No Love Life? Blame Rom-Coms

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is the latest example

Hugh Grant has ruined entire communities.

If you've always thought the perfect relationship was just around the corner, and that a partner should know exactly what you want without telling them, you may be kidding yourself. In other words, the movies might have ruined your love life.

Relationship experts at Heriot Watt University found that heavy-duty fans of such romantic comedies as Notting Hill and Runaway Bride fail to communicate well with their partners, and that popular media perpetuates unrealistic ideals about the perfect relationship.

"The problem," said one of the researchers, "is that while most of us know that the idea of a perfect relationship is unrealistic, some of us are still more influenced by media portrayals than we realise."

In one of the studies they conducted, 100 students watched the 2001 Rom-Com Serendipity, while another 100 watched a David Lynch movie. Afterwards, the 100 who watched the romantic comedy were much more likely to believe in fate, destiny and predestined love.

So the next time you're gazing lovingly up at the new Matthew Mcconaughey movie, thinking to yourself that any dirt-bag sleaze ball can be changed easily into prince charming with only a little love, do yourself a favor and ask for a refund.