Movies with unlikeable hero(ines) (films, Hollywood, action, adventure)

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Can you think of any movies where the hero(ine) is unlikeable and the villain(ess) is likeable?

[harry chickpea]

Great question. Pee Wee Herman comes to mind... It'll be interesting to see some answers. The whole idea is right at the edge of the Hayes Code and Hollywood self-censorship.

[Nast]

How about Young Guns? Or maybe The Devil's Rejects or The Boondock Saints?

[fleetiebelle]

I don't know if these fit your criteria, but in recent examples I'm thinking Sideways, Young Adult, Greenberg (starring Ben Stiller,) even Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

Great question. Pee Wee Herman comes to mind... It'll be interesting to see some answers. The whole idea is right at the edge of the Hayes Code and Hollywood self-censorship.

When I was a kid I though Pee Wee Herman was awesome. Likeable? Hell, we loved Pee Wee back in the day. All he wanted to do was find his bike--I mean who can't relate to that? And who would've known that the Alamo didn't have a basement--they don't teach that in school.

And I don't remember a likeable villain in Pee Wee's Big Adventure either... Francis? Man, I hated that character.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

Can you think of any movies where the hero(ine) is unlikeable and the villain(ess) is likeable?

This is a little different take--but a lot of people found the Joker more interesting and charismatic then Batman/Bruce Wayne in both the 1989 Batman and the Dark Knight. Not really likeable as in both films they're played as lunatic psychos--but the performances come off as more engaging and fun than the slightly wooden and stiff Batman.

[stan4]

I dunno about the villain being likeable, but I can think of tons of movies where I couldn't stand the protagonist(s).

Ferris Bueller
Say Anything
Pretty much any George Clooney movie.
Matrix
Hangover
Pretty much any Kevin Kostner movie.
American Psycho
Christian Bale as Batman makes me roll my eyes.
Sometimes there is a horror movie and you think, "Damn, I wish the killer/ghost/monster would just nail these people."

[LauraC]

I wanted everyone to die in Spanglish just so they'd all stop whining. I didn't think there was a redeemable character in the movie.

"The House of Sand and Fog" -- I don't think I ever saw a character I hated more than the irresponsible Jennifer Connelly character that, in my opinion, causes bad things to happen to everyone else in the movie. When the movie was over I was really, really angry WITH HER. I haven't read anything about the movie to see if that reaction to that character was intended because I was so mad, I didn't want to hear, see or read any more about it. I suppose if it got that reaction from me, it might be considered to be a good movie. I think it was. But, I was hoping at the end of the movie, an earthquake would destroy the disputed house which would collapse on top of her and killed the irresponsible rhymes with witch. Honestly, I've seen movies about very bad people but I didn't hate them half as much as I hated her character.

How about the movie "Falling Down" with Michael Douglas?

[banjomike]

The thing about movies is, if the character is well written, we all can hate him/her with a passion, but we will want to keep watching.
There Will Be Blood and many others have central characters who are rotten to the core but we cannot tear our eyes away from them. A real good villain doesn't have to get his comeuppance; we will love him anyway, possibly even more if he gets away with his evil doing.

In the real world, we all want good to triumph, but we know it won't always happen. We enjoy the good guy overcoming his troubles, but we also take bittersweet pleasure in seeing the bad guy win out. That's the way humanity has always been.

[skel1977]

Daredevil with ben affleck. Worst movie ever.