ROMANTIC comedies have long been revered as sparkling tributes to the perfect relationship as they encourage every woman to continue the search for her very own Mr Darcy.

Although most women know they have the ability to board a plane without the love of their life tearing through the airport to declare his undying love, it seems the modern female population are having trouble distinguishing the difference between reality and fantasy.

Relationship experts at Heriot Watt University in Scotland have performed a study linking unrealistic relationship expectations to modern day rom-coms and essentially blaming the Nora Ephron’s of the world for the decline of the nuclear family.

Senior psychologist from Tweed’s Alchemy Psychology Services John Kotroni performs marriage and relationship counselling and agrees wholeheartedly with this statement.

“Research shows that couples who fight stay together longer than couples who don’t fight, relationships are not easy and they take a lot of work,” Mr Kotroni said.

“Romantic comedies portray an ideal situation, its Prince Charming syndrome and it comes from not only movies but novels and fairytales.”

Mr Kotroni points out that while men complain about sitting through the latest boy meets girl blockbuster, they too are seriously affected by the films.

“It’s a romanticised viewpoint that both women and men are involved in, men are under pressure too because these movies make them think they are instantly meant to know when they meet the right person,” Mr Kotroni points out.

“I don’t think women should stop watching these movies for entertainment but they need to be aware that they are not reality.”

Romantic comedies showing this Mother’s Day

I Love You Too

When in Rome

Letters to Juliet

Classic Romantic Comedy Movies

How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days

Pretty Woman

27 Dresses

Never Been Kissed

Bridgets Jones's Diary

Love Actually

You’ve Got Mail

The Proposal

Runaway Bride

When Harry Met Sally