1. Patrick Verona (10 Things I Hate About You)
And the number one film character that I wish my boyfriend was secretly like (if I had one) is... Patrick Verona! Yup, Patrick Verona. Because as many of you would know, 10 Things I Hate About You is based on Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew. For Patrick to be so sweet and charming is a huge credit to the film's writers, (Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith), as the character he's adapted from, Petruchio, is
a misogynist nightmare. I know, I know, the debate rages on as to whether Petruchio is actually a dyed-in-the-wool misogynist or he's simply Shakespeare's parody of a misogynist, but as it stands, Petruchio is a bit of a dick. Patrick is not. Patrick is the opposite of a dick. He's man enough to realise the error of his ways, (initially dating Kat for money), because he can see the beauty in her that others can't, or won't. He admires her independent spirit, is drawn to her artistic side, tolerates her obsession with The Raincoats, and takes care of her when she gets drunk at a party. Other men may have sneered at Kat and decried her a lush, but not Patrick - he decided to take her to dry out in a playground, like a gentlemen. He looks totally hot in a tight tee, plays pool at bikie bars, is the inspiration for Ms. Perky's porno stories and of course, there's
that scene, which makes myself and every other woman I know squeal like hyped up Pomeranians. Kat is on the lacrosse field, clad in a uniform that involves having to wear a canary yellow shirt and knee high socks. She's sweaty, red-faced, and her hair is a mess. And then there's Patrick, holding aloft a megaphone, the bribed school band's music booming throughout the stadium. As he sings 'I Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You', he looks at the astonished Kat as if she's Queen Scheherazade herself, not giving a damn about her rumpled appearance. Mmm. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to swoon in the style of a fancy Victorian lady.