Since the beginning of the media, romance has always been a heart-string tugging ideal. The world's first television stations first appeared in the 1920s leading into the 1930s. Women, in particular, have been swooning over movies such as Casablanca (1942) to The Notebook (2004) to more modern films such as To All The Boys I've Loved Before (2018). Movies are fictional, but people love to fantasize about them and wish parts of their lives could be just like a movie.

Romantic films, TV shows, and couples have all had some influence or another on their audience. It's a natural thing. It seems harmless, right?

Well, just because something is labeled "romantic" doesn't mean it is perfect by any means. Take Ross and Rachel from Friends for instance, they always took breaks and allowed any obstacle to obstruct their relationship. Yet- viewers continued to root for them and wanted them to be together in the end. Friends was a popular show of its time (still is) so despite the negatives in their relationship, the audience chose to look solely at the positive.

When a couple sits down and watches Spiderman, the girl may sigh and tell her significant other "I wish you'd kiss me upside down how Peter kissed M.J." In the real world, I'm not sure there are many guys who hang upside down then casually give their partner a kiss.

What I've even noticed is that people close to me share that romantic media (of various sorts) gives them unrealistic expectations of what they'd want of or from a partner. They wish their SO would bring them flowers every day and recite a beautiful sonnet outside their bedroom window. The sad truth is, a couple consists of two people and sometimes one person may not get the hint of what the other is desiring of them. Maybe one wants to kiss in the rain under a sky of stars while the other wants to sit on the couch together and watch documentaries in their PJ's.

It can be a heart-wrenching experience for sure. That's why people must always take a step back into reality after watching romantic movies. They are labeled fictional films after all. The media has found the hook to reel people in, relate to their audience in a way that will evoke their emotions. One of the strongest emotions or feelings- love, and began marketing off of it. It can be a poisonous game.

That is why people continue to watch these movies. They give them a sense of hope as to what could be in their love life.

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