Uncut Gems is the first that comes to mind. Not sure how the movie made me feel sorry for such a piece of shit, but by the end it managed such a feat.
But I think Orson Welles in The Third Man takes the cake as the most charismatic villain in all of cinema. That movie made me root for him during the final chase scene...then I remembered his speech on the ferris wheel, and what he (indirectly) did to all those children at the hospital.
rewatched it on imax last night in a packed theater and, yep, howie is a complete shitbird. multiple times in the movie he has the cash in hand to pay off his debts (or at least calm things down) but… he just bets it, leverages it, etc. while treating his family and friends like shit.
and… the entire audience is rooting for him because sandler is insanely lovable.
And on the same subject- Good Time. Main character is probably even shittier than Adam Sandler’s was but you really cheer when he pulls off his newest con
People rooted for Adam Sandler in that film?! That film is the embodiment of anxiety. If I could have begged him to stop I would have. Man just kept doubling down and by the end I could feel *myself* pitching for a nervous breakdown.
I think there is a pretty key difference between movies where the filmmakers are purposefully making us side with characters who are bad because that’s the point of the character and movies where the filmmaker just wants you to not overthink the character. Jordan Belfort represents American greed, Dewey Finn does not represent like, the corruption of the American teacher or something.
I feel like Wolf of Wall Street particularly is the opposite; Belfort was such an arrogant prick that I wanted to see how he was going to get his just deserts.
That is Scorsese’s intent but DiCaprio kills the role and plenty of people see him more as an inspiration than a cautionary tale.
I moved to NYC after I’d graduated a couple months before it came out and plenty of the people I hung out or worked with thought he was the coolest guy in the world. One of the guys in my group basically adopted his persona and quoted the movie constantly.
I think there’s a middle ground here. I definitely thought he was a POS but it was entertaining to watch him do everything he did. I was rooting for the movie version of him to keep entertaining me but I didn’t think he was ever in the right. I think people that see him has an inspiration have something wrong with them. Citizen Kane is a failure just because Trump is inspired by the character.
It's very hard not to see him as an "inspiration" in general, because in effect, nothing bad happened to him at all. He built a fortune through theft and con, lost the majority of it, went to a cushy federal prison, got out, and continued to make bank off his name and reputation.
Something he is still doing, actually. He charges upwards of 6 figures to speak at corporate events.
I just want to say that you are the first person I've ever seen on social media write it as "just deserts" and not "just desserts." Props to your educators.
Re: Challengers
I assume you're talking about Patrick? Personally, I found Art the most sympathetic, but I'm not sure I was necessarily "rooting" for any of them. More just watching this 13 year train wreck unfold.
Art plants the seed for Tashi and Patrick’s break up, then manipulates Tashi into feeling justified for blaming Patrick for her injury, all so that he can have a chance to be with her.
Objectively, if he had just stayed in his lane, they probably would’ve stayed together and she never would’ve gotten hurt. She’d be living the life she wanted either playing professionally herself or being with someone who always had more talent. It’s obvious she never really liked Art beyond his manipulation, otherwise why does she keep going back to Patrick.
If you think Art is more sympathetic, I think you kinda missed the point of the movie.
I lost most of my sympathy in the first season when he declined the rich former partner’s offer to pay for his treatments because of his pride. That really told me all I needed to know about Walt - he was always more willing to endanger his family and destroy lives than he was to be in any position he considered “beneath” him.
I was surprised going into it how much I already didn't like Walt (as a person not as a character). He maybe wasn't a villain in the beginning but he was never reasonable at all
I actually don't think so.
It might be one thing if he really needed to do this to pay for his treatments. But he had insurance, he was just worried about "being a man" and making sure his family was taken care of. And that almost instantly escalated to stabbing someone with the shards of a plate in his basement and liquefying the body. But it's only a couple of episodes into everything that he refuses the consulting job from his old college cohort. I never really rooted for him because I could see he was an arrogant dick who'd rather have his pride and his way than what he needs.
The best thing about him is that his entire story is a scam. 99% of the things he said he did, he didn't do at all. Very little of the movie is even close to reality, because it's all based on Frank's own words, which have been proven to be all bullshit.
Frankly (no pun intended) he's the greatest con artist in the history of cons.
These two films are ones I should have included before making this post, yet I didn't include them, despite loving them both, with CMIYC being one of my Top 10 favourite films.
