I’ll say it, but I probably won’t be the first: Reese Witherspoon is the Queen of Breakup Films. This title, however, is nothing to be ashamed of- there is a lot to be learned from movies centering around relationships and divorces. In case you haven’t seen the 2002 film about Witherspoon’s character Melanie Carmichael’s fail of a divorce with dreamy Josh Lucas’ character Jake Perry, here’s the lowdown: Melanie Carmichael (originally Melanie Smooter, the southern belle) is a famous New York fashion designer who is getting remarried to the mayor’s son Andrew (played by the equally dreamy Patrick Dempsey), but she’s still technically married to her ex Jake Perry, who is back in Alabama, where she grew up. She goes back, one thing leads to another, and, well…I’ll let the gifs speak for themselves. Here are six things we learned about break-ups, divorces, and relationships in general that we wished we’d known sooner.
1. Never underestimate your significant other, especially in a fight.
2. Change is pointless when you change for the worse.
3. Never forget where you came from, or the things that made you the person you are.
4. It’s completely okay to be a runaway bride, when you’re doing what’s best for yourself.
5. It’s also completely okay to punch your ex-future-mother-in-law if she’s a total biotch.
6. Some childhood romances do last!
So there you have it. No matter the obstacles or roadblocks you may face, a break-up or a divorce doesn’t mean any possibility of a love life is over, whether it be with that same person, or someone new. Don’t forget where you belong! There’s always somebody waiting for you at Home Sweet Home.
