Romantic Movies Can Ruin Real-Life Relationships

Cinematography is an art. As a form of art, it serves for escapism – that is to say, something to help the viewer evade the reality of everyday life, into an alternate, possible, but not real… reality. However, as it happens, when we leave the cinema, we can’t check our feelings at the door and be as if unaffected by the experience. Case in point: romantic comedies, Fox News says.

Admittedly, though rom-coms have gotten a lot of flack lately for losing some of the grandeur and appeal of yore, they’re still very popular, especially with women. Believe it or not, but a recent study has shown beyond doubt that watching too many films of this type can literally alter expectations and cause problems in the relationship ladies have with their partner. At the same time, rom-coms have also been proven to hinder communication right after viewing.

“The idealized love scenarios in romantic comedies can set unrealistic expectations and lead to crushing disappointment in real life, according to an Australian study widely reported Thursday. ‘It seems our love of rom-coms is turning us into a nation of happy-ever-after addicts,’ said study director and relationship advisor Dr. Gabrielle Morrissey. ‘Yet the warm and fuzzy feeling they provide can adversely influence our view of real relationships’,” Fox News writes.

“The study found that women expected their partners to behave more like the leading men in their favorite flowery films, including expecting gifts and roses ‘just because’ and feeling disappointed if a man did not take a knee when proposing. ‘Real relationships take work, and true love requires more than fireworks,’ said Morrissey of the expectations. A similar study conducted in Scotland came to the same conclusion,” the same media outlet further notes.

According to this second study, conducted at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University, rom-coms set expectations of romance that no one could ever achieve, which only comes to put a strain on the relationship. Films like “Maid in Manhattan,” “You’ve Got Mail” or “The Wedding Planner” also seem to impact negatively on a couple’s ability to communicate, the same study has established. 

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