Better than the Movies
Cautionary Content: Profanity and Sexual references
This is NOT a book that would have EVER made my “to read” list. The only reason I read it was because my sweet niece received it for Christmas and was excited to read it based on a recommendation from a friend. For context, my niece is in 9th grade, and I wanted to read something she was into reading. Praise the LORD I got through the book before she had started it and was able to warn my brother about the material in this book.
The premise of the story is a girl, Liz, has her eyes set on making her own rom com with Michael, her childhood crush moved back to town. In order to get Michael to ask her to prom, she has devised a plan where Wes, Liz’s neighbor and Michael’s friend, helps her to spend time with Michael. Unbeknownst to Liz, but obvious to the readers, Wes clearly likes Liz and it is only a matter of time before she realizes that she likes Wes as well, not Michael. Of course, by the end of the novel, despite an awkward prom night, Wes and Liz confess their like for one another and all ends well with them going to UCLA in the fall together.
The plot is predictable, the characters somewhat cliche, and the only thing that makes Liz mildly interesting as a character is that her mother died when she was in elementary school and while she wants to a dream prom night full of romance like the movies she watched with her mother while she was alive, she is struggling to manage the finality of senior year without her mother. I tried several times to put my perspective in what a teenager would think of this story, and I think that is one of the only reasons the book gets such high reviews. The storyline is obvious from the beginning. What probably is keeping the teen readers moving through is the salacious sexual innuendos and references as well as the profound use of profanity throughout. It probably feels rebellious to read this book.
The narrative is told in first person through Liz, Elizabeth’s, point of view and the writing style is very reminiscent of what one might experience in a typical rom com movie, and there are plenty of references to those throughout. In fact, each chapter begins with a quote from popular rom coms such as Bridget Jones's Diary (R-rated movie), Notting Hill, Sweet Home Alabama, When Harry Met Sally (R-rated movie), Pretty Woman (R-rated movie), 10 Things I Hate About You, 500 Days of Summer, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The Wedding Date, 27 Dresses, The Sandlot, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Love Actually (R-rated movie), and He’s Just not that into You.
Liz, the main character, watched Bridget Jones’s Diary for the first time in 1st grade. This movie is referenced many times throughout the book. It is these movies, the same referenced in the opening of chapters that influence Liz’s idea of what romance and relationships are. “Which, in hindsight, is probably why I’ve been waiting for the perfect romance since I was old enough to spell the word ‘love’” (2). Wes and her friend Joss to an extent are the only ones willing to call Liz out on her delusions. However, I fear that readers would not grab hold of that warning and would instead think that romantic relationships should be the way often dreamed of and discussed in the book through Liz’s fantasies. Young readers are very impressionable, and I would not underestimate the influence books and movies like this can have on young female readers.
Profanity: there is so much that I am pretty sure I missed a few - so take this with caution.
The F-Word is used with different suffixes four times in the book - on page 6, 211 (WTF), 271, 290 (used twice), and 302.
Shit appears several times and not just singularly. Sometimes characters say it successively - pages 11, 16, 42, 75, 84, 93, 103, 106, 111, 114, 125, 134, 140, 146, 150, 159, 162, 170, 175, 179, 190, 193, 212, 217, 218, 221, 233, 234, 237, 240, 249, 255, 257, 262, 279, 283, 287, 291, 303, 333, 335, 337, and 347.
Characters say phrases like “O God” or “Oh. My. God.” at times throughout starting on page 14, 25, 70, and 113.
The word pissed, pissing, pisses is used throughout - page 18, 59, 94, 144, 174, and 334.
Dammit is used several times - page 19, 69, 73 (damn), 162 (damn), 297, and 318
Use of the word ass in various compound forms appears - page 25, 34, 54, 78, 80, 102, 115, 136, 137, 144, 149, 185, 191, 213, 268, 319, 328, and 343.
Crap appears a few times - page 110, 298, and 327.
Bitch is used on page 177 and the mentions of a shirt that says “Boss Bitch” on page 199,
Dick is used on page 178.
Sexual innuendos or references:
Liz’s cat is named “Mr. Fitzpervert.” He is first introduced on page 3 and is mentioned throughout the story. She refers to the cat as a dick on page 49.
A comment about porn is made on page 7, “Don’t say ‘your movies’ like I’m addicted to porn or something.”
