Why I Don’t Like Finding You

Last week, I watched a movie called Finding You, which is based on a fiction book called There You’ll Find Me by Jenny Jones. While I appreciate that Finding You didn’t have any sex scenes, I was disappointed by how unrealistic the plot was. The happy ending for the main character—Finley Sinclair—was super unrealistic. After all, what average American student actually studies abroad in Ireland, meets a handsome single actor who’s smitten with her, and earns a spot in the Manhattan Conservatory of Music? None that I know of.

If I Was Finley Sinclair

If I was Finley Sinclair…

• I never would’ve spent a semester abroad in Ireland if I’d failed my prestigious violin audition. I would’ve stewed in my disappointment instead.
• I never would’ve ended up sitting next to an attractive actor named Beckett on my flight to Ireland. I would’ve sat next to my single friends in a booth at Panera Bread instead.
• I never would’ve ended up staying in the same bed and breakfast as Beckett. I would’ve stayed in my bedroom as I over-practiced the violin instead.
• I never would’ve captured the heart and soul of Beckett. I would’ve captured the hearts and souls of zero guys instead.
• I never would’ve ended up taking violin lessons from a talented fiddler named Seamus. I would’ve taken violin lessons from a very cheesy YouTube channel called Violin Tipz.
• I never would’ve earned a spot in the Manhattan Conservatory of Music after my second violin audition. I would’ve failed to earn a spot in the Manhattan Conservatory of Music after my second violin audition instead…and stewed in my disappointment again.

Almost everything about Finley’s life seemed to perfectly fall into place. She got to travel to Ireland, date a popular actor, make new friends, and join a prestigious music program. She ended up getting everything that she wanted.

But No One in the Real World Is Finley Sinclair

Though movies like Finding You sometimes have positive messages, they can also have negative effects on viewers. You may begin to question why you can’t study abroad in Ireland, why a handsome actor—or a handsome anybody—hasn’t fallen in love with you, or why your musical skills aren’t as praised as Finley’s. The positive messages of Finding You are quickly swallowed up by the potential that it has to negatively impact viewers.

In the real world, traveling to another country is often expensive and dangerous. Falling in love is pretty shallow and overrated. Getting into a prestigious music school is quite impractical and unusual.

We have to notice the difference between what Hollywood tells us life should look like and what life actually looks like.

The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. (Proverbs 17:24 ESV)

Don’t expect your life to look like Finley’s because her life is completely fictitious. Hollywood knows how to raise your expectations, melt your heart, and cloud your vision. So follow Solomon’s advice by setting your face toward wisdom instead of the ends of the earth.