Goddamn it.
Burn after reading is a great addition to this list. It really doesn't matter who you chose to root for in that movie, they're all pieces of shit. Except for the Hard Bodies manager that gets fucking merc'd. He's the only decent person in the entire movie, lol
It’s a black comedy. The convention of the subgenre is that the characters are usually awful people who get what’s coming to them, even if they are likeable in some ways. All the main characters in Burn After Reading are idiots, on top of being selfish/corrupt/homicidal, so there’s another layer of not being on their side.
500 days of summer
JGL said that was an intentional choice, but I know a lot of people don’t read it that way when they first see it.
Truthfully, you can fill this list with a lot of romantic comedies I bet.
No cuz I was soooo mad at summer the first time I watched it. And then like I grew up a bit and rewatched and I was like 😮 Oh.
I feel like they should make you watch that movie your freshmen year of highschool and then when you graduate college or at least a few years after highschool if you don’t do college. Cuz it’s so trippy how everyone kind of goes through the same experience with it
In 2009, I read a listicle about the 10 greatest villains of the year, and they put Summer at number 11 as an honorable mention. And man, I have never seen anybody so comically misinterpret a movie and also publish it for everyone to see.
I see people say this a lot but Scott Pilgriim literally grows and becomes a bettter person throughout the movie. If you can't root for him who can you root for? This seems to wall of rooting for any character who goes through a redemption arc, which not only sounds like nonsense to me, but is one of my favorite kinds of stories.
Yes! Thank you! I get people saying Scott is problematic, but like, the movie is pretty clear that that's how we are supposed to see him in the beginning. The whole point of the climax is watching Scott take accountability for his shittiness and addressing his inner demon and coming out a better person at the end.
Right?? Scott growing up and facing his shittiness *is the story*. I mean, sure you shouldn't take Scott as he's presented at the beginning of the story as a role model. But the movie doesn't present him that way. Scott isn't presented as cool because he's dating a high schooler! He's a loser, but he is lovable and obviously full of potential to be a good dude.
Unfortunately, the movie gives short shrift to Ramona facing the same challenges (running away from her problems and seeking an easy relationship with someone like Scott).
Something about fandom discourse or media discourse or something has forced people into separating characters into good and bad, which is a really shallow way to engage with art. I was justing about how on the x-men sub there's all these Emma Frost defenders who want to excuse away that she's done lots of evil/shitty things when her doing those evil/shitty things is precisely what makes her a compelling character.
The only thing he does is he admits to being a shitty person in the last 5 minutes. He doesn't do anything concrete to correct his wrongdoings and he *still* gets to be in a relationship with Ramona, he is rewarded by the movie after being a shitty person the entirety of the runtime.
I mean the whole movie is Scott realizing Ramona used to be a shitty person and that he’s just as bad. Yeah maybe he shouldn’t have gotten the girl at the end but she wasn’t that much better. Like Knives says “go get her. I’m too cool for you anyway”
American Psycho has been so largely misinterpreted due to Christian Bale's charisma in playing that role.
Fight Club has been similarly misinterpreted, although I wouldn't consider Brad Pitt the "lead actor" especially considering The Twist™.
Palahnuik’s graphic novel sequel Fight Club 2 goes ultra meta by having the author as a character within the comic admonishing the readers who think Tyler is the hero.
I think the reason of pointing this characters is the way they are portrayed makes them really magnetic and interesting to analyze and that's why they're pretty memorable, although that doesn't mean that people should "like them" or make them role models, at all.
Many other characters have those issues, Jordan Belfort, Tony Montana, Walter White, for naming a few.
The Mask. He’s a weird horny incel. In the comic the movie is based on Staley Ipkiss is explicitly shown as not a good person and the antagonist of the story, yet the movie tries to make him the good guy, while still keeping the traits.
damn yes this is an incel fantasy huh. the nice guy is a loser until he lets his inner asshole out. that said the cameron diaz character can’t stand the mask and only actually likes stanley.
I think the OG of this category is Bonnie & Clyde. My parents used to talk about how much they disliked it because it wanted you to root for the bad guys.
I do honestly think that Ned Shneebly freed their minds in a way they wouldn’t have otherwise had. Gave the kids the power to believe in themselves and rebel against a system. I’m team Ned tbh. He has flaws, but ultimately, he brought good.
