Gone are the days of romantic movies giving you unrealistic expectations of what relationships are
In real life, not all love stories last forever. However, if you were a kid who grew up watching romantic movies that have a prince charming rescuing a damsel in distress, you might have formed unrealistic expectations in love. Decades later, cultural changes in society made a turnaround in the mindset of filmmakers after realizing that exaggerated plot lines and unrealistic outcomes in romantic comedies led the audience to feel wronged in love.
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This leads us to a list of five romance stories that provide a fresh take on understanding love in a much deeper sense.
On recognizing your worth
Whether you’re single, in a new relationship, or fresh out of a breakup, you can definitely relate to Girlfriend na Pwede Na. It’s a romantic comedy about a woman who is ready to settle down with her long-time partner, but is left behind while he works on his career as a filmmaker. On Pam’s move to maneuver her destiny into what she thinks is right, she met a man named Isko who taught her to recognize her worth and the love that she deserves.
On choosing to let go
Written, directed, and starred by Bela Padilla, Yung Libro sa Napanuod Ko is a fresh take on love. Writing a love story is more than just going on dates, piggyback rides, and tying shoelaces. In this film, Padillla’s Lisa and Yoon Min-Go’s Gun Ho also capture the feelings of mental health and self-love. Apart from that, this plot will teach you that sometimes, a relationship is meant to be broken.
On embracing vulnerability
As things get even more complicated in Jojo and Marie’s love story in Paris, played by Empoy Marquez and Alessandra De Rossi, respectively, a series of plot twists is expected in the movie. Seeing the two actors portray a different level of vulnerability in the story shows that having just chemistry and feelings cannot sustain any relationship in real life. Their characters might have formed a seven-year bond in the city of love, but it doesn’t mean that they’re meant to be with each other forever.
On prioritizing yourself
An Inconvenient Love is totally faithful to a typical youth romance. However, Belle Mariano and Donny Pangilinan teaches everyone a valuable lesson that sometimes, putting aside romantic love to focus on personal healing is the best thing you can do. Years ago, so much attention was paid to the fact that people should choose love more than anything, despite its inconvenience. But Ayef and Manny prove how one should wait until both parties have resolved their personal problems and are ready to bear love’s inconvenience.
On holding yourself accountable
Kim Chiu and Xian Lim’s film Always teaches you that it is still possible for a relationship to work as long as you put enough effort into making it work. The relationship between Anna and Lino is a reminder that love can come in many unexpected ways, and these ways are sometimes tragic and unexpected.
Featured Image: NETFLIX PHILIPPINES (via Instagram)
