The Chick Flick Theory

 As I sat in a theater tonight, watching a chick flick, I was reminded of a theory of mine that I grow increasingly convinced has merit to it.  Chick flicks get generalized quite a bit, we start to think if we’ve seen one we’ve seen them all.  In as much as there is a boy and a girl, conflict, and a happy ending I think that’s true.  However, if you try to typify the girl and the boy, you will find that there are many different types. 

With girls we see the girl that is all alone, the shy one, the overlooked one, the feminazi, the workaholic, or there is the super charming, witty, successful, hard to impress type, etc,etc.  As for guys you will find that quite the variety exists there as well.  There is the gentleman, the coworker, the best friend, the persistent never gives up on loving you type, or there is the jerk that really turns out to be sensitive, and so that list goes on and on as well. 

My theory is that a woman’s favorite chick flicks are reflective of which chick flick creates the happy ending she wants and which chick flick resonates with an individual the most.  More specifically, I suspect that women like movies that have either their ideal romance or their ideal guy, and I would go further in associations by assuming that any given woman relates to the lead girl character on some level.

The foundations for my theory are rooted in parasocial theory, personal experience, observations and a very informal interview process.  Within my own personal experience it is interesting to note that my shift in preference for chick flicks mirrors the sort of man or romance that I hope to have.  If you had asked me a couple of years ago, I would have told you that my two favorite movies are Pride and Prejudice and Anne of Green Gables.  If you look at Gilbert and Mr. Darcy they have a lot in common.  They are both “the catch” they appear to be a jerk at first, but turn out to be the most patient, long suffering, loyal lovers in the literary world.  They both fall in love with a girl that is bright, fiercely independent and accomplished, they both propose and are rejected, but in the end, the endurance of their love is rewarded.  This is a very accurate reflection of what I try to be myself as well as the kind of guys that I have dated.  Now I find that I would like to be valued for other qualities, so my preferences are shifting, and so is my taste in literature and chick flicks.  I would like to be loved for my goodness, and other qualities I value and like to think I possess.  Lately, I have loved Persuasion, The Host, and Mansfield Park, all examples of a girl that is so good in nature that she is overlooked at first, but in the end is loved and valued for it. 

I realize that my perception and experience with the chick flick theory is a bit biased.  It is on occasion my favorite game to test my theory on my friends.  The other night the theory became the party game, as I was analyzing a large group of people, their favorite chick flicks and what that revealed about them in their dating patterns.  I almost felt like I was reading Tarot cards or something, however, the chick flick theory held up.  Here are some examples:

“The Wedding Date”,

“Can I ask something, would you typically say that you are fairly insecure when it comes to dating?….maybe need a guy to  help talk you through?…”

“uh yeah.” 

“The Notebook and the Holiday”

 “Really? I never realized you were such a romantic, so you really want to be swept up and consumed by love don’t you?”

 “yes”

“And you want your guy to be too?”

“yes.”  

“She’s the Man.”

“So do you find yourself often in a best friend situation, kinda hoping that they’ll realize they’re in love with you in the end?….kind of rely on humor a bit?”

“wow, yeah”. 

The night continued on this way, many of my friends became believers, and my conviction grew stronger.  If you still don’t buy into it, go ahead and test it yourself.  Maybe it can help you break some bad dating habits.  For me, I’ve learned that if a guy starts out a punk, he likely is a punk and will not later prove to be a misunderstood Mr. Darcy. 

As to the reason of why this theory might be true-it’s sort a chicken or the egg scenario.  What is the cause and which is the effect?  Are our expectations of what form love will come in cultivated by the package that comes along with the girl we particularly relate to?  Or-is it that combination of viewing a girl that we relate to, that seems to have the same taste in men as us?  I don’t have an answer.  However, I would guess that it’s probably a bit of both.