This isn’t to say you should boycott your favorite films.
This is especially true when Hollywood depicts married couples or those in committed relationships.
Here are some of the biggest things movies get wrong about real-life romance.
That is what Hollywood would have you think.
Well, that escalated quickly.
Lust, yes, but not love.
After all, many movies max out atanywhere from 112 to 156 minutes.
There are plenty of films that follow this formula.
Danny and Sandy inGreasewould also have us believe that relationships work best when you’re nothing at all alike.
Other films likePretty Womandepict people of vastly different social classes falling in love.
Psychologists at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland studied dozens of top movies released from 1995 through 2005.
Through questionnaires, the research team also had hundreds of volunteers sound off about their relationship expectations.
Could Hollywood have had a role in perpetuating the idea that two people are destined to be together?
That there’s one person for everyone?
“But love is participatory.
You have to collaborate.
You have to engage it.
It doesn’t just happen to us.”
People who understand that, the psychologist explained, tend to “have happier, longer relationships.”
When films rely so heavily on the destiny storyline, they’re really doing us all a disservice.
As such, people believe they’re not in control of their own relationships.
“Weddings are glamorous and usually involve weight loss; marriage is dull and involves weight gain.
Every bride and bridegroom is beautiful; every husband and wife is exhausted.”
When Hollywood does depict married life, it’s much like Smith described.
Spontaneity is for the uncommitted, apparently.
Where’s all that “boring stuff?”
Movies, especially romantic comedies, rarely account for nuance in relationships.
Some films likeDate NightandMr.
And, as it turns out, that’s just not accurate.
Because when people don’t have it, they really miss it."
And, as it turns out, that’s a recipe for disaster.
Mothers-in-law are the worst
In-laws, especially mothers-in-law, get a bad rap.
Actually, bad isn’t a strong enough word.
In Hollywood, mothers-in-law are often portrayed as downright evil.
Still, there issometruth to the overbearing mother-in-law stereotype.
That in itself was a pretty new idea.
Yes, in Hollywood, bickering is romantic.
But this isn’t realistic.
Galician said it’s important not to conflate fighting and passion in real life.
Sometimes fighting in films even turns violent something that is neither romantic nor funny in real life.
RememberThe War of the Roses?
Although maintaining a healthy relationship takes work, your fave films have probably convinced you otherwise.
“That is just unrealistic.
People feel if their relationship is not like a Hollywood film then it is not any good.”
“Investing time and energy are not themes that are popular in Hollywood films,” he explained.
As such, we rarely get an accurate portrayal of a couple who works to keep their relationship thriving.
If only growing old together was quite that easy.
From movies like the aforementionedDate Night,in which the married couple seemingly almost never has sex, toMr.
& Mrs. Smith, which features plenty of bad Hollywood tropesplusan entirely impractical love scene complete with violence.
Still, there are those of the opinion that Hollywood lovemakingshouldn’tbe unrealistic.
What’s divorce anyway?
Most of the best rom-coms end with a happily ever after.
InYou’ve Got Mail, the movie fades out with Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly kissing and embracing.
Maybe, maybe not.
She explained, “Tragedy happens.
People just grow in different directions.”
As such, you’d think there’d be at least afewmore films on the topic.
Even when divorceisincluded in a storyline, there are still issues.
Harry’s divorce inWhen Harry Met Sallyis not central to the plot.
Instead, it’s about him finding a happily ever after with someone else.
InSweet Home Alabama, Melanie’s husbandrefusesto sign divorce papers because that’s romantic?
and they end up getting back together.
Hollywood certainly has some work to do.
