Legally bruenette

I may have big dreams. I read once in a  while and I'm smart enough to know not to bother with the semi-colon. There is one thing, however, holding me back from ever being regarded as moderately cultured or intelligent. Sadly, it's not something I think I'll ever be willing to let go of. My less-then-discerning, dirty secret is that I adore chick flicks. I must also point out that I read The Guardian - and yes, I did consider bribing them with the threat of putting these two habits together in one paragraph.

For those admirable action, thriller or horror fans amongst you - you have no idea what you're missing out on. Whether it's Legally Blonde, Object of my Affection or How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, every single chick flick (AKA rom com) has the same premise: a girl realises her dreams after overcoming adversity and naysayers, falling in love along the way. Find me one romcom that doesn't loosely follow this plot and I'll eat my Sex and the City DVD collection.

So what if, in every single chick flick, you know that the guy and girl that initially hate each other will see the error of their respective ways (the woman will become less of a workaholic, the man less of a womaniser) and they will fall in love? See The Ugly Truth for a prime example of this.

Despite their painful level of predictability, unrealistic plots and general lack of worldly input - chick flicks just make you feel better about the world - even if their world is acutely different and unrealistic. It's happy escapism - I've always told myself that my little downfall is acceptable because I save my brain for books, whereas I want watching a film to be a mindless activity. No chick flick has big promises - you know that you're not going to learn anything fundamentally life-changing.

Rom coms are harmless fun, and whilst they may be detrimental to intelligence, unlike the semi-colon, they have a purpose. They exist in a happy bubble, impenetrable by the daily worries and woes of the world. They belong in a world where things always work out well in the end with a little positivity and perseverance - who wouldn't want to be part of that world?