After is a new movie, based off a fan fiction turned best seller, released April 12. The film is classified as a romance and the fact that many viewers are fawning over a romance like it this makes me gag with disgust. I’ll admit that the writing in the original book is very immersive because it takes time with the issues the characters face. My problem is not with the book and it’s writing style, it’s about the author’s topic.
The relationship between Theresa (or Tessa) and Harden (based off of Harry Styles from the band, One Direction) is beyond safe and “couple goals”. Some couples argue and make mistakes which are forgiven with time. Tessa and Harden’s “issues and mistakes” are anything but forgivable no matter with how much time has passed. For one thing, Harden is an alcoholic and a very angry drunk. The reason why he’s drunk? He’s a depressed rich kid with a broken household who nobody understands. (Wow Tessa, you sure know how to pick a boyfriend.) In one of Harden’s drunken fits, while Tessa tries to help him, he throws a bottle and yells at her, “You’re so pathetic. Don’t you see I don’t want you here? ...Just because I messed around with you doesn’t mean I want anything to do with you, yet here you are leaving your boyfriend who can actually stand to be around you to come here and try to ‘help me’. That, Theresa, is the definition of pathetic.”
Couple goals, am I right guys? Naturally, like any normal couple after his most sincere and heartfelt apologies for yet another of his tantrums, she takes him back.
There are many instances like this where Harden or Tessa make a complete 180 with their emotions, whether it was forgiving or causing another unforgivable mistake. At one point Harden cheats on Theresa, which many people swear he didn’t, but come on. These are the same people supporting their relationship, so you connect the dots.
Romanticizing toxic relationships not only sets a horrible example to young impressionable teenagers, but is overall appalling that it’s even considered a romance. To confuse verbal abuse for “tough love” or “possessiveness” is not something to put out there as a romance. There is nothing cute about being in an abusive relationship nor having the person who is supposed to love you hurt you over and over again. Writing about this topic is good to open people’s eyes about the issues of an abusive relationship, highlighting the struggles of leaving or loving them so much the person wants to fix them. However, writing about it to highlight how “adorable” they always seem to forgive each other is down right mortifying when teenage girls start desiring to be in a relationship just like that.
The relationship between Theresa (or Tessa) and Harden (based off of Harry Styles from the band, One Direction) is beyond safe and “couple goals”. Some couples argue and make mistakes which are forgiven with time. Tessa and Harden’s “issues and mistakes” are anything but forgivable no matter with how much time has passed. For one thing, Harden is an alcoholic and a very angry drunk. The reason why he’s drunk? He’s a depressed rich kid with a broken household who nobody understands. (Wow Tessa, you sure know how to pick a boyfriend.) In one of Harden’s drunken fits, while Tessa tries to help him, he throws a bottle and yells at her, “You’re so pathetic. Don’t you see I don’t want you here? ...Just because I messed around with you doesn’t mean I want anything to do with you, yet here you are leaving your boyfriend who can actually stand to be around you to come here and try to ‘help me’. That, Theresa, is the definition of pathetic.”
Couple goals, am I right guys? Naturally, like any normal couple after his most sincere and heartfelt apologies for yet another of his tantrums, she takes him back.
There are many instances like this where Harden or Tessa make a complete 180 with their emotions, whether it was forgiving or causing another unforgivable mistake. At one point Harden cheats on Theresa, which many people swear he didn’t, but come on. These are the same people supporting their relationship, so you connect the dots.
Romanticizing toxic relationships not only sets a horrible example to young impressionable teenagers, but is overall appalling that it’s even considered a romance. To confuse verbal abuse for “tough love” or “possessiveness” is not something to put out there as a romance. There is nothing cute about being in an abusive relationship nor having the person who is supposed to love you hurt you over and over again. Writing about this topic is good to open people’s eyes about the issues of an abusive relationship, highlighting the struggles of leaving or loving them so much the person wants to fix them. However, writing about it to highlight how “adorable” they always seem to forgive each other is down right mortifying when teenage girls start desiring to be in a relationship just like that.