It Only Happens in the Movies

If Audrey has to watch one more romance with her mom, she will scream. She doesn’t know how her mom does it – she’s been divorced for a while and her ex just asked to sell the house so he can pay for his new family! Audrey’s own boyfriend dumped her just a week after a botched moment of intimacy, forcing her to forsake drama club so she could completely avoid him. When her media teacher asks students to complete a research project, she knows that she will attack the absurd notions in romance movies. Working at the movie theater might help avoid her mom and do research if she can guard her heart against Harry, who needs her acting expertise in his zombie movie. However, avoiding heartache may be more difficult than killing zombies.

While Audrey may be young to be so cynical, her life’s experiences lead to great insight about the movie trope, opening many paragraphs with her insight, sometimes hilarious, sometimes depressing. The progression of her self-confidence and her love life builds to a strong conclusion, ironically following a movie plot but with a pleasant surprise ending. It’s realistic, honest, and sincere, and the girl power is subtle but brilliant.