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

3. Paula - Failure to Launch

Love Actually Creepy
Paramount Pictures

If this was a different kind of film, Paula would be its evil antagonist. She accepts money to pretend to date men just so that they will fall in love with her and decide to move out of their parent's home. Then once they've taken that massive step and are financially and emotionally vulnerable, she breaks up with them. Does she feel bad about this? Not really. Does she ever do anything to ameliorate the damage she constantly leaves in her wake? Nope.

It's only when she falls in love with her latest victim, played by Matthew McConaughey, that she shows any signs of remorse, and that's really only once she's backed into a corner and has no choice but to confess. And she's the hero of the film. Somehow, she's the one that we're supposed to root for.

It's an insult to women, that we could be expected to identify with this sociopathic monster, and it's an insult to everyone's intelligence that someone who looks like McConaughey would put up with such a deceptive, manipulative person after learning the truth about them.

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.