Lights, Camera, Action: If My Life Were a Movie

Why My Life Feels Like a Movie (Sometimes)

You know that moment when you’re standing in line for overpriced coffee, entirely lost in your thoughts, and you accidentally meet eyes with a Hallmark-movie-level attractive stranger? That’s the kind of montage-worthy stuff I’m talking about. For better or worse, I've often seen my life through the lens of a rom-com mixed with a dash of Jewish family dramedy. Blame it on growing up in LA, surrounded by literal movie magic and parents whose dinner-table conversation often involved casting rumors and box-office stats.

But if my life really were a movie—and let’s be honest, it would absolutely win “Most Sarcastic Script”—who would star in it? And are we going indie darling or blockbuster? Let’s start rolling.

The Main Character: Me, Villain of My Own Rom-Com

Let’s get the obvious casting out of the way first. My character needs someone who can embody the perfect mix of “I have my life together, I swear" confidence and “Wait, why is there oat milk in the dishwasher?” chaos. I’m thinking Alana Haim. She’s sarcastic and whip-smart, with just enough quirkiness to make her relatable. Plus, the “Licorice Pizza” of it all completely nails the Valley Girl-meets-City Girl vibe of growing up in Beverly Hills but making jokes about how flat our 405 traffic-packed skyline is.

The energy I’d want for my younger self? A mash-up of a wide-eyed Saoirse Ronan in “Lady Bird,” spinning around Mulholland Drive as if the world doesn’t extend past Laurel Canyon, and Maya Hawke’s just-left-of-center charm. My life, like most romantic comedies, started small: over-analyzing middle school crushes at Shabbat dinner, being overly dramatic about prom, and trying to fold heartbreak into bad poetry that mysteriously disappeared (thank you, Mom, for “misplacing” those notebooks).

The Supporting Cast: Family Cameos Required

Let’s talk about my parents. These aren’t just any parents—they’re producers. Big personalities. Think banter akin to “When Harry Met Sally” but with the kind of insider stories about Hollywood that require NDAs. My mom? She’s Rita Wilson-level warm with just enough Angela Bassett ferocity to keep you in line. My dad? A Jeff Goldblum type. The man’s an encyclopedia of trivia, charm, and dad jokes so dry they practically pair with a Sauvignon Blanc.

Every rom-com needs the wise yet exasperated best friend, too—and that’s my sister. She’s the Judd Apatow-comedy relief in my script, occasionally shaking her head and saying, “You’re overthinking it” whenever I recount an awkward date in neurotic detail. (Spoiler: I was always overthinking it.) My sister would be played by someone hilariously real—Beanie Feldstein, probably. Someone who calls out my BS but is also the first person I text when something exciting happens.

The Men: Every Rom-Com Needs a Montage

Now, let’s get to the real meat of the movie: the complicated love interests. Because what’s a cinematic life without romance?

If my past lineup were heading to a casting agency, we’d have the following archetypes:

  • The High School Crush: Think Timothée Chalamet (but more "awkward boy from AP Bio” than edgy Cannes type). He was sweet, funny, and completely out of reach because we both secretly knew we were too shy to ever actually talk to each other.
  • The College Boyfriend: Enter Logan Lerman—steady, wholesome, and slightly out-of-sync with himself, like he’s still waiting for the right director to tell him his motivation. It was all very “sweet love story until you realize you want totally different things after graduation.”
  • The Too-Charming-to-Be-Legal Charmer: Harry Styles. Need I say more? We all go through this phase—a world of perfectly planned rooftop cocktails until you realize he couldn’t plan an emotionally supportive text if it came with IKEA instructions.

And then, of course, there are the unnamed extras: The guy who ghosted me after nine perfect hedge-maze dates at The Getty. The guy who overshared about his cryptocurrency portfolio before appetizers arrived. You know the type.

My Favorite Scene: The Meet-Cute That Wasn’t

Every good rom-com has the one moment where everything should click—but doesn’t. Mine? Picture this: I’m in New York City (summer internship, wide-eyed with tote bag energy). I’m returning from a cross-town meeting, trying to hail a cab. Cue City Traffic Guy, who leans out of his car window and jokingly says, “You’ve got main-character energy.”

For about a week, I convinced myself this was fate. He was attractive! He liked classic films! He used semi-ironized Varsity jacket humor! But, in true millennial fashion, he turned out to be married (helpful wife in Instagram tags confirmed it). So, instead of romance, I simply learned how to navigate public transport. Growth moment.

The Music: Cue the Perfect Soundtrack

A movie about my life would lean heavily on nostalgic nods to LA’s soundscape. Think Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” mixed with the Cranberries’ “Dreams” (yes, because of the “You’ve Got Mail” montage). Sprinkle in some Regina Spektor for the daydreamy moments in my 20s, and we’d close on Lizzo’s “Juice” because, unlike most rom-coms, I like to think the happy ending here isn’t about anyone else but me.

The Takeaway: Roll Credits, Then Real Life

The biggest lesson I’ve learned from seeing my life as a movie is that the best rom-coms let their characters grow first before they toss in the romantic payoff. I’m not perfect; my laundry pile always wins, and my eyeliner never matches wings. But I’ve embraced these flaws as part of my charm.

Seeing your life through the movie lens means recognizing the arcs. The highs, the lows, the chapters in between. Who’s playing you? Your crushes? Your quirky family? And at the end of the day, if the script still feels in progress, that just means your story’s not over yet.

So, write it how you want it—awkward flirting, dramatic heartbreaks, oat-milk disasters, and all. And hey, if you ever need a sidekick for your movie moments, I know just the girl.