There are a lot of references to kissing, being kissed, dreams of kisses, etc.
On page 260-261 there is a steamy scene in which Liz and Wes are making out in the car. Liz mentions wanting to “wrap [her] legs around his waist, climb all over him, and explore everything that had ever been done with two bodies. And I was still (sort of) a virgin” (261). They were interrupted by Wes’s father who came to give them a ride home.
Reference to having sex/ sleeping with someone/ “bang it out” - page 23, 37, 101 (a reference to “boot-knocking music”), 164 (make love), and 195 (‘hit it’).
Reference to being sexy or something that is sexy - page 24, 263, and 317.
A reference is made in a challenge to cartwheeling naked - page 29.
A reference to being a perv or a creeper happens at times - page 34, 155, and 160.
Reference to being a “classic player-type jock” appears on page 36.
On page 112 there is a conversation about rose petals on a bed and characters laughing about what it would be like to have “petals sticking to their parts.”
On page 126, Liz is reading a book on her phone, “I kept scrolling, but the words were different now, [...] as the main characters started having a mildly sexual conversation. I turned off my phone when they went into a bedroom together.” Wes is reading over her shoulder which is partly why she stops reading.
On page 142, Wes gives Liz his shirt for her bloody nose. Another character tells him to shirt up so he doesn’t “look like a perv in just jeans, like an underage stripper.”
A reference to looking through windows for a “peep show” appears on page 154.
Mentions of the movie The Hangover and American Pie are made on page 156.
Liz’s stepmother makes a comment to her about how attractive Wes is and then responds “please scratch that from the record. I sound like one of those teachers who sends pictures of her bits to her students” (203).
Liz makes a comment about how she “felt like I’d been busted looking at dirty pictures” (208).
Sexual comment made about stroking on page 232.
“Holy balls” is used on page 333.
Reference to “potential seduction” on page 334.
Liz is thinking that Wes and Alex are probably together having “perfect sex” on page 336.
Liz is also obsessed with listening to the soundtracks that go with the romantic movies she loves, in addition to other popular music. She not only listens to these soundtracks but creates and curates them for the relationships and moments in her life - attaching a song to them. Music is a powerful influence, and readers will see its influence on Liz - positive and negative.
Early in the book there is a scene where Liz’s friends sneak into her room to talk and visit for a few minutes before leaving. During this time they mention how one of the girls’ parents is “wicked strict” (41). There is also a reference to someone’s mom being “super religious” (63).
Liz attends a keg party and is thrown up on in chapter 3. On page 346 there is a reference to Liz receiving a jacket made of alpaca hair “because she’d read that ghosts inherently know that the wearer of that material is not a threat.” Liz wears it when she goes to the cemetery to visit her mother’s grave. The stepmother does want Liz “getting possessed by the devil or one of his lackeys.”
Quotes that summarize the novel:
“So you think that two enemies–in the real world–can magically get over their differences and fall madly in love?” (36).
“I realized that my life for the past few days had felt different. I was suddenly living this stereotype of a high school life. I’d gone to a booze party, and the following night I’d loaded into a car with a bunch of people to watch a high school sports game. [...] And it was fun. All of it” (158).
“Besides, what’s more fun than a story that starts with a fake relationship?’ (169).
“I felt more relaxed just by admitting it to myself. Because really–why was I forcing it? Michael wasn’t the one–no big, right? And maybe I wasn’t going to find the one. That was okay too, right? Why was I wasting my life trying to live up to the ridiculous expectations that I was setting for myself” (299).
“I fell in love with teasing you in the second grade, when I first discovered that I could turn your cheeks pink with just a word. Then I fell in love with you” (341).
I grew up in a secular environment when I was younger and based on all the movie references, I’m inferring that the author has as well. Unfortunately, I’ve seen most of the movie references in this movie and when I was under 18. However, knowing what I know now and as a mom trying to raise my children with a Biblical worldview, this is not material that they should be consuming at all and certainly not in the tender teenage years when they are super impressionable to ideas and suggestions figuring out who they want to be.
While I do not recommend this novel AT ALL, I definitely think it should not even be available to young adult readers. The main characters are all 18 years old. This is certainly an 18+ for those in the secular world that would like to consume such literature. However, due to book labels and genre, this is recommended ages 12-18. In my opinion, not a novel any reader under 18 should be consuming.
