I'm gonna get serious today guys. No, seriously. I mean it! See, this is my serious face.
How to begin. I'm just gonna come out and say it: I believe in happily ever after. That ending of a story that "doesn't happen every day." (Name that movie.) Why? Why not. Life is too depressing to believe that everything will never work out or that life is out to get you. However, the media, movies, and TV would have you believe otherwise.
I saw a great film last night. It is an independent movie and it was about two people's struggle to maintain their love in a difficult situation. Not the most unique story but the way it portrayed the actual relationship was refreshing. I know you can sense the "but" that is coming and I wouldn't want to disappoint you but... it doesn't end well. It ends honestly and to that I can at least be happy. (The movie became an instant hit in my mind and I can see why it won so many awards.) Like the rest of the audience, I spoke (out loud) my frustration as the credits rolled. "What?!" "That's it?" "Maybe they..." "But they were so in love."
That last one stuck with me as I left the theatre. I started thinking about how if you tell a romantic story these days, the result is people not believing the "happy ending". Why is that? Doesn't anybody, besides me, believe in true love and love conquering all?
I am constantly told that I am foolish for believing in these ideas and most times I just let it roll off my shoulders. Writers these days seem to follow the "real life" ending and are you honestly telling me that you can't write a story that's realistic and has a happy ending where the couple ends up together? Now some movies leave it up for interpretation and that at least allows the romantic viewer to say " Oh well, they end up together. Thank goodness."
In a college TV script writing class we had to storyboard one of six films. Dirty Dancing was an option and I practically did it right there. When the assignment was due, the teacher asked one person to come up and write it on the board and I was chosen to present my timeline. When I got the end, I said "And then they end up together." Dr. Dream Killer replied, "Well done Katelin. But they don't end up together." Stunned, I looked at her as she continued to speak to the class. "Of course they do. He came back for her." She looked at me kindly and continued on.
Ok, 1.) Baby and Johnny live happily ever after. There is nothing to suggest they don't. End of story. 2.) Why would you tell me that they don't? Did you write it? Do you have insight that I do not. (No, no one knows more about DD than I do. Just so you know.) 3.) If I believed something like that, why challenge it? (Clearly I never got over this moment.)
It's people like that that make me sad. No one believes or allows themselves to believe in a true love story anymore. Society loves to find the messy underbelly of love and exploit it for it's own disturbing purposes. (Wow. Sounding like an actual journalist. Better throw in a couple of ummm and likes.) I will even admit to my own doubt. I can barely watch a romcom without gagging or silently hating the happy couple on the screen with a passion of a burning suns for finding "true love" after a series of ridiculous plot twists.
So I hereby make a vow: I solemnly swear (that I am up to no good.) that as a writer and a believer to one day write a true love story that is believable and realistic. It's gonna be hard, especially with so few examples. But I feel up to the challenge. Now I challenge you readers; look for the happy ever after in your life and media and try to believe in it.
"I thought I understood it. But I didn't. I knew the smudgeness of it. The eagerness of it. The Idea of it. Of you and me." - Like Crazy
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