This is why movies make assumptions (also minor Election Day relief)

I was quite torn regarding what to write my blog post about. I know it’s Election Day and all and I had this post planned out about something from the constitution. But I never imagined that social media would just explode with negative feed back about voting. I am ashamed to see people getting mad at others expressing their right to vote. Shame. Other than that, I’m sick of the ad campaigns and ready for it to be over as well. So instead I chose to write some Election Day relief and do this instead:

Recently, I was watching the movie, Juno, for the umpteenth time. And I realized how poorly I felt for that girl in that part where it seems like she’s giving Juno the stink eye, but her face is just naturally like that. Her name escapes me; but the point is that I realized that we never get the perspective in movies from “the other girl (or guy),” and if we do it’s a movie that is set to be from the opposite perspective. And I don’t like that.

We’re expected to buy into the story of the protagonist—them being the protagonist and all—without evaluating the feelings of those around them. Maybe that poor-faced girl in Juno really liked Paulie, Michael Cera’s character. Maybe she really felt a connection and wanted to be with him. While granted Juno was pregnant, I don’t see any reason why she couldn’t have been with him, other than we were supposed to be rooting for Juno even though she was snarky and mean to Paulie.

Movies are always making assumptions like that but it doesn’t mean I like it. Perhaps some of us have been “the other girl (boy)” and it’s no picnic. It’s always a minor character, so we’re lead to believe that the main character won’t end up with them. But for once, I would like to see it happen. I doubt it ever would because RomComs seem to stick to a pretty strict format of goofy couple not getting along and then same goofy couple getting along by the end of the movie.

I used to think (okay let’s not lie, I still think this) that my life was like The Truman Show or some sort of movie and people in a distant land were just watching and laughing at me. If that is ever the case then I hope I’m giving a good show. So maybe there’s just a little sect of the “the other girls (guys)” in my movie. And that’s okay. Maybe we could all unite and be an awesome bunch and change the script. Maybe our “whole house [would] smell like soup.”