2 timer Boyfriend was Miscast
The boyfriend was such a dork, skittish, loser, it was so unlikely he would get any woman, let alone 2 hot ones.
The character should have been a good looking businessman who was a snake.
Wrong for many reasons.
Firstly, Paltrow and Triplehorne aren't particularly attractive. They're certainly not ugly, but Paltrow in particularly is what I'd call a very nicely presented plain Jane.
Secondly, the funny nerdy Scottish guy is short, scrawny and certainly in no way conventionally handsome.
If they'd cast some handsome "beefcake" as the cheating boyfriend, many (female) viewers would be saying she should forgive him rather than pursuing things with a clearly sub-alpha man like James. It's a sad fact that they won't admit, but most women would take a cheating, abusive good looking boyfriend over an average (and certainly below average) looking guy who treats them much better. So they'd be secretly pulling for him to get back to the hypothetical hunky version of Gerry - which wouldn't particularly make the film work. The only way to make it work would be to make James (super) handsome and charming rather than quirky and charming. Which would just turn it into another stupid female fantasy film where two hunks fight over the one fairly ordinary girl.
Also, Gerry being a spineless, bumbling idiot was comic relief.
"If they'd cast some handsome "beefcake" as the cheating boyfriend, many (female) viewers would be saying she should forgive him rather than pursuing things with a clearly sub-alpha man like James. It's a sad fact that they won't admit, but most women would take a cheating, abusive good looking boyfriend over an average (and certainly below average) looking guy who treats them much better."
After reading this part, I came to the conclusion that you're, most likely, a sad, little, abandoned guy. Fyi, a lot of successful rom coms have this exact plot - "hunk" (as you call it) is a cheating jerk, so girl hooks up with quirky, funny, (and, sometimes)best friend. And who is the target audience that makes these movies a success? Those women that you see as shallow and pathetic.
And, for the record, I completely agree with the OP, Gerry was miscast, first of all because his acting is terrible in this film.
Agree with MaM. His acting was awful (his "surprised look" was truly dreadful). It seemed like they had written the part for Hugh Grant who could have got away with being charming, but deceitful. Gabriel Byrne in a different way would also have been perfect for the part.
shareYessss, good point! Hugh Grant would've been perfect as Gerry. After all, this part is similar to Daniel, his character in Bridget Jones' Diary.
shareThis part seems like it was written for Hugh!
He can do adorable, but also mumbling idiot, but still maintain that "thing" that might make 2 hot women go after him.
And him being a failed novelist who'd never finish the book - would suit him perfectly, as well as him being indecisive and unable to break up with anyone.
Wrong for a couple of reasons.
Paltrow and Tripplehorn are both very attractive, but that's a little beside the point.
Gerry being a spineless, bumbling idiot was comic relief....True and unfortunately came to dominate long -haired Helen's story.
He added nothing to it. We knew he was a heel right from the start and I think it was poor directorial judgement giving him so much onscreen time at the expense of Helen or some of the other characters. I would rather have seen more of Lydia. At least she had a bit of spine and spark.
IMO not so much miscast as overblown. share
It's a sad fact that they won't admit, but most women would take a cheating, abusive good looking boyfriend over an average (and certainly below average) looking guy who treats them much better.
That's because it generally isn't true. It sounds like you're just bitter because somebody dumped you for being really boring or just terrible in bed. They probably opted to be alone and didn't tell you about it.
That or the other guy was just better in the sack and that's why they went back to them. Regardless, you can't just slander an entire gender just because you're too inept to keep the women in your life happy. I'm sure plenty of uglier-looking men don't have this problem.
This film would have made far more sense if Gerry had been played by someone who was either more charismatic or physically attractive - ideally if he'd been both - because there's just no way in hell that both Tripplehorn and Paltrow would waste valuable time on someone that pathetic. At least one of them would have seen sense long before anyone got pregnant.
I think the casting for James made sense however. I did find that character a little annoying though (something about guys who use Monty Python jokes as pickup lines that really bothers me) but I could at least understand why the Helen character would have been interested.
Also, Gerry being a spineless, bumbling idiot was comic relief.
Comic relief is supposed to be funny. He was not.
Indeed, I suspect that that was the point. share
That's because it generally isn't true. It sounds like you're just bitter because somebody dumped you for being really boring or just terrible in bed. They probably opted to be alone and didn't tell you about it.
Assume much? Wrong on every count.
Tripplehorn and Paltrow would waste valuable time on someone that pathetic.
Both women were pathetic. One was fired for stealing liquor and the other was hung up on an oxygen thief attached to another woman. share
Assume much? Wrong on every count.
Sure, keep deluding yourself. Why make the effort to become a semi-decent human being when you can just pretend that everyone else is the problem? It's obviously safer living in dreamworld so please, be my guest!
Both women were pathetic. One was fired for stealing liquor and the other was hung up on an oxygen thief attached to another woman.
I was referring to their physical appearances. No-one would ever believe women who look like they do would waste so much time on someone like Gerry (i.e., men lacking in looks, personality and wealth) when there are other options available to them. I mean, presumably both characters have mirrors in their homes? One would expect guys like Gerry, at best, to get the nice girls with low self-esteem or some poor girl they'd managed to get knocked-up earlier on in the relationship.
Saying that, Aaron_Lewis_Price's post further down the page actually makes a lot of sense, in my view. I hadn't seen the post before writing my own but the idea of the relationships having more to do with the women's dominance over Gerry than any of his actual qualities would explain this scenario a lot (which, admittedly makes Paltrow and Tripplehorn's characters appear all the more pathetic). share
You sound like a guy. I know a lot of women are attracted to beef-cake, but women also like a guy who's charming, pays attention to them and makes them laugh. Guys are the ones who ogle every chick who seems hot and don't care whether she has brains and integrity.
I'm not a woman much less Deanna Durbin, but the old-time glam-shot appeals to me.