Love means never having to say you're sorry. Making love is equivalent to being in love. Oh, and it also means really great sex. These are just a few of Hollywood's ideas about love and love-making, but how much truth lies in these beautiful, if not simplistic, messages? We discuss the top movie-made misconceptions about romance with noted love and sexual health experts.

A relationship based on a lie can work out

The premise and happily-ever-after-endings of romantic comedies like 'Someone Like You,' 'Ten Things I Hate About You,' 'Never Been Kissed,' 'She's All That,' 'Twenty-Seven Dresses,' 'Tootsie,' and the list goes on, is that a relationship based on a lie can work out, if you are truly in love. Not so, says AOL Love and Sex Coach Yvonne K. Fulbright, Ph.D., and author of 'Touch Me There!' "Being lied to is one of the biggest betrayals that people have trouble forgiving, especially at the start of a relationship. Most people aren't good at practicing forgiveness and compassion, which are required in starting with a clean slate again.

Sex is always pretty, easy and never messy

Making love on diamonds -- sexy, but painful? James Bond and his many, many lovely leading ladies never seem to have anything less than picture-perfect sex. And Halle Berry as Jinx, is no exception in 'Die Another Day.' "If you've ever had sex, you know this is a myth," says Amy Levine, a certified sexuality educator and founder of Sex Ed Solutions. "No one's body is perfect. Sex isn't seamless -- it can involve starting and stopping, condoms are often left out but are necessary to use to reduce the risk of STDs...positions may change as a couple finds what works for them...the list goes on," says Levine.

One-night stands lead to marriage, family

The storyline has been told in many ways, most recently in 'Knocked Up,' where a night of risky, unprotected sex leads two strangers to consider a long-term relationship of either parenting, marriage or both. "The odds are against any couple that this can actually work out to a happy and healthy relationship and family life," says Levine, because having a baby doesn't mean two people will be compatible.

Being in love=great sex

"People love the idea of an instant connection and sexual compatibility," says Dr. Fulbright. "Situations like those captured in 'Titanic' are few and far between, yet people thrive off of them because they are the seeming pinnacle of love, primarily for the ease involved. In 'Titanic,' long-term consequences aren't an issue," but in real life, how does thinking great sex is the equivalent of love look like six months, or a year later?

You have to change who you are to make a relationship work

Sandy from 'Grease,' is just one of the many females leads who changes or gives up some part of her identity to be in a relationship. "When someone tries to reinvent themselves in a way that's not rooted in their true self in an effort to make a relationship work, it only goes so far," says Levine. "The secret to a healthy and lasting relationship that few films reveal: Be yourself."

Love is waiting for you -- you can stumble upon it anywhere

In 'The Wedding Planner,' Matthew McConaughey appears out of nowhere and saves Jennifer Lopez's character from a near-fatal collision with a runaway dumpster and from a lifetime of waiting for love. "Sitting around waiting doesn't generally work because you aren't out there meeting people," says Rita DeMaria, Ph.D., AOL Love and Sex Coach and director of Relationship Education at the Council for Relationships. "The more people we meet the better the chances we can meet a good love match."

Sex buddies can become long-term lovers

This one of the troubling Hollywood gloss-overs found in movies like 'Pretty Woman.' "When sex is the foundation -- whether it's sex buddies, friends with benefits, a one night stand, or having sex on the first night of meeting someone -- hoping it will turn into something more is a surefire mistake," says Levine. "The main reason why this relationship ended up working was that expectations were set up from the beginning."

There is one Mr. Right

Plot lines of romantic comedies often follow female leads like Bridget Jones in their search for a Mr. Right, which can be a good message, if the moral is "don't settle," says Dr. Fulbright. She adds, however, that "there are a bunch of 'Mr. Rights' for people, as some individuals are going to be more attractive in the package they have to offer than others...This outlook becomes unhealthy if you limit it to the idea of there only being one and have 'perfectionist' standards, as that's unrealistic."

