Nowadays, everyone is talking about hookup culture, but that’s not a new phenomenon both for movies and real life. It has simply become popular because of online dating. In the past, people living in remote areas had low chances to hook up with someone new. Busy people were in a terrible position as well.
The point is that movies simultaneously show parts of a society. By doing that, they shape society because they might (start to) change their beliefs. Maybe someone overly ambitious steps on a break after seeing Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) almost lose everything in “The Devil Wears Prada.”
And then, some people start dreaming about their love at first sight and happily ever after just because they’ve watched a romantic movie. But how real is that nowadays? Let’s see.
Rom-coms vs. Real-world Hookups
Romantic comedies (rom-coms) often depict a glossy, idealized version of romantic encounters. Sometimes, they feel like fairy tales for adults. Before the happy ending, the director might treat us with some dating scenes in local settings to make it more realistic.
Yet, in the end, most rom-coms are solved by a grand gesture. And rom-coms tend to downplay the significance of time for creating genuine connections. Some make relationships seem very simple when the reality is far from that.
But hookups are not romantic. Someone browsing their local hookups sites isn’t dreaming about holding hands and walking in a park. They have other things in mind. And since movies often picture reality, our guess is that we’ll be seeing more movies about hookup culture, probably some mixes of rom-coms and casual local romance.
Maybe soon we’ll have a movie in which a busy project manager in her 20s decides that she should enjoy life, so she joins the local site that shows up after she searches “find hookups near me” on the web and hooks up with 32 guys during a 90-minute movie.
It’d be interesting to see from which angle they’d show narratives of local relationships because while some people are for hookups, some are against them. Nothing is ever black and white in life.
That’s why we love movies. Screenwriters and directors mix black and white into gray only to separate them in the end as either black (sad ending) or white (happy ending).
Let’s look at some examples in hookup movies.
Cinematic Implementation of Hookup Culture
Cinematic depictions of hookup culture often highlight the complexities, humor, and sometimes the consequences of casual local relationships. Here are a few examples from big movies:
Character Archetypes and Dating Dynamics
Archetypes contribute to the film portrayal of local dating in a way that resonates with audiences because they are universally understood (even if the audience isn’t aware of that). Here are the most common archetypes in romantic movies:
Learning from Cinematic Mistakes
Some people watch movies for the sake of entertainment. Others watch them because they know they can learn from narratives of local relationships shown in them. Movies are often like exaggerated everyday life. We can relate to situations in them, so it’s logical that we can use them to gradually change ourselves.
Someone who has been seeking local love for the last 4 years might try some hookup sites after watching a movie about casual dating. Or, someone experienced in casual dating might decide to seek love.
Cinema as a Hookup Date Icebreaker
Going to the cinema to watch a movie about casual dating with someone you’ve met on one of the hookup sites is a great icebreaker. It sets the tone for the night. A couple is more likely to hook up after watching a movie filled with excitement and sexual tension than after watching Jumanji.