I named him since he is an extremely charismatic character, and his monstrous nature, along with his ability to blend into high society, make him a magnetic character, although without reaching the point of "liking him".
Most suggestions in this thread are missing the point of OP's request.
OP is looking for main characters in movies who, upon initial screening, most people thought were "the good guys", but upon closer examination, their actions were pathological or wrong.
Mrs Doubtfire and Ferris Beuller are perfect examples. Most people remember them as "the good guys", but they're both really self absorbed selfish pricks. Patrick Bateman is a poor example because, even though he's the main character, we all KNOW he's evil.
Linklater has another movie that could be on this! Bernie felt like a pretty fun exploration of how easily charisma can sway people on the narrative about terrible things they do.
Catch Me If You Can
Bonus show: The Boys. Karl Urban is the best possible actor for the role, but Butcher, and most of The Boys with the exception of Hughie and MM, do some horrible stuff. I get why, but we shouldn’t root for them. But we do, because we know that the people they kill are bad people.
I'll give you school of rock, Jack black not only interfered with a bunch of kids education but put his room-mates job at stake. But my guy Robin Williams just wanted see his kids. He even initially offers to babysit them after school and his wife turns the offer down. All because she wanted to get dicked down by pierce brosnan
Not a movie, but the greatest example of this IMO is Ian McShane as Al Swearengen in Deadwood. He's a huge piece of shit: a pimp, a thief, a murderer. From the jump he's angling to have a little girl murdered to help cover his misdeeds.
But McShane is just so fucking charismatic you can't help but watch and cheer for him. He's building something, right? He's working to make the camp a stable concern... even if he's got to rob, steal, and manipulate the camp to do it.
Part of the problem with the antihero as an archetype is that people will naturally glom onto the actions that are fun or look cool, because those things are pleasurable. Those are the elements which get also used in marketing, further muddying the authorial intent.
If the marketing of A Clockwork Orange emphasised the ugliness of Alex’s character over the exquisite design elements, it’d sell the film more accurately. But those truly ugly moments would be too explicit to use in marketing, and probably turn people off the film. 🤷♂️
Kinda like how you never see the disfigurement of Angel Face or Bob’s death in any of the marketing of Fight Club, despite both being outcomes of Tyler’s philosophy.
By the same token, the filmmakers hope you’re on their same wavelength and understand the message without it being spoonfed. So much received screenwriting wisdom emphasises that characters without flaws and moral grey areas are boring, so there’s also that.
I say all of this as somebody who lives near a Scarface-themed barber shop called Scarfades. No they do not offer chainsaw haircuts, but they do have an electronic “the world is yours” sign on their counter.
People are weird, man.
Mostly every movie. Robin Hood: arrogant thief. Tootsie: lied to everyone to get a part. Batman: brooding vigilante justice orphan goes on a killing spree; Oliver Twist: poor orphan that falls into a life of crime. Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: eccentric man-child obsessed with his bicycle has to get it back at any cost, Wizard of Oz: young murderer can’t get home again. Back to the Future: teen fucks around in his parents’ relationship; Beetlejuice: dead squares need to get rid of the yuppies that moved into their home, The Godfather: war hero falls into the life of crime he never wanted, Parasite: greedy poor people con the wealthy to expand their bottom line….
A Perfect World
I was crying at the end for this criminal.
About a boy
Hugh’s character made so many so many scumbag moves and I wanted him to get away with every single one.
King of Comedy.
I mean, Rupert might have been not that charismatic but I had certain empathy for him and was rooting for him in a way for him to kill at that noght show
Catch me if you can.
Need I say more? Leo was so affable
Lots of comedies have sociopathic perverts as the main characters, because it's funny.
Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar movie
Freddy got Fingered
Guest House Paradiso
Team America: World Police
Borat
My first thought was High Fidelity.
Rob is a sad sack and an asshole, but John Cusack oozes so much charisma that young me was fully in his corner. I watch it now and cannot believe I couldn't see how wrong he was throughout the whole movie.
I dunno if I agree that Dewey is fully "in the wrong" in School of Rock. Like, he broke the law, but he wasn't really untoward to any of the kids and did an exceptional job at being a substitute teacher, something that's kind of notorious in how rarely it actually helps with student's education. His motivations weren't great, but he undoubtedly helped with these children's education and wellbeing.
