Romantic Comedieswill usually follow a simple premise and feature believable characters who slowly form a romantic connection.A common trope in rom-comssees the main protagonists despising one another at first before they eventually give in to their desires in the hope of obtaining love.
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Though the structure of a rom-com suggests that there is little to fear, there are certain characters who scoff at the idea. These characters will often take many forms, with some painted as villains and others as noble side characters. No matter their role, these characters will usually be portrayed as frightening through either their design or simply their personality.
10Sandy Lyle - Along Came Polly
John Hamburg’sAlong Came Pollytells the story of an unfortunate risk assessor and his struggles to find love. Reuben Feffer thought his life was finally complete when he married Lisa Kramer, that is until she had an affair on their honeymoon.
Sandy Lyle, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, is Reuben’s closest friend. Though the two display strikingly different personalities, they share a firm connection and always look out for each other. Though he means his best, Sandy is prone to causing trouble and makes a point to stand out from the crowd even if it means hurting someone’s feelings.
9Pat Solitano - Silver Linings Playbook
David O. Russell’sSilver Linings Playbookdocuments the life of Pat Solitano who has recently been released from a mental health facility to see if he can return to society. His sole goal in the story is to repair his relationship with his wife, but this begins to change when he forms a bond with Tiffany Maxwell,played by Jennifer Lawrence.
Pat is a nice person deep down, but he finds it difficult to keep his anger in check. It was because of his love for physical violence that his wife left him, so it is difficult to view him as a noble protagonist. Though the movie tries to humanize him, it’s hard to look past his violent tendencies.
8Ula - 50 First Dates
Peter Segal’s50 First Datesdocuments the story of Henry Roth, a marine vet whose quest for love leads him to do some truly ridiculous things. One day, Henry meets a woman named Lucy Whitmore in the Hukilau Café, and the two form an instant connection. The next day, however, Lucy acts like a complete stranger.
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For a long time, it was rare to seean Adam Sandler movie without Rob Schneider, and50 First Datesis one of the best examples of this. Rob plays the character of Ula, Henry’s closest friend. He is unpredictable, unmotivated, and completely unhinged. He’s not a bad person, but he’s certainly a frightening one.
7Francis Munch - Mr. Right
Paco Cabezas’sMr. Rightfollows Martha McKay, a young woman played by Anna Kendrick whose search for love lands her in some questionable company. One day, she meets a strange man named Francis Munch who seems perfect at first but is quickly revealed to have a dark past.
Francis Munch,played by Sam Rockwell, is an ex-CIA agent on the run from his former employers. He eventually informs Martha of his predicament and instead of distancing himself from her, he welcomes her into the dangerous world he lives in. He is a cold-blooded killer, but Martha doesn’t mind.
6Roy Schlieffen - Palm Springs
Max Barbakow’sPalm Springsfollows the story ofNyles and Sarah, two unlikely strangers who find themselves experiencing the same day over and over. Nyles has accepted this fate and has given up on trying to escape it, but Sarah refuses to remain in this purgatory.
As if things weren’t bad enough, Nyles is being hunted by Roy Schlieffen, a man who is also trapped in the loop. Roy despises Nyles for getting him into this situation and will sometimes hunt and kill him in an attempt to enact his revenge. Each attempt, of course, fails, but his presence alone is enough to leave viewers unsettled.
5Daniel Cleaver - Bridget Jones’s Diary
Sharon Maguire’sBridget Jones’s Diarydocuments the life of a single woman in search of a purpose. Bridget Jones’s life has become somewhat mundane, so she decides to start writing a diary in the hope of remedying it.
She gets more than she bargained for, however, whenMark Darcy and Daniel Cleaverstep into her life and both begin battling for her affection. Darcy is clearly the safest bet in terms of a romantic partner, but this doesn’t stop Bridget from pursuing the unfaithful and violent Cleaver from time to time.
4Regina George - Mean Girls
Mark Waters’sMean Girlsfollows the story of Cady, a homeschooled sixteen-year-old who starts attending public school after moving back to the United States. She makes some interesting friends while attending North Shore High School, but not all of them have her best interest at heart.
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Cady is warned by Janis and Damian to avoid the “Plastics,” a group of bullies led by Regina George. Her introduction to the story depicts her as abrasive and cold, but only upon learning of Cady’s intentions are her more evil characteristics revealed.
3Aldous Snow - Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Nicholas Stoller’sForgetting Sarah Marshalldocuments the tale of a heartbroken man in search of new love. Peter Bretter has just been broken up with by his girlfriend of five years, Sarah Marshall, and has decided to take a trip to Hawaii to get his mind off it.
His idea of a relaxing holiday is quickly subsided, however, when he learns that Sarah and her new boyfriend, Aldous Snow, are both staying at the same resort. On the surface, Aldous appears to be nothing more than a disillusioned rockstar, but certain happenings will more than likely leave the audience feeling quite uncomfortable while he is onscreen.
2Miranda Priestly - The Devil Wears Prada
David Frankel’sThe Devil Wears Pradafollows the story of Andy, an aspiring journalist who finds herself employed by Miranda Priestly, one of the most ruthless magazine editors in the business. It is made evident shortly into the movie that Priestly holds great power over those she employs, but things take a turn for the worst when Andy is promoted to assistant.
Though it’s difficult to tell what Priestly is thinking, it is clear she takes great pleasure in commanding her subordinates. No one would ever dream to question her methods due to the power she holds in the industry, making her a truly terrifying presence.
1Barry Egan - Punch-Drunk Love
Paul Thomas Anderson’sPunch-Drunk Lovesees Adam Sandler playing a much more serious role than what fans would normally be used to. Barry Egan is a socially awkward man who tries to get by in life with as few interactions as possible. This is impossible, however, as his seven sisters take great pride in dragging Barry out of his comfort zone whenever the opportunity arises.
Though Barry harbors no ill intent, his sudden outbursts will often leave those around him quite frightened. He has a habit of bottling up his emotions, so it’s understandable when he eventually erupts. That said, it’s difficult to ignore how terrifying he appears when viewed out of context.
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