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Life Imitates Rom-Com

I’m sitting at the international terminal at JFK whiling away the time with a newspaper and, so far at least, all of the articles that aren’t about Trump are about the Oscars, which is sort of like our national divide in miniature isn’t it?

I’m at the international terminal because I like to come here to watch people happily reunite to remind me that love actually exists. No, that’s a movie, plus I’m in the departures terminal and though I’m sure the people around me love someone, they’re mercifully not showing it at the moment though many of them are watching videos on their phones with the sound on and no earbuds.

Which is just rude.  How can you find love if you don’t even respect the people around you?  I mean do you really think I want to hear Love Actually? And why are you watching a Christmas movie in March?  Oh wait, it’s not Love Actually, it’s that other one with Hugh Grant where he owns a bookstore and meets that famous film star Julia Roberts. Notting Hill, that’s it.

So now here’s Notting Hill bleeding into my newsletter when I meant to be writing something poignant about our national divide and all because she can’t be bothered to use earbuds.  I should sit next to her and read my newspaper out loud in retaliation.

This movie is so unrealistic.  He spills orange juice on her and they kiss? I spill orange juice on people all the time and it’s never once led to a kiss. And yeah, I’m not Hugh Grant but still, we’re talking about gallons of spilled juice here. You know, over a period of many years, not all at once. How would you even pretend that was an accident?

Anyway, the thing about the Oscars and Trump is that both hold up a mirror to our society.  Hollywood tries very hard not to make films that don’t already have a demand. As Kumail Nanijani said last night they “do it because you get rich, right?”   So we know that celebration of diversity is in the air.

But it’s undeniably true that Trump’s societal mirror is just as accurate a portrayal of what’s in the air and it’s the polar opposite. The question now is whether we really are two societies as it seems we’re becoming or have been all along or if, like the characters in Notting Hill appear to be doing, we can put aside our differences and make it work.

Oh wait, what’s this??  She has a boyfriend?!?!  Ugh, guess we’re doomed.

Ooh, they’re boarding my zone.  I’m off to Mexico!

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