Saturday, February 14, 2009

Solo Movie Going on Valentine’s Day

Today I went to the movie He’s Just Not That Into You…alone. I am not the most courageous person in the world, but I think it takes a brave soul to sit in a movie theatre on Valentine’s Day, alone, watching a romantic comedy. Had I gone to see something like The Pink Panther it would not have seemed like such a brave thing.

I have been single going on 11 years now. As a single gal there have been many activities that I’ve passed on as going solo is not nearly as fun and trying to find a date these days is not as easy as one would like, but that is a topic for another day. Going to movies is one of these activities, as is eating in restaurants that don’t have Happy Meals on the menu. I do have some wonderful girlfriends but with kids, work, and life it is not always easy to get together for a girls night out. And while my son is 14 and fun to spend time with he isn’t always with me.

He’s Just Not That Into You is my third solo movie going experience. This does not make me an expert but here are some tips for anyone single, married, or otherwise who isn’t afraid of buying a ticket for one and walking alone into a theatre filled with couples.

1 – Get to the theatre early but not too early. This may seem obvious but walking in alone after the previews have started is slightly uncomfortable. If you are alone while others are still coming in, they may assume you are waiting for the rest of your party. Walking in alone after everyone else has been seated and enjoyed half their popcorn makes it pretty obvious that you ARE the party.

2 – See the matinee. There may be fewer people in the theatre but it just seems more acceptable to see a matinee alone rather than an evening showing. Don’t ask me why – it just is.

3 – Do not be a solo movie-goer on a Sunday afternoon. This may not seem important in other areas of the world outside of Utah County but you may find yourself watching the movie completely alone. Example: One Sunday afternoon while living in Orem, I decided to see the movie You’ve Got Mail. I arrived at the theatre early and so did not find it unusual that there was no one else in the theatre. Then the previews started… I had the theatre to myself for the entire movie. I have to say it felt a little strange and not in a good way.

4 – Don’t be embarrassed.

5 – Don’t be afraid to laugh or cry during the show just because there is no one in the seat next to you laughing and crying at the same time.

6 – Have a good time. Movies are a great escape and you shouldn’t feel as though you can’t escape without someone holding your hand.

That being said, there are some perks to being a solo movie-goer:

1 -You miss having the whole “what movie do you want to see?” discussion. If you are having this discussion, then seeing a movie alone is the least of your worries at this point.

2 – You can get whatever incredibly fattening, buttery, chocolaty treats you would like without worrying what your date or “no-carb” dieting friend might think. Eat up!

The downside to solo movie-going is there is no one to talk to about the highlights and lowlights of the movie afterwards. Or share those random movie lines that you and your friends find completely hilarious but said around someone else would get you the “you should be committed look.” Where Maiken would get it if I randomly asked “Did I ever tell you that I’ve been struck by lightning seven times?” from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and if I were to use a tampon as a microphone to sing ABBA songs, Andrea would understand the Mamma Mia reference, my mom or sisters might wonder how much I have had to drink.

All in all, my solo movie-going adventure today was fun. I enjoyed the movie a lot more than I thought I would (a topic for another day) and when I turned my phone back on after the show I saw that someone I kind of like sent me a Happy Valentine’s day text. It is not as romantic or "aww" inspiring as flowers or dinner, but considering we aren’t actually dating, it has me thinking that maybe this one might just be “into me”.

Hope everyone had a great day whether celebrating Valentine’s Day, Single’s Awareness Day, Hallmark Appreciation Day, Saturday the 14th, or just another Saturday.

2 comments:

Cynthia said...

I think it's a brave thing to do too. Kudos to you for just being who you are and not letting the initial discomfort stop you from doing exactly as you please.

I am married and we never go to movies. If I want to see a romantic comedy, I'd have to go with my Sisters or Girlfriends. I saw Mama Mia with Mom and the sisters and when I told Greg that was the movie we were going to, he acted like he'd just escaped a date with the executioner. So, yes. The upside is definitely getting to see whatever movie you want without having to accomodate someone else.

thehoneyman said...

I love going to the movies alone. I actually prefer to go to the movies alone. It is my quiet time to escape from everything, and I don't have to worry if everyone else I went to the movies with is having a good time. My one rule for going alone is that I like to sit in the back of the theater, not the very back because we all know what happens back there and it is just gross. But if you sit in the almost very back nobody can look at you sitting alone during the movie.