Chivalry may be dead in reality, but when it comes to Hollywood movies, it is very much alive--and too convincing. Advertisements for romantic movies are on every billboard, television, and bus across the country, constantly reminding us about perfect dates, soul mates and true love. However, these plot lines are extremely unrealistic and are causing men and women everywhere to dream up far-reaching scenarios and false hopes.

In 2009, movies like “The Ugly Truth,” “The Proposal,” “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” “Love Happens,” “Couples Retreat,” and “Twilight: New Moon,” raked in the money at the box office. These films contain fairy-tale, idyllic plot lines that appeal to the hopelessly romantic men and women in society. By appealing to that emotional, empathetic part of human beings, Hollywood worms its way into our hearts. The romantic, heart-warming, funny movie plots stick with us; we watch them over and over and the tales remain in our mind.

People like watching realistic films. We like seeing stories that could actually happen to us. And, because of the myriad of romantic movies that are released every year, these perfect couples seem normal. These overdone story lines have become so familiar in society that men and women have begun to believe that extraordinary circumstances are common and, unfortunately, expected.

Thanks to Hollywood and romantic movies, relationships are under more pressure than ever. Men and women expect more from their significant other because of the “cute” stories that seem to occur everywhere. People in this generation are no longer drawn to simple; instead, extravagant is the norm--even in relationships. Simple is not good enough anymore.

However, having too high of expectations in relationships is rarely a positive thing, especially when those expectations are rooted in fake, unrealistic plot lines. Society needs to take a step back and refocus on what is simple and happy in life, instead of looking for love in the wrong places. Hollywood makes movies to entertains us--not to give us high hopes about our significant others. People cannot rely on Hollywood to create romantic scenarios and then expect them to actually happen in real life; at the same time, Hollywood should not be pretending that these story lines could actually exist outside of the movie set. With all the problems in this generation, pressure on relationships is the last thing we need to worry about.

A note to Hollywood: cool it with the seemingly-realistic romantic movies. There’s a fine line between entertainment and brain-washing, and it seems that recent films are tip-toeing that line. Movies are an escape; they are not a “How-To” for dating and relationships. Simple is key. Extraordinary should be just that--extraordinary.

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