10 Insufferable Rom-Com Leads That Don't Deserve Love

8. Nick Marshall - What Women Want

Love Actually Creepy
Paramount Pictures

This is probably one of the most offensive films of the 1990s, and it has next to no redeeming qualities.

It's just a pile of stereotypes and tired humor about how women are soooo complicated and difficult to understand, when in reality if men like Mel Gibson's character (who is, let's face it, pretty much just playing a toned down slightly less racist version of himself) would take a minute to actually listen and use their brain instead of bleating on about how they just don't understand what women want from them, things would all go a lot smoother.

Anyway, Mel Gibson plays a misogynist who is gifted with the ability to hear women's thoughts, which gives him all this new insight and plays out with the sort of comic misunderstandings one would expect from a movie swinging at this low level.

The fact that poor Helen Hunt gets roped into the proceedings and actually becomes this character's love interest is a tragedy. You deserve so much better, Helen. You really do.

Contributor
Contributor

Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.