Let me start this by saying that it has, at one time or another, worked out for me for a very long time so don't think I'm just jaded or anything because while that's not an inaccurate description, it is also not why I feel the way I do about love stories. That said, onwards we march.
I'm the youngest of three siblings with the elder siblings being sisters, and both of these sisters gave birth to daughters who were left in my care on occasion. With this in mind, it's not terribly surprising that by now I've had to sit through a smorgasbord of romance flicks in my day and considering the fact that I'm one of the worst romantics out there, I still find many of those flicks to be utterly awful. I know my being a male may dilute the argument I'm about to make but seeing as I'm also a part-time obnoxious jerk face, I'm gonna carry on with this.
So. Love stories. I find a lot of them to be shit, and here's why. They start out pretty average as is humanities custom, by introducing the characters who, despite all odds, will meet up about a third or so into the story.
He, the die hard Die Hard fan who just does not respect the sanctity of marriage or the female vote or just doesn't understand how miniature pigs can be considered cute. Maybe he's a gigantic nerd who spends more time arranging action figures on the shelf than he does on personal hygiene or it scares women to be around him after they see him watching that sports game because he has a blood curdling scream whether his team is winning or not and that look in his eye is just fucking terrifying. Or maybe it's the exact opposite and women are put off by him because he's just so whiny and sensitive and they want a mans man and why does he have so many miniature pigs? That's fucked up.
She, the independent business woman who, while firm handed and business savvy, seems to always be dating I guy that is a total contradiction to everything she feels and believes but hey, he's not living with his parents or cosplaying on the weekend so why not? Maybe she has a seemingly never ending bad luck streak in dating or just doesn't understand the point in having swords lying around the house "just in case". Or maybe it's the total opposite and she loves LOTR and can knit the fuck out of a big nice costume and knows ninjas or zombies can burst through the windows late at night and that katanas are a vital home necessity, but the men she happens to meet are looking for "more of a girly girl" and why doesn't she have a miniature pig? That's fucked up.
Whatever the case, they meet and it's awkward and maybe they don't like each other initially but they keep running into each other and it's funny because look, fate seems to be driving them together. They start hanging out and any complications there might have been are cleared up. They smile. They laugh. It becomes a part of them. Then, OH NO! Something has happened and there's a falling out. Nick Drake, Nico, Dar Williams and Elliott Smith burst onto the soundtrack and we watch them sit and stare and shuffle papers at work. They look out the window and it's raining. It's an ocean side city but fuck that, it's raining because this thing is happening to them.
Enter the fat comedic sidekick to say "oh hey, that thing that happened that was the big OH NO? Yeah it didn't happen, or it is totally justified and you should go see that man or woman" but they sometimes don't and just naturally run into each other anyway because I don't care how big a city is, that's gonna happen. They talk and have hugely emotional speeches to one another and holy shit it's raining again because let's kiss. Cue whatever love song is exploding that year and roll credits.
On the face of it, it's really sweet. The idea that things can work out despite all odds is an appealing notion to anybody and you go home feeling like a million dollars and it's great. Fantasy. It's a great thing every now and again. But though you feel like a million dollars now, that sum is spent all too soon. It's with this in mind that I submit to you that things not working out in the end is OH so much better and I'll tell you why. It's a much more grounded sensation after watching such flicks because it's easier to identify with the characters and situation. I'm sure some couples may be in love now and you're happy together and it worked out and YAY! But I also know that more often than not, even those couples went through the "it didn't work out" ending at some stage in their lives. And you know what? It's better because it didn't last. You get those fleeting moments of pure joy and it never gets dulled down by time, you don't get complacent and see it as an everyday thing. Sure, it ended and that sucks but nothing can ever diminish that one fine day, week, month or year because that's all it ever was and it will always be perfect. Because you will always remember it. It doesn't happen to you everyday like it would in the "happy ending" so it never loses its luster.
I'm gonna stop now before romantic comedy critics sharpen the knives too much. It doesn't get much sharper than razor sharp, y'all. Derf out.
3 comments:
Yes. Because the world has a need to understand the odds which it feels must be overcome.
Pshh. I don't know if I like that sentiment. I don't like the notion of a world with its head in the clouds. There's Boeings up there, man.
Boeings should be built to bounce. It would make landings funner! Boeing, boeing.
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