cher and Josh, "Clueless"

Some people may argue this wouldn’t work because they think Cher couldn’t match Josh’s intellect, to which I would respond, did you even watch the movie? She could go toe to toe with him on her worst day. No, the reason this won’t work is the oh too easily glossed over fact that he’s her step-brother. Even if her father was “hardly even married to his mother, and that was like 5 years ago!” Nope. Step-brother. It’s weird. And the societal pressures against it will win out.

8. Any movie where the characters fall in love under the rouse of a lie/disguise/bet.

Cinderella, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, She’s the Man, the list goes on. In all of these movies, one or both of the characters fall in love while in the midst of some kind of hijinks, or while pretending to be someone they’re not. Setting the foundation of the relationship on shaky ground, which is just never a good place to start.