If only...

Last night the movie "If Only" was on when we turned on the TV, so we pressed "rewind" which brought us back to the beginning (ah, the joys of DVR) and watched it. Well, I have to say, Spunky Daddy watched it, while I juggled an octopus on my lap and caught every fifth word before finally letting him fill his belly with Cherrios and putting him to bed. However, I've become very good at this and therefore was able to take in the movie with the ease of an octo-ped handler.

I have refrained from doing a google search - I have no idea if the movie was a blockbuster or bomb, and have no idea what other people thought.

My comment - huh?

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead

I watch movies for the feel-good effect. I love comedies and avoid dramas. I like sci-fi but hate horror. "If Only" is a drama with some comedy - a great love story. I thought I was going to walk away filled with love and appreciation. Sigh....

Summary: Jennifer Love Hewitt's character Sam is a budding professional musician living in London. She is in love with this corporate-type guy Ian. Ian is constantly focusing on "me" and forgets about the biggest day of Sam's life - her graduation concert. So, they have an argument before he leaves for his big work presentation. He flubs the presentation, goes to her concert, ignores her music students, takes her out to dinner where (with prompting) he tells her he "adores" her and thinks they should "soldier on", then he informs her he isn't going to her mom's wedding next week in the US because he has work to do. She is very upset, tells him she may not come back, gets in a cab and the cab gets in an accident - she dies. bring out the tissues.

The next morning, Ian wakes up and in "Groundhog-Day" style (minus the comedy), he finds he's reliving the same day so he decides to try to either 1) change fate or 2) make today the best day ever.

The love story of that day is awesome! So awesome that I thought it would have a happy ending!!

WRONG.

(Here's the spoiler)

HE DIES! Instead of her, HE dies! But he tells her how much he loves her and appreciates her and shows her the best day of her life in the meantime. But, did I mention, HE DIES!?!?!

I dreamt about this all night after the movie was done. Umm....aren't these things suppose to have a happy ending? The guy realized the error of his ways so give him a break! Now Sam has to live with the death of her love! I understand lots of good came out of the day they spent together, and she knew how much he loved her when he died, but seriously?! How could they do this?!?!

I needed a warning.

"THIS IS NOT A WARM AND FUZZY LOVE STORY MOVIE!"

No. I was blindsided.

My husband always says to me (while we are squabbling over stupid stuff) "What if something happened and we were upset about this? Would you want this to be the last thing you remember?" No. You are right. It's not worth getting upset over so many little things. But if the moral of the story is "Do the right thing and instead of someone else dying, you will!" I may have a harder time internalizing it.

Now, I'm exaggerating. The love story did make me smile. I just wish I hadn't watched the end. I liked it better that way. Lesson or no lesson - I don't want to watch anyone die and the people that they leave behind have to carry on with the pain involved.