Go For What You Believe You Deserve

This is a classic romantic film, where, in typical Hollywood fashion, there is only one male and one female lead, and the whole two hours is just waiting for them to realize they're meant for each other.

There's also the typical plot twist that she has a boyfriend since the start of the movie. How, in heaven's name, are the two main stars going to end up with each other?

This movie has a unique solution to the "third wheel" problem though, which is usually dispensed with in romantic comedies by some last act surprise where the boyfriend turns out to be an asshole and deserves to be left behind.

The writer made it worse by making the boyfriend (Bill Pullman) really likable, and even had asthma and had to be mothered - something shallow-minded moviegoers would think would make it easier for Meg Ryan to let go.

In the end it's Bill Pullman's decision, telling Meg Ryan he doesn't want to be someone that a woman would just "settle for".

And that's my message for today: do not just take with open arms the first person who shows an interest in you, especially if they happen to have a lot of bad habits. You owe it to yourself to expect more.