I am a rom-com fan because many of my favorite movies fall within that category. My list of great romantic movies expands far and wide. However, they generally don’t include any released within the last few years. I have been in a romantic comedy slump. My search for a new favorite includes reading several books and watching plenty of movies. There are so many romantic movie moments living rent-free in my mind so I should have found a new great rom-com easily, but I couldn’t find one with my favorite brand of romantic whimsy. Then I watched Love, Divided.
I watched Blind Date a few years ago and really enjoyed the film. Therefore, I knew I would enjoy its remake Love, Divided. As expected, I enjoyed the films equally, and though neither film joins my all-time favorites list, they have offered some valuable insight into my next perfect rom-com quest. They made me see a formula that’s key to my romantic movie enjoyment.
Love, Divided Has A Familiar Charming Premise
If I did a complete investigation of my favorite romantic movies, I would probably see an obvious pattern. I know charm is a major factor, and Love, Divided delivers this trait.
The film follows neighbors Valentina (Aitana Ocaña) and David (Fernando Guallar) as they live in separate apartments but share a wall. Due to bad infrastructure, they have very thin walls. At first, they torture each other by being noisy. Then that bickering turns into a blooming romance. Enemies to lovers storylines are quite popular, therefore, Love, Divided isn’t revolutionary in that aspect. However, some enemies to lovers couples border on taking things too far. To the point that it feels a little icky to root for the pair. Tis story reaches the sweet spot of the bickering being cute instead of toxic.
Nev Schulman made a whole career off the idea of falling in love with someone you met online. While Catfish may often end with disastrous love stories, it’s a romantic concept that often works in media, and Love, Divided furthers this winning romantic comedy formula. Two people falling in love before seeing each other’s appearance is a charming and classic rom-com idea.
Love, Divided Is A Low-Stakes Whimsical Film
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna was one of my favorite books in 2023. It’s a low-stakes paranormal romantic comedy that I hope one day becomes a movie. I read other romantic books after it but none had the same enchanted quality. This book also made me realize that if I am reading a romantic comedy, I want the stakes as low as possible.
Some of my favorite romantic movies are dramas. I get swept away by the heartbreak and the characters trying to beat the odds. For example, I am still very much obsessed and haunted by the Atonement book and movie, especially the ending. So I love a good romantic movie that will break my heart, but not when it comes to romantic comedies. I need feel-good romantic movies when I seek low-stakes, and Love, Divided accomplishes this aim.
The premise never permits doubt that David and Valentina end up together. There is no major problem that can interfere with their happy ending. Even after their major fight, it doesn’t even seem possible for it to permanently end their relationship. They also have one of the most resolvable problems in the world: they are delaying seeing each other in person. Easy solution, just go outside or tear down a wall.
Yes, the movie explores a few serious topics such as grief and emotional abuse. However, they aren’t tackled in the most serious ways, because you know everything will fix itself by the end. Sometimes you just want a movie that isn’t going to stress you out. Before you even watch you know it's a movie that ends happily.
It’s One Of Several Movies And TV Shows With The Same Concept That I Love
While watching Love, Divided, I immediately thought of You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle. Besides both films starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks with Nora Ephron co-writing and directing, they also involve the concept of falling in love before meeting in person. In Mail, the main characters fall while talking online. In Sleepless, it’s the radio broadcast and sincerity that makes Annie (Ryan) fall for Sam (Hanks).
Then I remembered many other shows and movies I loved or enjoyed with the same concept. This includes Dash and Lily, a book series I enjoyed and a TV show that I am still upset won’t return and answer my questions. Then there is Love Simon, another movie and book that I enjoy with the concept of falling in love before meeting the person.
And, let us not forget one of Netflix’s best reality TV shows, Love is Blind. It’s a show that I watch every season. At this point, it’s almost a proven formula. If a TV show or movie revolves around people falling before meeting, then it’s very likely that I will enjoy it.
The Formula Is A Classic One For Romantic Comedies, But Not Used A Lot
Despite listing several movies and TV shows with this premise, not nearly enough romantic stories have the same concept as Love, Divided. I can name a few more films that sort of fall into this category, such as Love Hard and The Truth About Cats and Dogs. These movies are also some I really enjoy, but they involve more deception and less falling through conversations first.
Some story concepts have been done way too much, but, I wish there were a few more books, movies, and TV shows that take notes from Love, Divided with the whole falling before meeting in person concept.
Love, Divided Made Me Seek Out Other Stories With The Same Premise
Because the film made me realize that this is a premise that works for my particular style of romantic comedy adoration, I sought more films and movies that use it. I started a list to read and watch more things with this concept. If I enjoy them as much as Love, Divided, and other movies like it, then this confirms my theory that falling in love through emotional bonding before physical bonding is really one of my favorite romantic comedy sub-genres.
It’s the simplicity and whimsy of loving someone just for their soul that makes this such an appealing concept.
I will also now have to watch the Korean version of Blind Date, My Worst Neighbour, to see if it holds up to the original and Love, Divided.
