Lost my muchness have I?

Pictures via wanderingsymphony: Sixteen Candles (1984)

Jake Ryan. The original. The ideal. Perfection.

Just about any girl out there relates to this movie, and there are very few that don’t sigh after speaking the name “Jake Ryan…” He’s legendary and iconic. The only rival to even come close is probably Edward Cullen. But Edward is a vampire. He really doesn’t exist. With Jake, we still all have the tiniest bit of hope.

True that this movie was made before I was born, but even though it is so specifically set in 80’s high school, I’m sure that many of us feel we are walking in sweet Samantha Baker’s shoes. Days and days of disappointment while using a silly fantasy as motivation to keep moving along to the next.

And now to ask the legendary infinite question, “Where is Jake Ryan?” Where is the perfect boy who you’ve always loved that for some reason likes you just the way you are?

That is the reason that this movie is so special. We’ve all seen romantic comedies. There are usually two scenarios that result in the unlikely girl ending up with the unattainable guy. Either the girl is somehow transformed into what the guy wants or the guy is thrown into an unusual situation where he gets to know and love the weird girl that no one likes and would never even talk to otherwise. If you look closely, neither of these scenarios is very flattering. I don’t know about you, but I think I’m pretty awesome. What’s the point of getting the guy if you aren’t the same person anymore? And for the second route, when does that happen. When are we coincidentally thrown together with the beautiful guy we’ve been pining over for oh so long? Never. Never ever.

And there lies the beauty of the eternal Jake Ryan. No one changed. No one went out of their way to impress the other. They were just themselves. They both were awkward, this wasn’t a one sided romance. There wasn’t a big epiphany where one realizes that they do truly love the other. No. Isn’t that what we both hope for? That when we feel like our heart is going to explode as we wait for the next text he’s feeling the same thing?

And the best part. When you’re feeling so low, things just aren’t going your way, you’ve given up hope, and then he’s there. It was worth it to him to find you. He didn’t even know that his smile is all you needed for things to be all better. But alas, in our lives when we feel like we’re going to cry and we’re looking down at our shoes, when we look up there usually isn’t a Jake. Sometimes there is, and we’re smart enough to know how insanely rare and beautiful a moment like that is.

So I’ll ask it again, where is Jake Ryan?

Have any of you found him?

What is the male view of this movie?

Agree or disagree, please share.

Got any answers to these questions?

Hello,

I am here with only questions, very few answers.

Like most people, I grew up with expectations of how my life would be. When you’re little, you look at your parents and your family and see the future. It seems so easy.

Then we start watching movies and TV and gain more expectations. The thing is, no one tells us that those beautiful stories are the extraordinary exception to life. Things don’t happen like that.

I’ve always wanted the best friend like the one in the movies. I want to have a person that is a partner in crime and understands me.

As for boys…little to speak of there. But I find boys very interesting. They seem to have the odd ability to find any quality attractive in a girl. They want us desperately but push us away just as fast. Neither side knows what to do. That’s the funny thing. People keep getting together. People get married every day. Boys tell girls that they love them all the time. The best boys allow themselves to be kicked around by undeserving girls. How do these things happen? Why do they happen? It doesn’t seem to make much sense does it.

My great love has been music. Until somewhat recently I believed that as long as that was true, there wasn’t room for anyone else. But no need to worry about that.

So here we are. My view of reality is through fiction and other stories.

We only live in our own heads and we only see through our own eyes.

I’d really like to know what you think about what I see…

Does anyone know who I am?