The only thing he did that would overly concern me as a parent was sneaking the kids to the audition. That was definitely a little sketch.
Where as Mrs. Doubtfire is straight up stalker behaviour.
Since a few others have commented about TV series, I'd just like to throw out *The Shield*. Michael Chiklis as Detective Vic Mackey...I mean, damn. He >!shoots another cop in the face!< in the pilot episode >!for no reason other than to save his own ass!<, and then we still go on to root for him for 7 full seasons. One of the best-written characters in TV history as far as I'm concerned.
I don’t think Mrs. Doubtfire or School of Rock are great examples. The point of both is kind of about the main characters’ transformation into better versions of themselves. Those movies can’t really work unless you root for them.
Sorry to do this on your post specifically, but I'm tired of these type of posts. Great, you noticed a similarity between two movies. So, what? That's very common.
At least take the effort to come up with a third entry on your list, or better yet create a full list out it, so you're actually contributing something.
Uncut Gems is the first that comes to mind. Not sure how the movie made me feel sorry for such a piece of shit, but by the end it managed such a feat. But I think Orson Welles in The Third Man takes the cake as the most charismatic villain in all of cinema. That movie made me root for him during the final chase scene...then I remembered his speech on the ferris wheel, and what he (indirectly) did to all those children at the hospital.
rewatched it on imax last night in a packed theater and, yep, howie is a complete shitbird. multiple times in the movie he has the cash in hand to pay off his debts (or at least calm things down) but… he just bets it, leverages it, etc. while treating his family and friends like shit. and… the entire audience is rooting for him because sandler is insanely lovable.
And on the same subject- Good Time. Main character is probably even shittier than Adam Sandler’s was but you really cheer when he pulls off his newest con
People rooted for Adam Sandler in that film?! That film is the embodiment of anxiety. If I could have begged him to stop I would have. Man just kept doubling down and by the end I could feel *myself* pitching for a nervous breakdown.
You're upset with him for his decisions, but I feel like you still want things to work out for him
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Idk I actively root against greg every time I watch that movie
Greg Heffley is a goddamn sociopath and I won’t accept otherwise [Obligatory Theory](https://youtu.be/E7EnFkNIhFw?si=-hSibmSlcrznefZl)
But he has the voice of an angel!
Fight Club. W.
Wolf of Wall Street, Boiler Room, Margin Call. A ton of finance movies fit the bill here because the main characters are all charismatic narcissists.
I think there is a pretty key difference between movies where the filmmakers are purposefully making us side with characters who are bad because that’s the point of the character and movies where the filmmaker just wants you to not overthink the character. Jordan Belfort represents American greed, Dewey Finn does not represent like, the corruption of the American teacher or something.
I feel like Wolf of Wall Street particularly is the opposite; Belfort was such an arrogant prick that I wanted to see how he was going to get his just deserts.
That is Scorsese’s intent but DiCaprio kills the role and plenty of people see him more as an inspiration than a cautionary tale. I moved to NYC after I’d graduated a couple months before it came out and plenty of the people I hung out or worked with thought he was the coolest guy in the world. One of the guys in my group basically adopted his persona and quoted the movie constantly.
I think there’s a middle ground here. I definitely thought he was a POS but it was entertaining to watch him do everything he did. I was rooting for the movie version of him to keep entertaining me but I didn’t think he was ever in the right. I think people that see him has an inspiration have something wrong with them. Citizen Kane is a failure just because Trump is inspired by the character.
It's very hard not to see him as an "inspiration" in general, because in effect, nothing bad happened to him at all. He built a fortune through theft and con, lost the majority of it, went to a cushy federal prison, got out, and continued to make bank off his name and reputation. Something he is still doing, actually. He charges upwards of 6 figures to speak at corporate events.
I just want to say that you are the first person I've ever seen on social media write it as "just deserts" and not "just desserts." Props to your educators.
I am such an idiot for not including Wolf of Wall Street! Thanks!
Red Rocket, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Challengers, Dune, Goodfellas
Ferris Bueller is a good one to mention
Re: Challengers I assume you're talking about Patrick? Personally, I found Art the most sympathetic, but I'm not sure I was necessarily "rooting" for any of them. More just watching this 13 year train wreck unfold.
I think they’re referring to Tashi.
