Romantic comedies a downer for real relationships

BOYFRIENDS and husbands make a big fuss at being forced to watch them — though often their protestations are far from convincing.

The reluctant romantics will often be just as gripped by Hugh Grant or Jennifer Aniston’s latest offering right up to the final credits roll as their loved one curled up beside them.

But a new survey carried in Australia has shown that romantic comedies may actually be putting a dampener on real life romance.

The pressure would appear to be on the partners to live up to the idyllic chemistry portrayed on the screens of cinemas and in their living rooms.

The survey by Warner Home Video found that one in four of the 1,000 respondents said they were now expected to know what a partner was thinking while one in five said it made their partners expect gifts and flowers “just because”.

“It seems our love of rom-coms is turning us into a nation of “happy-ever-after addicts”. Yet the warm and fuzzy feeling they provide can adversely influence our view of real relationships,” said Australian relationship counsellor, Gabrielle Morrissey.

“Real relationships take work and true love requires more than fireworks.”