Our early exposure to the beauty of the silver screen instills in us a strong sense of self-belief and a willingness to take a stance for what we believe in. Growing up with the charmingly naive conviction that love conquers everything and rainbows sprinkle optimism like raindrops is an integral part of many people’s upbringing… But what about when we’re grown up?
There have been a slew of romantic comedies that may be sending the incorrect message and leading us back to a time when we had wildly inflated expectations for romantic relationships. So much so that some academics even claim that romantic comedies are harmful to our mental health and well-being because of this. That’s something we’re not entirely sure of. There are 8 movies about love that make us wonder, thus we’ve compiled a list of the top 8.
1. Groundhog Day.
Weatherman with a sour disposition and no appeal Phil heads to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to broadcast the groundhog’s forecast. Immediately following Phil’s prediction, he begins reliving the same day repeatedly. Phil eventually becomes tired of sleeping with random girls and trying to discover methods to kill himself, so he begins to focus on saving those who find themselves in danger during the course of a typical day.
After a few months, Phil begins to understand more and more about his coworker Rita’s personal history. The fact that he keeps reliving the same day makes him determined to get Rita into bed with him or else make her fall in love with him in the same way he has.
Stalker-like manipulation of emotions and information is the greatest method to win over a woman’s heart in this humorous romantic comedy. Yikes!
2. The Little Mermaid.
For most small girls, the classic Disney fantasies are about having an underwater fin, singing like the nightingale, and meeting the love of your life. Even as an adult, I find this film to be enchanting and romantic. In teaching young and sensitive minds about love, however, it does so in an improper manner.
Pessimistically, the plot revolves around adolescent mermaid Ariel’s search for true love. A shipwreck is discovered while diving to the surface, and she saves a prince among the passengers! Afterward, she performs a love song before jumping into the ocean.
That was the last straw for him. She ran away as soon as she told him she was 16, “not a child anymore.” Ariel makes a deal with a witch in which she agrees to give up seeing her father and sisters for the rest of her life in order to become human and pursue the man she has only met once. The story has a happy conclusion, of course.
A wonderful film with a skewed message that encourages young women to let go of family ties in order to pursue happiness with a man we’ve ever dreamed of from afar.
3. The Notebook.
There are many “no- no’s” in the love movie genre because of the negative connotations this film conveys. For example, many claim that Noah’s excessive dedication to Allie by sending her letters every day for a year, refurbishing an ancient mansion in her honor, and snatching her away from her husband-to-be only sets women up for disappointment when visualizing their Prince Charming.
Another criticism by critics was that Noah sought extreme techniques that were more likely to be regarded dating by “force” in the feminist era, rather than romantic. Even though they have a lot of enthusiasm for each other, they spend a lot of time fighting!
My problem with this movie? Who in their right mind would want their high school boyfriend back after all these years?
4. Big.
The year 1988 will go down in history as one of Josh, a 12-year-old boy played by Tom Hanks in the film, is the focus of the story. Josh makes a desire to grow, and he wakes up in his 20s before you know it. In the course of his work as a “adult,” he develops a close bond with his co-workers.
What exactly is the issue? He has the mental capacity of a 12-year-old, and he’s clearly too immature for anything even like a romantic relationship. Is this something that should be celebrated as charming and cuddly in the realm of romantic comedies?
5. Looper.
The action sequences in this 2012 thriller were fantastic, but the romance made me grind my teeth. A time-traveler for hire, Joe has to assassinate his future self in order to save the world. Joe meets Sara, a young mother, and her small boy while searching for himself, despite the convoluted tale.
Sara agrees to allow him to stay on her property, despite having only met him once and in an exceedingly suspicious and violent manner. Crawling into bed, she begins… masturbating? Angry with her self-pity, she invites Joe to join her on a hayride.
You’re having sex with a dangerous stranger in front of your toddler? No, no, no, no, no
6. Grease.
Cult classic “Grease” pairs good-girl Sandy with bad-boy but good at heart Danny to illustrate that love truly does overcome all, including high school cliques. What exactly is the issue? The film’s climax reveals that the only way to achieve your goals is to entirely alter your personality.
7. No Strings Attached.
I think this film does an excellent job of showing the ups and down of being in love with someone who you only see for sexual purposes. This movie has the disadvantage of making viewers believe that these kinds of romances inevitably progress to a more romantic and mature stage.
It’s not true. This is a romanticized depiction of a friendship-with-benefits relationship, so don’t expect yours to turn out the same way unless you’re a mature moviegoer.
8. Most affair movies.
Affair movies often focus on the titillating and enthralling aspects of the story, while ignoring the emotional and financial toll it has on the hapless “idiot wife” and her children. A fascinating look at Johnny Cash and June Carter’s relationship, “Walk the Line,” was an enjoyable biopic, but the fact that we root for their union despite the marriages and children involved makes my stomach flip.
Another gothic tale that seemed to be a hit was “American Beauty.” Almost steals his daughter’s virginity, a middle-aged father pines after the promiscuous closest friend of his young daughter. Is this what draws us in as a viewership? Ick. An affair movie like “The End of the Affair” shows us how to disregard marriage and suggest it’s easier to cheat than to attempt to repair a relationship.
When you think about the lessons in these movies, you may be left scratching your head. Putting movie stalker behavior aside, we think it’s a good thing to have a goal to strive towards, whether it’s meeting the right partner or reaching the top of the world. Take inspiration from these films, but make sure your approaches are superior than those depicted.