When Pop Culture Sells Dangerous Myths About Romance by J. Beck

When Pop Culture Sells Dangerous Myths About Romance by J. Beck

(Link): When Pop Culture Sells Dangerous Myths About Romance by J. Beck

Entertainment glorifying or excusing predatory male behavior is everywhere—from songs about “blurred lines” to TV shows where rapists marry their victims.

Jan 2018

Edward Cullen. Chuck Bass. Lloyd Dobler. Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That guy from Love Actually with the sign. The lead singers of emo bands with their brooding lyrics.

Many of the romantic heroes that made me swoon in my youth followed a pattern and, like a Magic Eye picture, only with a little distance did the shape of it pop out to me. All of these characters in some way crossed, or at least blurred, the lines of consent, aggressively pursuing women with little or no regard for their desires.

But these characters’ actions, and those of countless other leading men across the pop-culture landscape, were more likely to be portrayed as charming than scary.

Romantic Comedy Movies and Their Obsession With Books

Romantic Comedy Movies and Books

What is it with Hollywood Rom Com movies and book stores?

In the movie “You Got Mail,” both main characters, played by Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, each own a book store.

In the movie “The Holiday,” ((Link): Information about The Holiday) I’m pretty sure one of the characters owned a book store – I think the male lead, the British guy who falls in love with the visiting American. One site says the male character works as a book editor. It’s book-related. There were scenes of him standing around with shelves and shelves of books behind him.

Last night, I watched a Julia Roberts movie on cable. She plays a character named Anna Scott who falls in love with a British guy (actor Hugh Grant) who owns a book store. I think the film is called Nottinghill or Nottingham or whatever.

What in the holy hell is up with Hollywood making so many characters in romantic movies book store owners, or people who work somehow and in someway with, or around, books?

Can Hollywood script writers not think of any other professions to ascribe to movie characters in rom coms? I don’t even really like rom coms. They most usually bore me or nauseate me, but I will sometimes watch one if it comes on cable TV. But I tire of seeing every other character be a book store owner.

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Related Posts:

(Link):  Rom Com Movie on Women Allowing Themselves To Be Used By Men – And A Leading Man Disappointment -(Liberal, Atheist Leading Man Actor’s Real Life Religious, Political Views are Very Condescending, Obnoxious)

(Link): Goodbye to romance: Are rom-coms worse than porn? (How Hollywood Feeds Into People’s Tendency to Idolize Marriage and Turn a Spouse Into a Deity)