Movie Characters That Aren't As Original As You Think They Are

This is inspired by a post over on Wordplay, where Bill Martell points out that Click, Cars and the Devil Wears Prada are essentially all the same film, in which a workaholic realizes that they need to change their priorities and put friends and family first.

This got me thinking about way-too-overused characters and character arcs that I constantly see. There's nothing more tedious than realizing you are reading a tired riff on the same old bit.

If you've built a script around one of these characters, think about whether you've at least come up with an interesting spin on them, or whether maybe it's time to.

And these characters aren't necessarily wrong to use -- generally, it only becomes glaring when the entire storyline rests on their pat, familiar little problems.

THE WORKAHOLIC. Generally, these characters are always missing their kids' functions, or frustrating wives by missing dinner, or are trying to keep their boss happy by working harder than the younger guy who is after their job. Granted, this is a problem that exists in real life, but too often in the scripts I read, the characters don't even take a step back and do the can-I-work-less, still-support-my-family and be-really-happy test until late in the script, when it conveniently turns out that gee, they weren't all that tied to their workaholic ways anyway.

And of course there's never a scene in which the family and friends realize they should get off the main character's case, because he's in a stage of his career where he has to work hard if he wants to make it.

THE DREAMER. Sort of a version of the workaholic. He's stuck in a job he hates (or, in half of the scripts I read involving teens, his parents want him to go to med school or law school) but he really wants to be in music. Or a writer. Or a dancer. Of course, by the end, he goes for the arts, which his family/parents are often ultimately supportive of, though not for the obvious reasons (that the world has too many damn lawyers anyway).

THE IMMATURE GUY. This is probably the worst offender, because he's everywhere. Almost every comedy I read with a male lead in his 30s, it's about him realizing that he needs to grow up, and a) get a job b) get a life c) commit to the girl, d) all of the above.

It somehow takes the entire story for the character to really come to grips with the fact that they have a problem, despite the fact that it's painfully obvious to everyone else from page one (while, if they ever go to the movies, they constantly see their alter egos getting lives). All of these guys are almost exactly the same, and few writers figure out how to make them charming, funny or inspired enough to compensate. THE 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN did this story well. FAILURE TO LAUNCH, not so much.

THE NICE GUY WHO LIKES THE HOT CHICK, BUT WINDS UP WITH HIS CUTE FRIEND. Somehow, writers got it indoctrinated into their heads that they had to spread the gospel of why average guys shouldn't chase attractive women, but should instead go for the smart galpal instead. Wise movies, like THE SURE THING, at least pull off the story by having an actual plot going on other than this. It's amazing how many scripts I read where you can assess all the characters that you have met by page 10, and figure out everything that's going to happen, and who is going to wind up with who.

But I've read endless painful tales -- usually teen screenplays, but not only -- that feel they need to re-establish the idea that being attracted to a woman just because she has a pretty face and a nice body isn't the path to happiness. Granted, sex appeal shouldn't be the only reason you are interested in a woman, but the stories really aren't about that; most of the time, they need to make this work by having the object of their affection turn out to be really dumb, or really a bitch.

ATTRACTIVE WOMEN in movies are stock characters as well; if they are likable characters, it is pretty easy to figure out who they are going to be with from minute one (hint, it's the good looking lead, or John Cusack). If they aren't likable, they are bitchy head cheerleaders, horny executives, or the first person to die whenever Jason comes a-calling.

You know what movie I want to see? The movie in which an attractive woman, tired of all the nice, cute guys never hitting on her because they have been brainwashed into thinking that they never have a chance, ties up a screenwriter, and gets him to tell the story with a happy ending for her character. Hopefully while wielding a whip, and wearing leather.

THE RUNNING MAN. He has a piece of information, or he saw something, and now shady forces probably working for the government want him dead before he can learn the truth. Even though inevitably the government puts much more effort into killing all the people he might want to talk to, than simply killing him. Because though he has no answer for people shooting at him point-blank (which fortunately no one ever does), he's great at fleeing out back doors, or fighting off hitmen with household appliances, or getting a piece of information out of a dying guy.

THE WHITE GUY WHO THINKS HE'S BLACK, OR OLD WHITE PEOPLE RAPPING. Next script I read with one of these characters, I'm tracking down the writer while wearing the leather and wielding the whip.