The leading men in Judd Apatow’s flicks – from Seth Rogen in Knocked Up to Michael Cera in Year One, which comes out on Friday – range from average looking to underemployed to downright goofy. And yet, they always get the girl. How do they do it? Four lessons every man can learn from the book of Apatow.
Be earnest
“I thought there was something wrong with me because it never happened. But I realize now it’s because I was waiting for you.”
–The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Even if it sounds cheesy to you, we love to hear it. And if wearing your heart on your sleeve helped Steve Carell’s character, it can work for you, too.
Be honest
“F**k you’re cool! It’s so hard to say, because, like, I hate you in so many ways.”
–Forgetting Sarah Marshall
When Jason Segel’s character praises his rival, he shows courage and honesty – very sexy traits that later help him pen a popular puppet musical and bag Mila Kunis.
Be affectionate
“I just wanna go to the rooftops and scream, I love my best friend, Evan!”
–Superbad
We know that expressing your feelings is even harder when you’re not doing it to get laid. Seth (Jonah Hill) convinces his long-time crush that a bromantic man is likely to be a romantic man, too.
Be a man
“I love scotch. Scotchy, Scotch, Scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly.”
–Anchorman
Women love men who drink Scotch, play sports and embrace their masculinity. Sure, Ron Burgundy ultimately blows it, but his raw machismo helps him score Christina Applegate early on.
Image courtesy of Morgan Porter.
Speak for yourself, Devon. The reason the guy gets the girl in any movie is because the script says so. Hollywood loves to push the idea that even the bafoon is entitled to a babe. But if you want to do it too, go right ahead. That’ll leave more of the hot, intelligent guys for us fussy girls.
Anyone who thinks that relationships in popular movies bear any realtionship to reality for 99% of everyone else, just doesn’t know, well, anything.
Yeah, we’ve seen the gaggles of chyks going to bars where the muscle clad guys are. We’ve also figured out that said gaggles aren’t going to places like those for the Proust readings, or the stand up comedy…
The best way for any guy to be, is to be himself. That way, not only is it more authentic, but when you do get a girl, she’ll be with you because you are you, not because of an act that you’re trying to maintain.