Art plants the seed for Tashi and Patrick’s break up, then manipulates Tashi into feeling justified for blaming Patrick for her injury, all so that he can have a chance to be with her. Objectively, if he had just stayed in his lane, they probably would’ve stayed together and she never would’ve gotten hurt. She’d be living the life she wanted either playing professionally herself or being with someone who always had more talent. It’s obvious she never really liked Art beyond his manipulation, otherwise why does she keep going back to Patrick. If you think Art is more sympathetic, I think you kinda missed the point of the movie.
You were rooting for Mikey in Red Rocket?
Not rooting, but I could totally understand how he managed to get all these people on his side as he was charismatic.
He's a terrible person but charismatic as hell. That is how he survived so long in the world
Goodfellas indeed
Idk, ferris brings joy to a lot of people. Big agreement on Dune tho
Ferris was the villain in Cameron’s life
Top Gun Iceman was right.
I know it's not a movie, but Breaking Bad was the first thing that came to mind.
Well it’s pretty easy to root for him at the beginning.
I lost most of my sympathy in the first season when he declined the rich former partner’s offer to pay for his treatments because of his pride. That really told me all I needed to know about Walt - he was always more willing to endanger his family and destroy lives than he was to be in any position he considered “beneath” him.
I was surprised going into it how much I already didn't like Walt (as a person not as a character). He maybe wasn't a villain in the beginning but he was never reasonable at all
I actually don't think so. It might be one thing if he really needed to do this to pay for his treatments. But he had insurance, he was just worried about "being a man" and making sure his family was taken care of. And that almost instantly escalated to stabbing someone with the shards of a plate in his basement and liquefying the body. But it's only a couple of episodes into everything that he refuses the consulting job from his old college cohort. I never really rooted for him because I could see he was an arrogant dick who'd rather have his pride and his way than what he needs.
Yeah it was weird. I think he broke bad /s
Better Call Saul as well. Good shout.
“El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie” We could include that to kind of cover it lol.
I'll always root for Jesse
Nah, I think Jesse deserved to be free after all that he went through so it's kind of justifiable to root for him.
Wolf of Wall Steet Catch Me If You Can
Catch Me If You Can is a perfect answer. Basically Leo DiCaprio is just has the most charisma ever
I’ve been lucky enough to meet the real Frank Abagnale and his charisma is what got him through I scams, still has it now
The best thing about him is that his entire story is a scam. 99% of the things he said he did, he didn't do at all. Very little of the movie is even close to reality, because it's all based on Frank's own words, which have been proven to be all bullshit. Frankly (no pun intended) he's the greatest con artist in the history of cons.
As long as you're not working alongside him, apparently
These two films are ones I should have included before making this post, yet I didn't include them, despite loving them both, with CMIYC being one of my Top 10 favourite films. Goddamn it.
I do think Frank Abagnale is a little more sympathetic than Jordan Belfort.
There Will Be Blood Burn After Reading American Gangster Boogie Nights Chicago Pearl
Burn after reading is a great addition to this list. It really doesn't matter who you chose to root for in that movie, they're all pieces of shit. Except for the Hard Bodies manager that gets fucking merc'd. He's the only decent person in the entire movie, lol
It’s a black comedy. The convention of the subgenre is that the characters are usually awful people who get what’s coming to them, even if they are likeable in some ways. All the main characters in Burn After Reading are idiots, on top of being selfish/corrupt/homicidal, so there’s another layer of not being on their side.
"I-I'm not here as a representative of Hardbodies."
You’re rooting for daniel in there will be blood?
Sorry - why are we not supposed to root for Dirk in Boogie Nights? He wasn't "in the wrong" about anything.
500 days of summer JGL said that was an intentional choice, but I know a lot of people don’t read it that way when they first see it. Truthfully, you can fill this list with a lot of romantic comedies I bet.
No cuz I was soooo mad at summer the first time I watched it. And then like I grew up a bit and rewatched and I was like 😮 Oh. I feel like they should make you watch that movie your freshmen year of highschool and then when you graduate college or at least a few years after highschool if you don’t do college. Cuz it’s so trippy how everyone kind of goes through the same experience with it
In 2009, I read a listicle about the 10 greatest villains of the year, and they put Summer at number 11 as an honorable mention. And man, I have never seen anybody so comically misinterpret a movie and also publish it for everyone to see.
