What becomes of the tarnished glass slipper?

I just got back from watching Miss Congeniality 2 with Naomi and Sarah N. We had a terrific time, the movie was followed by Red Lobster cheesy biscuits, which are always good, but I have to pause for reflection on the movie. Okay, so it’s not a cinematographic masterpiece, it’s not drop-dead hilarious, but I really liked it. Why? Because if Miss Congeniality was a Cinderella story, this documented the often-ignored post-honeymoon period. That is to say – Cinderella, I’d like you to meet someone, this is Reality. Nice to meet you.

Note: if you want to go watch this movie tabula rasa, you should stop reading, because spoilers are involved. That being said…

Perhaps it’s a little melodramatic, but I have never seen a better, more realistic representation of rejection than in this movie. Cinderella’s been transformed, she feels like a new person, the best she can possibly be. She’s at her peak, she’s beautiful… and in spite of all that, Prince Charming takes a fast-paced hike. And she’s back at square one, but even worse, because if the guy can’t accept her at her best, what else is there? She can’t go up, she can’t go down, and it’s a very lonely status quo she’s confined to. Hence the burying herself in the job. I do like how the movie portrays the fact that non-romantic relationships are valuable and play a vital role in life. But that doesn’t change the scars. And he doesn't come back. But it's okay.

As stupid as it is, the scene where you watch the break-up phone call (and only hearing her side of it) just wrung my heart, as I watched the dumbfounded desperation on her face, and the only question she seems to get out is, “What did I do wrong?” That’s all she wants to know.

Later on, she is discussing the situation and confides to a friend that it made her feel “worthless and not worth caring about.” Of course you should never base your entire self-esteem on other people, but that is just so accurate. It’s not about the situation, it’s not about not ending up with the person, it’s the fact that someone who once cared apparently had enough of you and declares that your personality, emotions and dreams are no longer worth caring about and they’ve had quite enough of them, thankyouverymuch, will you move along, please? Yeah, it’s wrong to dwell on it because it leads to a bitterness that will consume your very being, but the fact is that’s exactly the feeling when any friend turns their back on you, lies, or otherwise maligns you, and I had never heard it as well-expressed as in this movie. I was duly impressed with the depth of the script, which is there to be had, albeit under the surface and will no doubt be missed by a great many viewers.

So that’s my rant for the night. I would also like to state for the record that I recognize how many of my previous posts are boring to the general populace (“I had a job interview,” “I got a job and this is what I did,” “I washed my hair today”… blah blah blah…). I am going to endeavor to discuss more meaningful and broad-sweeping issues than my social calendar, and while this may be a weak start, please bear with me as I try to improve!

Sunday’s on the way… HE IS RISEN!