Not My Romantic Lead

I see why women fall at his feet, because he's plastically good looking, but that smarmy smile only turns my stomach. It definitely doesn't make me think he's got good intentions, and it certainly doesn't make me think he might fall for a girl.

Ditto George Clooney's looks, less smarmy, more dopey. It feels like any girl who fell for him would have to do everything for him, because he'd have no clue how to do it.

One exception: Love Actually. And that only because he is part of an ensemble cast, and therefore not in enough of the movie to ruin it for me.

To be honest, I've never liked Mel. Not since the beginning of his career. Personal choices aside, he tends to play guys who are bullies or jerks. Why is this romantic?

Two exceptions: Bird on a Wire, but more because I adore Goldie Hawn more than I hate him; and Conspiracy Theory, where his character is less dangerous and more confused and being used than a romantic lead.

Gere's rubbed me the wrong way since I first started hearing about him after An Officer and a Gentleman, but I wasn't sure why for a long time until Autumn in New York came out. That was when I realized that in pretty much every romantic movie he's in, the woman is always a few years younger, but often at least ten years or more. So what, he doesn't like women his age? Guess he better get started inventing a pill that restores/preserves youth, cause everyone gets old. Especially misogynists.

Speaking of misogynists... I used to love Sean, but more for the roles he played than anything else, and he was always better in action films than any of the others he did. Add to that his personal views on a woman's place in the world, and my respect for him declined rapidly. Which is really too bad.

I know a lot of women in the US fell for him when he was on TV because of his "lovely" English accent, but he's another who just comes off as smarmy to me, and he certainly doesn't come off as believable in most roles I've seen him in. In fact, I went to see Mama Mia knowing he was in it, but hoping that Colin Firth would turn out to be the romantic lead. I certainly wish they'd never let Pierce have a song...