Fate or destiny controls your love life

"Believing in fate is how some people live their lives, and it can work," says Levine, as is the case for Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack in 'Serendipity.' "However," Levine adds, "when free will is taken out of the equation, the passivity can prevent one or both people from going after what they truly want out of a relationship. In this scenario, fate can be classified as settling."

Opposites attract

Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock play two characters who couldn't be more unalike in 'Two Weeks Notice,' yet they achieve their happily-ever-after. "Research has found that while opposites attract, they don't stay together in most cases," says Dr. Fulbright. "The more alike partners are, the better their chances, primarily because there's less conflict."

After sex, all you want to do is cuddle

One thing common to many movies -- even ones with rugged, cowboy lovers like in 'Brokeback Mountain,' is right after a sex scene, all the couples want to do is cuddle and bask in a post-coital glow and there's rarely a need to clean up, shower or remove any condoms. This cinematic glamorization of sex can make some people feel "dirty" for needing to clean up any mess, says Dr. Fulbright. "Some couples cuddle to maintain intimacy, but it's as natural to cuddle as it is to hop out of bed, get something to eat, get ready for work, or do something else," adds Levine.

You can fall in love at first sight (and have a meaningful relationship, too)

In 'Sleepless in Seattle,' Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks meet and sparks fly, but that may not necessarily be the case in real life. "There's no scientific proof -- it's a feeling that's felt within," says Levine. "In the case of 'Sleepless in Seattle,' they had reached a deeper level of intimacy through communication before they actually met." "Falling in love is a process -- which can happen quickly," says Dr. DeMaria, adding "[And it] is the first step for many romantic relationships. Whether these romantic relationship will flourish is another matter."

Love means never having to say you're sorry

This famous line from 'Love Story,' may be true for some, but in the long run, shouldn't be taken literally. Unconditional love and affection do exist. That said, "Forgiveness is always part of a loving, committed relationship," says Dr. DeMaria. "And apologies are a part of the process as much for the person who has done the hurting as for the one who has been hurt... Taking responsibility for hurting those we love and care about helps us grow and become more mature. Often making amends helps repair and even strengthen a relationship."

Love will overcome socioeconomic differences

In movies like 'Sabrina,' 'Monster-in-Law,' and 'Pretty Woman,' vast socio-economic differences exist between the couples, but because they're in love, whatever money issues arise are resolved. "Money is one of the biggest issues that cause conflict in relationships," and can create a sense of insecurity and lack of self worth in the person who has less money and power, and arrogance and entitlement from the one with more money, adds Levine. But if a couple considers each other as "equals in a partnership, it's a non-issue," according to Levine.

Love is blind

Beauty is able to see past the Beast's looks and fall in love with him, but how practical is that for the rest of us? "Even if it's not PC, looks play a major part in initial attraction, especially for men," says Dr. Fulbright. "One's appearance also helps to keep sexual attraction sustainable. Some people can fall out of love if they no longer feel attracted to their partner, though this may morph from an 'in love' state to more 'love' state."

When you're in love, there's no such thing as sexual boredom

Movies like 'Meet the Fockers' often depict couples like Barbara Streisand and Dustin Hoffman (as Rosalind and Bernie Focker) -- a couple of 20 plus years -- as two lovebirds who just can't get enough of each other. But the scene Hollywood often doesn't depict is that of midlife sexual boredom. "Often times loving relationships encounter a sexual rut," says Levine. This normally occurs when a couple develops into a mundane sexual routine, says Levine. "The trick in these situations is to do something new and to experiment sexually with things that you once liked or have wanted to try."

He'll do all the romancing

Male leads in movies like 'Princess Bride,' 'Say Anything' and 'Big Fish' are, for the most part, responsible for the initiation and/or continuation of the romancing in their respective relationships. "Generally men are the pursuers in the beginning because they have a higher level of the sexual desire hormone, testosterone," says Dr. DeMaria. "But that isn't always the case." As long as the chemistry is there, either gender can make the first move, says Dr. DeMaria. Also, some men may be shy or may have been hurt in the past, so taking a more proactive role may be necessary for women.