Why These Movie Couples Probably Didn't Stay Together
A look at some iconic movie couples and why their relationships might not have stood the test of time.
Introduction
It's a given that romantic comedies don't always provide the most stable beginnings for a long-lasting relationship, but with some couples, it's clear that they are destined to break up. These couples go through a lot to be together, otherwise there wouldn't be a plot or conflict in the movie. However, a line can be crossed based on how difficult a relationship is, even in the fantasy world of a rom-com.
Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
There are some couples that audience members root against from the beginning, and they are often the product of dated tropes and ideals around dating. In the modern era, there are more expectations regarding mutual respect, kindness, and trust in relationships, leading to viewers having higher expectations for movie couples. On the other hand, there is a decreased stigma surrounding people who remain single, meaning the device of a woman feeling bad for not getting married has fallen to the wayside. Having this perspective, it's easy to imagine that many rom-com couples called it quits.
Andie and Benjamin sitting on the porch playing cards and drinking beer in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Andie & Ben - How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days (2003)
Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson team up for How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, a movie that seems to be a battle of who can have the worst intentions when entering a relationship. Ben (McConaughey) makes a bet that he can get Andie (Hudson) to fall in love with him in 10 days, not knowing that she has been assigned an article about how to drive a man away in those same 10 days. The couple drives each other mad almost instantly, and if it weren't for their physical chemistry, they probably would've given up on their tasks immediately.
Andie and Ben kissing in How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
This culminates in one of the ugliest public fights ever put on screen, humiliating them both. Despite this, they decide to be together even though they have been putting on an act and know virtually nothing about each other. It would take only another 10 days for the pair to realize they have hurt each other enough and call it off.
Andie and Ben at the Knicks game in How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
Ben & Allison - Knocked Up (2007)
An accidental pregnancy is not necessarily a good reason to enter into a relationship, especially when it's two people who can't stand each other. After Ben (Seth Rogan) and Allison (Katherine Heigl) have a one-night stand that results in a pregnancy, Allison decides to keep the baby, and the couple attempts to start a relationship. Though the film was praised for its comedy, and an honest portrayal of a difficult situation, all the trying in the world can't fix a lack of compatibility. The pair don't like each other, and they would most likely discover that staying together for the baby's sake wasn't good for anyone.
Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen in a doctor's office in Knocked Up
Charles & Carrie - Four Weddings And A Funeral (1994)
Hugh Grant may be one of the greatest leading men in rom-com history, but that doesn't mean that all of his on-screen relationships will stand the test of time. Four Weddings and a Funeral packs an emotional punch and delivers the classic beats of a rom-com, but the central couple dynamic doesn't make sense. Charles (Grant) and Carrie (Andie MacDowell) barely know each other, and Andie marries someone else, whereas Charles nearly marries someone and then leaves them at the altar. They both exhibit commitment issues before deciding to give their relationship a chance, and it seems unlikely that the past wouldn't come back to haunt them.
Carrie (Andie MacDowell) smiling hugged by Charles (Hugh Grant) in Four Weddings and a Funeral
