Now, I'm no hater of romantic comedy's. I'd certainly sit down and watch a good couple hours of The Notebook, or the more recent To All The Boys I've Loved Before. Heck, I'd even watch the sequel of After (provided it was just to make fun of the plot inconsistencies and obvious flaws in Hardin's and Tessa's relationship). But overall, watching romcom's just isn't the move. And I'll give you 5 reasons why:
They skew our perceptions of meeting a significant other.
This one's the most obvious. In EVERY movie we see a guy and a girl, who against all odds and dislikes, began to fall for one another. The girl of course has either a very supportive family or a very supportive, very gay best friend. And the guy will likely have the same, with one of them having a traumatic event in their past that needs healing. Sure they argue, but in the end, what's arguing if it's true love, right?
Wrong! Whether love exists or not is entirely to the discretion of you as the reader, but I will say that a meaningful relationship should have two people with common interests, or at least some type of common ground. And no, ladders don't just tip over, and mistletoe doesn't just appear (don't even get me started on those Christmas Hallmark movies) in order for you to have some romantic feeling for the other. In reality, it only really happens through conversation, talking, and commitment.
They don't show the depth and grit of an actual relationship.
Notice, how in any romantic comedy, they will only show up till the characters decide to start dating, or they decide to get married. They'll never, ever, show what happens afterward, unless it's some brief and vague depiction of their future kids. Why? Because this will likely disrupt the perfect fantasy that's developed. Now I know that in The Notebook, per say, the main characters faced a major obstacle in terms of social hierarchy. However, the fact was that you knew they were the main characters, and you probably had a premonition that they would end up together. But we still never see their relationship afterwards which, given their history, may have been a bit rocky. So please, don't let these movies fool you into thinking some meet-cute story will lead to a stable, lasting relationship. The truth is, passion and longevity don't really mix.
They don't embolden people to pursue their romantic interests.
This one doesn't seem true, right? I mean, romantic comedies are all about true love, why wouldn't they inspire people to go after it? Well, I'm sure you've noticed, but most every romcom entails a girl who is just walking on the streets of her city, going about her business, maybe buying a bagel. And there's a man, likely on the opposite street, who sees her, and there's something about her that becomes irresistible to him. Keep in mind, this is an entirely normal girl, decently attractive, and he's seen about a hundred that are comparable. So why this one?
No reason! Unless you're famous or you've got some lettuce in your teeth, there's no reason for anyone, girl or guy, to be staring intently at another. It's possibly the most false perception that a romcom proposes. And yes, there are those movies with unlikely romances. But again, what are the chances you'll meet someone you don't like, and suddenly start falling for them? It's highly misleading, and I'd advise anyone reading this to simply go after who you want. And if you do find someone staring at you, it's likely you've got a stalker, in which case you should alert the police.
It's just bad television.
I mean where's the intrigue, the drama, the plot twists? Where's the character development? In probably the most decent romcom I've watched, Set It Up (available on Netflix), I think the characters were reasonably developed in that the girl was sarcastic and witty, and the guy was a douchebag. And they both worked for demanding bosses without any promise of career development, so they decide to set them up, which led to them forming a bond, and after some ups and downs, they end up together. Now, this movie did have decent humor, it did have a more realistic take of the romcom. But in the end, it was still a cliche. You ALWAYS know the ending, and as much of a fan I am of happy endings, there should always be some element in the movie that makes you think otherwise, that makes you truly believe it won't work out.
Take The Spectacular Now, for instance. That's not a romantic comedy, because it doesn't have a truly happy ending. And as much as I wanted for it to work out, it made for a much more complex, compelling, and intriguing story, which is what we want television to do.
So if you're looking for something without substance, or just something to make fun of with your friends (because that is very fun to do), then romcoms are the perfect choice. But I'd advise you not to make it a habit, and please, never fall in the trap of believing a single aspect of any of them. Love isn't always to be found, but relationships can be, with a realistic mindset, and commitment towards the other.
