As I get older, I see myself more in the plot (minus the whole teenage pregnancy)
The other night, I found myself scrolling through YouTube in search of a distraction from my assignments. I stumbled upon the film “Love, Rosie,” a rom-com drama released in 2014 based on the novel “Where Rainbows End” by Cecelia Ahern. I saw I could watch it for free, so I instantly dove into the movie that my 14-year-old self had loved when it was released. While I remembered the plot well, as I had watched the movie and read the book before, rewatching it ten years later made me realize how much I can now relate to certain aspects of the story.
If you haven’t seen the movie or read the book, here is the 411: Set in the early 2000s, it centers around main characters and best friends, Rosie and Alex, who harbor unspoken romantic feelings for one another and how their lives and relationships intertwine and fall apart over the years. For years, they are separated by distance, with Rosie staying in Ireland after falling pregnant and Alex moving to Boston to pursue his dreams of being a doctor. Despite the Atlantic Ocean being between them and love interests coming and going, their strong feelings for one another rarely falter. I’ll be frank, the movie has a lot of differences and plot holes. The book is set in my home country of Ireland, whereas the film has many scenes in Dublin, but the characters’ accents don’t match. Lily Collins, Sam Claflin and Suki Waterhouse, who all star in the movie, use their English accents throughout. The book also follows Alex and Rosie until they are in their fifties, while the movie ends when they’re in their thirties. Nonetheless, if I put those inconsistencies behind me, I still enjoy the plot, flaws and all.
When I first watched “Love, Rosie” as a young teenage girl, I was so excited to see a movie filmed in Ireland. At the time, it was not often the country was represented in the film world. Through the scenes filmed at Dublin Airport, where I have traveled through so often, to the streets of Dublin city center that I have wandered on and most importantly, the brown house by the sea Rosie converts into a hotel at the end of the movie, which is in my hometown, I had never related to something on screen more. Ireland has seen more representation since. “Normal People” is the big one. It was impactful on many people who grew up in Ireland during their late teens to early twenties as they could find a piece of themselves in that series.
Watching “Love, Rosie” ten years on was vastly different, but in the best way possible. I’m sure it will be the same if I give it a re-watch in another ten years when I’ll be the same age as the characters at the end. That push and pull of deciding whether to stay in Ireland or move to the U.S. or elsewhere is something myself and many people I grew up with have felt. Some stay, some go. Especially now as many have graduated college, started a career and maybe have someone they love by their side to do it all with. Ireland has a long history of emigration. I always knew I would be a part of that someday like I am now by going to college in the U.S.
Many people ask me what’s next when I finish my master’s degree in the fall. Will I stay in the U.S. or will I return home? Truth be told, I don’t really know. If I’ve learnt anything from the last few years and from watching “Love, Rosie” and “Normal People,” it’s that things can change pretty quickly and that plans fall apart. Growing up in Ireland was great and now that I’m away from it, I appreciate it more. Yet, there’s that nagging part of me and many other young people who want to get out in the world and see what it has to offer. In “Love, Rosie,” Alex does this by moving to Boston. It’s daunting, but once settled, it can be so rewarding.
Distance is hard for all kinds of relationships. “Love, Rosie” sees a friendship/potential relationship fall apart as two characters take completely different paths. While Alex’s career is going great, he struggles with missing home and the possibility of what could have been with Rosie. However, this is many young people’s reality. Sometimes I get sad when I think about how those I grew up with will never all live in the same place. While we’re not communicating via letters like Alex and Rosie were, communication often breaks down and leaves you with plenty of what-ifs.
Like Alex and Rosie, I will say plenty more goodbyes at Dublin Airport. Tears will be shed, hugs will be tight and voices will tremble with emotion before we wave goodbye as we walk through the security gate like Alex did when leaving Rosie all those times. As difficult as it is, it’s all a part of growing up and doing what we think is best. And that is why I now relate to “Love, Rosie.” Seeing those you love leave is hard, but sometimes necessary. Things change, but that is okay.