Granted, this character was probably supposed to be a little annoying, as her narrative purpose was to have Peter Parker questioning his love for Mary Jane Watson. Still, it was up to the writers to ensure that Gwen Stacy was somebody we could noticeably understand Peter Parker being tempted by... aside from sort of screwing around with any established Gwen Stacy character traits, the writers opted to make her into something of an air-headed flirt. She was attractive, sure, but there's no denying that she left something of a sour taste in the mouth. Bryce Dallas Howard, who is still perhaps best know for this role, seems kind of lost as to what reactions she's supposed to convey - almost as if a part of her brain has been removed. There's nothing memorable about this version of Gwen Stacy as a result - she's just there to be decorative. Her flirtatious scenes with Peter are a little on the cringeworthy side, and she has about as much personality as an empty plant pot. It's not entirely fair to blame Howard, of course; her part was written as such. Still, compared to Emma Stone... what a bore, hm?
