Valentine’s Day Review

I am not a fan of Valentine’s Day. I know, I sound like the stereotypical feminist, and I know it’s going to sound cliché, but I don’t understand why you need to set aside one day to tell/show someone you love him/her. Businesses have come to utilize the holiday for their commercialism.
However, my mom and I wanted to have a “Girls Day Out” when I went home this weekend, so we saw the movie Valentine’s Day. To my surprise, I liked it! The only storyline I could have done without was Taylor Swift’s character.
The movie follows a few different characters and how they spend their Valentine’s Day. What I have to give props for is the variety of love-lives, especially in age and sexual orientation.
There are a few storylines involving couples in their 20s or 30s, a plot with a young boy, a few teenage lovers, and an older couple.
Of course, there was a scene with a group of women that were alone holding an “anti-Valentine’s Day party” but it was quite entertaining with the beating of the piñata. It demonstrated a great support system among friends.
While society stereotypes that women are either the more romantic type obsessed with Valentine’s Day, or despise it and remain depressed, some storylines go against that. Ashton Kutcher’s character is the extremely romantic type that loves Valentine’s Day and owns a flower shop, and Jamie Foxx’s character dislikes the holiday.
Taylor Swift’s character is quite annoying. It’s the typical teenager who says she’s in love, but doesn’t know what love is. Her boyfriend, played by real life boyfriend Taylor Lautner buys her a gigantic life, size teddy bear that she carries around with her all day. –A bit much.
I thought it was really cute that a little boy wanted to tell “the most beautiful girl in the world” that he loves her by sending her flowers and a card. He’s so thoughtful and sweet…and so young! Wow, he’ll make someone very happy one day. 
Lastly, the boy’s grandparents are the older couple included in the storylines. They have been happily married for many years. While they address an issue that is brought up in the movie, and does make the two upset, the message the writer conveys is that when you love someone you take the good with the bad.
While I think this is cheesy and once again a cliché, I guess it’s true, and I respect people that believe it and live by it.


~Laura