Top 10 Rom-Com Couples Who Definitely Didn't Stay Together
#10: Dionne & Murray
“Clueless” (1995) It’s hard not to love Dionne and Murray. Cher’s best friend and her man are the movie’s best example of a committed relationship. Yes, they bicker like an old married couple, but it’s clear that they genuinely have feelings for each other. Of course we don’t want them to break up. But at the end of the day they’re still in high school and both young and immature enough to make a mess of things. What happens when they head to college miles apart and aren’t able to kiss and make up? Plus, the older they become, the more serious and difficult their disagreements will get. Sooner or later an argument’s going to break them - the only question is, could they get back together again?
#9: Laney & Zack
“She’s All That” (1999) We love a “Pygmalion”-style plot, and Zack and Laney make a cute couple. She has more self-confidence than your average dorky heroine and he’s got good grades and the potential to go far. But we aren’t buying into their future. For starters, they don’t have a lot in common, and that’ll be even more true in college. She’s headed for art school, while he’ll likely end up on the other side of the country at one of the Ivy League establishments he got into. Plus, something tells us the whole he approached her as a bet thing would come up in fights often. Maybe they’d keep in touch, but we reckon these unlikely lovers would become a footnote in each other’s stories.
#8: Troy & Gabriella
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“High School Musical” franchise (2006-08) Are we wrong in thinking that Troy was more committed to this relationship than Gabriella was? Because it feels like she spent a lot of time across the trilogy trying to tell him goodbye. The supposedly lovelorn teenager might tell herself she’s scared of getting hurt, but maybe her subconscious is trying to tell her something’s off? Gabriella is a brainiac with a bright future and she’s ready to leave high school behind - but Troy’s not reading the signals. He ultimately decides to follow her to California, choosing a college that’s not too far from hers. But as much as it pains us to say, we’re not sure their futures include each other in the long run.
#7: Mike & Abby
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“The Ugly Truth” (2009) We can’t deny that Mike and Abby have chemistry. They challenge each other, they can be themselves and they have a lot of fun. But is this destined to be a long-term thing? The couple have come a long way by the time they acknowledge their feelings for each other: Mike’s no longer the unsympathetic misogynist we met at the beginning of the movie and Abby’s realized that the perfect man is more than a list of desirable qualities. However, he still thinks he knows best, and chauvinism can’t be cured overnight. Once they’re out of the honeymoon period, we predict it’ll all go to pieces.
#6: Edward & Vivian
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“Pretty Woman” (1990) “Pretty Woman” follows the fairytale romance of a sex worker and a rich businessman who fall in love. And it really is a fairytale. Vivian’s job is a fairly Disney-fied version of the profession and the movie wraps up with a happily ever after. But how much do these two really know about each other? She’s young, luminous and full of life, he’s likable enough but much older than her and - let's be honest - kind of a sleaze. So is he really good enough for her? If you ask us, their happy ending was likely short-lived. We hope that after some time with Edward, Vivian parted from her former client as friends and forged a new life for herself.
#5: Jonathan & Sara
“Serendipity” (2001) There’s nothing wrong with believing that the universe has a plan for you. But letting fate decide that a virtual stranger is your one true love is kind of unhinged. Jonathan and Sara meet while Christmas shopping and hit it off. Instead of swapping their info, Sara comes over all manic-pixie-dream-girl and decides that they should write their details on inanimate objects and send them out into the world instead. Cut to years later when the plan comes together and both parties ditch their other halves in favor of a more serendipitous union. It’s all very romantic, but also super risky. They don’t actually know one another. That’s not exactly a foundation for a long-lasting relationship, and something is bound to go wrong.
#4: Blane & Andie
“Pretty in Pink” (1986) In the original, scrapped ending of “Pretty in Pink”, Andie ends up with her best friend Duckie. That might explain why Blane feels more like a Mr. Right Now than a Mr. Right. The guy who ultimately gets the girl is handsome, rich, and sure, nice enough. But while we don’t know much about him as a person, he doesn’t seem particularly interesting. Andie, meanwhile, is brave, creative and a true individual. What does she share with this basic popular boy who doesn’t even fight for her when it counts?! We can’t see these two lasting past their teen years.
#3: Bender & Claire
“The Breakfast Club” (1985) The good girl/bad boy trope is pushed to the limit in this problematic John Hughes classic. Yes, Bender is a product of his difficult upbringing and Claire is kind of a spoiled princess. It’s cool that they want to break out of their societal roles and give in to the obvious attraction they feel for each other. But the way Bender treats Claire throughout the movie is absolutely NOT okay. She shouldn’t have to put up with harassment and misogynistic taunting just because he needs a focus for his anger. Claire would probably try and make the relationship work, but there’s no way this ends well. Let’s hope for her sake she got out sooner rather than later.
#2: Ben & Elaine
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“The Graduate” (1967) The iconic ending of “The Graduate” sees Benjamin and Elaine journeying off on the back of a public bus. Elaine’s just left a man at the altar and Ben’s been sleeping with her mother, but for an instant, they look so happy. And then common sense appears to set in. Where will they go and what will they do? What are they going to live on? And most importantly, do they even like each other that much? The relationship so far has involved a lot of tears and arguments and not much romance. From the looks on their faces, both parties are already beginning to regret their decisions. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Alex & Sophie, “Music and Lyrics” (2007)
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Danny & Sandy, “Grease” (1978)
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Sam & Jake, “Sixteen Candles” (1984)
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Jimmie & Anne, “The Bachelor” (1999)
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#1: Alison & Ben
“Knocked Up” (2007) “Knocked Up” is supposed to be a rom-com. But looked at from another angle, it’s a depressing tale about a woman being trapped in a relationship with a man who barely knows her. He also doesn’t like her and doesn’t try to hide it. She’s not his biggest fan either. But she got pregnant so apparently she has to try and make it work – even though their hook up was meant to be a one time thing. What century is this? Why can’t they just decide to co-parent? To make matters worse, actress Katherine Heigl took a lot of heat when she dared to suggest that the movie might be “a little sexist.” These characters staying together after the credits roll would be a travesty.
