Movies have a tendency to follow the same basic storylines but more specifically, for the most part, most films have happy endings. Hollywood tends to wants audiences to smile as they leave the theater rather than cry. For example, a nice guy faces competition from a bad guy for the girl of his dreams but it is always the nice guy who wins in the end. However, when appropriate and going against the grain, some movies decide to buck the trend and offer an alternative storyline.
Here are five films where the nice guy finished last.
500 Days of Summer
In this 2009 film, a couple meet but have very different perspectives about their relationship. Tom Hensen, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, believes he has found true love when he meets Summer Finn, played by Zooey Deschanel. Unfortunately, she does not believe that love exists. Following an argument, the couple split. Months later, they meet up by chance and Summer invites Tom to a party. Tom believes this is his chance to reconnect until he realizes she is wearing an engagement ring at the party. She then admits that she now believes that love does exist leaving the nice guy, Tom, to search for love elsewhere.
The Last American Virgin
This is a 1982 remake of an Israeli film from 1978. Gary is the nice guy in this movie and never has any luck with women. On the other hand, his friends Rick and David have plenty of luck with the opposite sex. When the group meets student Karen, Gary is instantly besotted with her. Rick sets out to bed her when he finds out she is a virgin. After spending one night with Rick, Karen finds out she is pregnant and Rick promptly does a runner. Gary helps her to find the money for an abortion and takes care of her. It seems they may get together when she invites him to a party. He buys her a locket to present to Karen at the part but when he arrives, she is kissing Rick in the kitchen. This is certainly a situation where the nice guy finished last.
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight was released in 2008 and stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne and Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes. It is a sequel to Batman Begins in which Bale and Dawes first develop a relationship. Bale is obsessed with keeping Gotham City safe and this ultimately drives a wedge between him and Dawes. She beings a relationship with District Attorney Harvey Dent but Bale still hopes they will be together. Dawes writes a letter telling Bale of her intention to marry Dent but is killed by The Joker before he reads it. Alfred burns the letter to spare Bale the pain of reading it so he continues to believe that he would have won the girl if it had not been for her untimely death.
Nice Guys Finishes Last
The title of this 2001 movie says it all. It is based on the problems and frustrations faced by all teens and particularly focuses on a teen’s desire to lose his virginity. He sees his friends winning the girls and this is something he consistently fails to achieve. The film is both clever and comical in the way it proves that the nice guy always finishes last. The film stars Christopher Masterson, Jane Lynch, and Heather McComb.
Castaway
The lead role in this movie is played by Tom Hanks who play a character who is stranded on an uninhabited island after his plane crashes. He keeps going because he knowns he has family and a girlfriend waiting for him back at home. His girlfriend, played by Helen Hunt, stays loyal and searches for him for four years. In the end, she decides it is time to move on and marries. When Hanks finally makes it back to civilization, he discovers that his girlfriend is married. Although the pair declares their undying love for each other, they both know it is too late as another man has won his woman.
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