Since we, as women, barely realize that an aching emptiness exists in our hearts, we certainly have no real idea how to satiate the secret longing of our souls. So do what we can to get by. We take our starving spirits to the theater for a quick-and-temporary-fix.
Is it any wonder we flock to the movie theaters for a mini-escape into a fantasy world? The hero is gorgeous, there are a few laughs along the way, and we are pretty much guaranteed that every thing turns out all right in the end.
Inside the theater, or in front of our own big-screens, we can get away from the never-ending demands that suck up our energy and leave us feeling lifeless. There we can admire, from a safe distance, a handsome man who has all the right moves and says all the right things. We are pretty much assured of a happy outcome; we know these movies are engineered to make us feel good, and they do. We don’t mind the corny lines, and the somewhat predictable formula of chick flicks. In fact, if we see a film that doesn’t deliver the feel-good ending, we feel ripped off. We feel cheated, like the director pulled a bait-and-switch.
Case in point: Gigli. I found the following comment posted on the web by Caitlin: “As far as the “big name” Hollywood films on the Worst Movies Ever slate, I do have to say that this festering pile of puke is the worst. BY FAR.”
Suffice it to say that a happy, satisfying ending was not delivered. The rest, as they say, is history.
We demand our happy endings. Chick Flicks give us that. Perhaps this is precisely the point: Life doesn’t offer any guarantees, but we know the movie will turn out all right!
And yet, much to my annoyance, there are those who would criticize our enthusiasm for these two-star flicks! Well, I, for one, will not repent. I refuse to feel embarrassed that these movies work like medicine to revive my tired soul, and neither should you. If you feel the same way I do, then Girlfriends, this blog is for you. And if you are still a little embarrassed that you have a chick-flick habit, then this blog is still for you, just minimize it quickly when someone pops by!
It is no wonder we love Chick Flicks so much! The yummiest guys play the lead roles, and really, who wouldn’t shell out for a ticket to spend time with Mel Gibson, Richard Gere, Tom Hanks or Hugh Jackman? We can almost always count on a joyful happily-ever-after. Laughter is said to be good for the soul, so it’s awesome that these films can make us truly laugh-out-loud, no matter how many times we see them.
But beyond all this, there is a deeper reason that we are so addicted to romantic-comedies. Apparently I’m not the only one. John Eldredge in his book The Epic suggests, “The movies you love are telling you something important, something about your heart . . .”
Chick Flicks, plain and simple, give us hope. We hope someday we will be the leading lady who is completely forgiven, loved, and protected. We hope someday our Prince will come, and we hope we will experience a real-life happy ending after all.
There is however, one small problem with getting lost in the fantasy world of Chick Flicks. It’s not real.
Eventually the credits roll, and the lights come up. And there we are. Back in the reality we just paid good money to escape from. The bills are still stacked up by the phone waiting to be paid, the dishes are still stacked up by the sink waiting to be washed and your to-do list is so long you could probably wallpaper your bedroom with it.
It may be that your child is having difficulty in school, or your parent is very sick, or maybe you’ve just lost your job, your marriage, or your best friend. These situations do not go away when you are gloriously immersed in a great love story. No matter how hard you laugh or how satisfying the ending is, reality has a way of bursting back into the forefront of your mind just as soon as the hero disappears into the sunset with the heroine in his buff, tanned arms.
Even if you are blessed with a job that you enjoy, and a healthy family – life is still not perfect. Your car occasionally breaks down, the kids fight over silly little things, and then there’s your man. The same guy who leaves his socks lying around, the same guy who puts his foot in his mouth at your mother’s, the same guy who always forgets to call when he’s going to be late. Yes, life is never quite the idyllic fantasy that we enjoy via the silver screen.
Readers:
What pressures in your life make you feel like you need to escape?
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