In life, I believe we all yearn to have a once-in-a-lifetime love. Although it is not easy as relationships take time and a whole lot of effort to last. Love is something we strive for due to seeing it in stories, movies, songs, and poems. A love that is glorified to a state of grand perfection.
Love is portrayed in movies as some form of visionary idea, conditioning us to believe that this inaccurate portrayal is what love should be like. However, I would argue that these ideal fairytales of two people falling in love overdramatize the authenticity that is love. We grow up with the false ideology that all love is healthy, enjoyable, magical, and attainable. It is when we mature and face the effects of true and utter heartbreak, that we are able to truly understand that love can also be painfully raw.
Well-known cinematic love stories such as, Blue Valentine (2010) and most recently, If Beale Street Could Talk (2019). These love stories are a testament of painfully raw relationships that are portrayed based on different situations.
Blue Valentine deals with the two main characters Cindy and Dean, a married couple with a young daughter, and a strained marriage. The marriage is strained due to Dean’s substance abuse with alcohol. This leaves Cindy, ultimately deciding whether or not to stay in her marriage. A choice that is painful for viewers to watch as they expect the perfect idealized marital relationship. Even though “true love isn’t perfect.” Blue Valentine depicts this beginning, middle, and end. A love story that is falling apart but was beautiful while it lasted; which makes it more painful, and more raw to let go.
Meanwhile, in If Beale Street Could Talk, a young couple – Tish and Alonzo – are just beginning their relationship. Their love is tested when the world comes against them as Alonzo is arrested for a crime he did not commit. Tish stands by Alonzo as she is soon expecting and raises their child by herself. She does not give up or walk away as many would, as the situation could be difficult to be a part of. Tish is a testament of what a significant other should do in the events that took place, as well as her love for Alonzo. That is something known as love conquering all. Their love will take care of anything life throws at them because they have each other. Tish and Alonzo’s future is bright. No matter the fate of Alonzo’s trial, all they need is their love.
Another reason love stories are a visionary idea is because there’s always a happily ever after. Relationships in movies are a good example of this. The story’s ending hopefully leaves the audience satisfied with how things turned out. Although in real life, there are people who stay happily ever after, but there are rare cases in which some do end. This leaves us wondering what cinematic relationships are trying to tell us. To stay and fight for your love to survive no matter the circumstance, or let it fall apart.
Sources
Stokes, Rebecca Jane. “How Real Love Is Different From The Movies, According To Men.”“How Real Love Is Different From The Movies, According To Men.” Your Tango, 23 July 2018.“Hollywood’s relationship myths can wreak havoc on real-life romance” Chicago Tribune, 26 August 2014.