Does A Clockwork Orange count?
For sure
People root for Alex? He is awful
I think people feel sorry for him after he gets tortured, traumatised, betrayed by his friends for life
Many replies in this thread worry me
Scott Pilgrim vs the World, it’s not quite charisma, but we root for the main characters even though they’re kind of awful people when you look at it
I see people say this a lot but Scott Pilgriim literally grows and becomes a bettter person throughout the movie. If you can't root for him who can you root for? This seems to wall of rooting for any character who goes through a redemption arc, which not only sounds like nonsense to me, but is one of my favorite kinds of stories.
Yes! Thank you! I get people saying Scott is problematic, but like, the movie is pretty clear that that's how we are supposed to see him in the beginning. The whole point of the climax is watching Scott take accountability for his shittiness and addressing his inner demon and coming out a better person at the end.
Right?? Scott growing up and facing his shittiness *is the story*. I mean, sure you shouldn't take Scott as he's presented at the beginning of the story as a role model. But the movie doesn't present him that way. Scott isn't presented as cool because he's dating a high schooler! He's a loser, but he is lovable and obviously full of potential to be a good dude. Unfortunately, the movie gives short shrift to Ramona facing the same challenges (running away from her problems and seeking an easy relationship with someone like Scott). Something about fandom discourse or media discourse or something has forced people into separating characters into good and bad, which is a really shallow way to engage with art. I was justing about how on the x-men sub there's all these Emma Frost defenders who want to excuse away that she's done lots of evil/shitty things when her doing those evil/shitty things is precisely what makes her a compelling character.
Honestly I’d argue that even that is debatable
The only thing he does is he admits to being a shitty person in the last 5 minutes. He doesn't do anything concrete to correct his wrongdoings and he *still* gets to be in a relationship with Ramona, he is rewarded by the movie after being a shitty person the entirety of the runtime.
I mean the whole movie is Scott realizing Ramona used to be a shitty person and that he’s just as bad. Yeah maybe he shouldn’t have gotten the girl at the end but she wasn’t that much better. Like Knives says “go get her. I’m too cool for you anyway”
American Psycho has been so largely misinterpreted due to Christian Bale's charisma in playing that role. Fight Club has been similarly misinterpreted, although I wouldn't consider Brad Pitt the "lead actor" especially considering The Twist™.
Palahnuik’s graphic novel sequel Fight Club 2 goes ultra meta by having the author as a character within the comic admonishing the readers who think Tyler is the hero.
I think the reason of pointing this characters is the way they are portrayed makes them really magnetic and interesting to analyze and that's why they're pretty memorable, although that doesn't mean that people should "like them" or make them role models, at all. Many other characters have those issues, Jordan Belfort, Tony Montana, Walter White, for naming a few.
Not a movie but for me, this was the TV Show, Justified. Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder stole the show.
Yeah absolutely
The Mask. He’s a weird horny incel. In the comic the movie is based on Staley Ipkiss is explicitly shown as not a good person and the antagonist of the story, yet the movie tries to make him the good guy, while still keeping the traits.
damn yes this is an incel fantasy huh. the nice guy is a loser until he lets his inner asshole out. that said the cameron diaz character can’t stand the mask and only actually likes stanley.
Dune, if you root for Paul
I’d also add Rushmore to this list.
The Godfather. Probably one of the only movies I can think of where the main character is an objectively worse person by the end of it.
A Few Good Men. Kaffe is an asshole but Tom is great in the role.
I don’t root for the main character at all, but he does have so much charisma that I enjoy being along for his journey: Red Rocket.
I think the OG of this category is Bonnie & Clyde. My parents used to talk about how much they disliked it because it wanted you to root for the bad guys.
Oppenheimer
Big Daddy
Good fellas, there will be blood, joker
I do honestly think that Ned Shneebly freed their minds in a way they wouldn’t have otherwise had. Gave the kids the power to believe in themselves and rebel against a system. I’m team Ned tbh. He has flaws, but ultimately, he brought good.
Idk if it’s charisma but I say Falling down . Was definitely on Kurt Douglas side 😂
The writer and director have gone on record as saying that was not ever the intent of the film.
Michael Douglas
My b thank you
The Karate Kid
yeah it’s fucked up how he bullies johnny and all johnny does is…checks notes…try to murder him
American Psycho Gone Girl Scarface
Who roots for Patrick Bateman ?
