‘The Reality of Love’: When a Happy End Goes Array
Skipping over movies is something I do – often. Probably because I have this knack for seeing a title card and knowing which ones are either so not my kind of movie or recognizing a kind of low-budget type of film. The Reality of Love is the latter, but it’s also something that most of us will be able to shut off our brain and just enjoy.
The Reality of Love (2004) ABC Family Review
‘The Reality of Love’: When a Happy End Goes Array. A review of the 2014 film also known as I Want to Marry Ryan Banks. #AmazonPrime #WhattoWatch #BradlyCooper Share on XSome ten years ago, Ryan Banks was a nobody. Together with his best friend, Ryan (Jason Priestly) arrives in LA with nothing but an old car, and a few bags. But with hard work, Ryan becomes the biggest box office draw ever, all while Todd (Bradley Cooper) finds a career as his agent. Now following a disastrous dating life, Ryan’s star is falling. But Todd isn’t ready to give up just yet, and so, they pitch a new reality show in which the end game is finding the right girl to marry Ryan Banks.
A nationwide search leads to over a dozen candidates including Charlie (Emma Caulfield), a woman who doesn’t know she’s about to make headlines as the favorite girlfriend of Ryan Banks.
Originally airing on the ABC Family channel (now re-branded as Freeform), this rom-com is really quite sweet; even with its Bachelor vibes. The story is silly in places, but it’s also got a sweet, simple charm. It’s just one of those good “infectious” plots that’s really quite cute and fun. reality of love
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Some may recognize this film by its original title which is I Want to Marry Ryan Banks. Both fit, but this re-brand is more concise, plus rom-com cute. What’s even more fun is seeing Bradly Cooper in this before he’s the Bradly Copper we know from blockbuster films. He plays a good easy to like guy; and also having recently begun to watch Private Eyes, it’s also nice to have the chance to see Priestly in something else. The entire cast is really pretty good, which also includes a Hallmark star (Erin Karpluk) and Lauren Lee Smith (The Frankie Drake Mysteries).
When you’re scrolling through the streaming options and want something mindless, Reality of Love is a good bet. It’s got cute (albeit unrealistic) romantics and some funny moments, plus the end is just sweet, so there’s that too.
Content: there’s some minor innuendo and suggestive humor, nothing terrible. The film is PG-13.
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My dear brother, who had cable when I didn’t, recorded this on VHS for me when it originally aired–along with other gems like “This Time Around,” “Lucky 7,” and “See Jane Date.” Man, I loved those ABC Family movies :-) I still call this one “I Want To Marry Ryan Banks,” even though I have it on DVD with the updated title.