This is a romantic comedy?

[catch22girl]

Spoilers for Serendipity ahead.

Last night, I saw Serendipity again. This film, for those that don't know, is one of those fate brings us together lovefests where it doesn't really matter what happens to the people who the couple were supposed to marry because after all, who are they to argue with "fate"? Basically, these two people magically met many moons ago and then they placed their numbers on a five dollar bill and a book and the woman said something stupid like if we're meant to be together this book will come to you, and then they separated without even knowing each other's last names.

Okay, cut to the present and they're both about to get married, but you know, they wonder about that person who they met all that time ago and eventually they dump their respective wife/husband to be and go on a mad search for each other.

I had a teacher, who was pretty much a know-it all, the kind that makes you wish that a scene like Marshall McLuhan in Annie Hall could happen in real life. However, he brought up this theory about how in modern romantic films, the search for "God" for oneness with the universe (the sublime) has been replaced with a search for a soulmate, These films, he called "sublime object" films and Serendipity is one of the purest examples of the genre.

The audience is asked to not care about what happens to either of the people thrown aside for fate, and in fact is expected to buy that people not only fall in love at first sight but that the unvierse wants them to be together and all the forces of the universe are conspiring to bring these two people together.

This is the kind of romance that I just don't buy. It's not that I mind romantic comedies, some of them I enjoy, but there's a difference between maniupulation and love.

Although it probably would have been bearable if not for the fact that the character's dialogue has never been uttered out of romance novels or writers who believe they're writing very deep and meaningful work.

I love the idea of romance, I do, it's just that I don't believe Hollywood's vision of it most of the time and it seems odd to me how everyone else in the film just accepts that fate wants these people together instead of shaking them and going "you are not the center of the universe!"

Oh, and Molly Shannon is a blight on any film.
Oh, and Molly Shannon is a blight on any film.

Comments

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

:::applauds:::

Permit me a rant:

This idea of soul mate is one that drives me insane, especially when because it makes no practical sense in the day to day real world. It wouldn't be so bad if only movies had this idea, and the audience *knew* it was just for the movie's sake. But I'm becoming convinced that people in RL actually believe this as fact, whether they realize it or not.

It all sounds pretty in theory. But like you said, what happens when someone mistakenly marries the "wrong person" and then their soul mate suddenly appears?! Hollywood always takes it from the POV of the heartbroken couple being kept apart by life (Bridges of Madison County, anyone?) What of the heartbroken sap standing in the way of "fated love"? Too bad. What a perfect excuse for cruel, selfish and irresponsible behavior. After all, if the universe wants these two together, who are we and what is common sense have to do with it - it's *fate*!

::gags::

This is *such* a pet peeve of mine. Like I said, I'm starting to think people actually believe this. It's understandable when it's 13 year olds, but adults? Think it through. This means that people might be married to someone they weren't "meant" to be with. Therefore, it's ok to dump them to seek "the one" or when "the one" appears unexpectedly.

It also means that single people have to make it their mission to find "the one". And if they don't hurry, someone may take them. And since there's only one person truly meant for each other, they will spend the rest of their lives alone and miserable.

It also means that even if you find "the one" and marry and live happily ever after, what happens if that person dies? You have to lay down and die with them, and you're never going to truly love anyone else again? It *sounds* romantic in literature or movies, but in real life, it simply *doesn't work*.


Interesting on the teacher's theory. There is a verse that says God has set eternity in the hearts of men, and also that God desires for us to seek him. We all have a longing for something greater than ourselves, and sometimes romantic love is used as a substitute for that. (Not anything against romantic love! Just when people get this obsession over it.)

Anyway, my apologies for the rant. It just irks me because I've seen people miserable due to this idea.

[robynwithay.livejournal.com]

This movie bothered me as well. I have so much to say about how much it irritated me, but it looks like it's all been covered.

I thing the only thing i would add is that what bothers me most about the idea of a "soulmate" is that people automatically equate it with romantic love. Which, I personally have trouble believing exists.

And, also, on a seemingly random note, I'm more apt to believe in hetero-life mates (kevin smith's phrase) than I am to believe in "soulmates."