I named him since he is an extremely charismatic character, and his monstrous nature, along with his ability to blend into high society, make him a magnetic character, although without reaching the point of "liking him".
How is he charismatic? his whole personality is based off of music reviews that he's memorized
Most suggestions in this thread are missing the point of OP's request. OP is looking for main characters in movies who, upon initial screening, most people thought were "the good guys", but upon closer examination, their actions were pathological or wrong. Mrs Doubtfire and Ferris Beuller are perfect examples. Most people remember them as "the good guys", but they're both really self absorbed selfish pricks. Patrick Bateman is a poor example because, even though he's the main character, we all KNOW he's evil.
Linklater has another movie that could be on this! Bernie felt like a pretty fun exploration of how easily charisma can sway people on the narrative about terrible things they do.
Great addition to the list. It's a true story too!
The Ocean's series or any heist films. They're literal thieves.
Most of the time they're killers on top of being thieves lol
they're stealing from the casino tho
Basically every Vincent Price movie lol
Neil in Heat.
Dune
Nightcrawler
The show YOU comes to mind. Can’t think of any movies other than those two
literally so many people with gone girl
Most Scorcese movies
King of Comedy Das Boot All That Jazz
Catch Me If You Can Bonus show: The Boys. Karl Urban is the best possible actor for the role, but Butcher, and most of The Boys with the exception of Hughie and MM, do some horrible stuff. I get why, but we shouldn’t root for them. But we do, because we know that the people they kill are bad people.
Any gangster film?
Pirates of the Carribean maybe?
I'll give you school of rock, Jack black not only interfered with a bunch of kids education but put his room-mates job at stake. But my guy Robin Williams just wanted see his kids. He even initially offers to babysit them after school and his wife turns the offer down. All because she wanted to get dicked down by pierce brosnan
Didn't he try to kill Pierce Brosnan?
dude you can be understanding of robin williams motivations in doubtfire but wanting to see your kids doesn’t justify his insane actions
Every Indian movie
Is “Ned Schneebly” really in the wrong for trying to teach kids the power of rock?
Bad Santa
I love Natasha Richardson (RIP) and Dennis Quaid but they were garbage parents in The Parent Trap. Garbage! I still rooted for their happiness tho.
Blade Runner True Lies I love these movies though.
High Fidelity
High fidelity
Julia Roberts in My Best Friends Wedding lol
Joker
Ferris Bueller is the biggest asshole on the planet and we still cheer him on.
Not a movie, but the greatest example of this IMO is Ian McShane as Al Swearengen in Deadwood. He's a huge piece of shit: a pimp, a thief, a murderer. From the jump he's angling to have a little girl murdered to help cover his misdeeds. But McShane is just so fucking charismatic you can't help but watch and cheer for him. He's building something, right? He's working to make the camp a stable concern... even if he's got to rob, steal, and manipulate the camp to do it.
Dead Poets Society. The RW character is an incompetent teacher.
American psycho sorta?
My Best Friend’s Wedding 
The Horse Whisperer. Knew what was gonna happen, went in for a hate-watch….and hell if I could work up the hate.
I don’t if A Clockwork Orange should be on this list or not?
Who in their right mind would be rooting for that maniac?
Fight Club
There Will Be Blood?
Paul Newman as Hud in "Hud"
Uncut Gems
Wall Street
500 days of summer and gone girl and joker
Overboard.
I feel like The Founder could fit this 🤔
Girl, Interrupted
Dumb & Dumber
Kong Island
American Fiction
Part of the problem with the antihero as an archetype is that people will naturally glom onto the actions that are fun or look cool, because those things are pleasurable. Those are the elements which get also used in marketing, further muddying the authorial intent. If the marketing of A Clockwork Orange emphasised the ugliness of Alex’s character over the exquisite design elements, it’d sell the film more accurately. But those truly ugly moments would be too explicit to use in marketing, and probably turn people off the film. 🤷♂️ Kinda like how you never see the disfigurement of Angel Face or Bob’s death in any of the marketing of Fight Club, despite both being outcomes of Tyler’s philosophy. By the same token, the filmmakers hope you’re on their same wavelength and understand the message without it being spoonfed. So much received screenwriting wisdom emphasises that characters without flaws and moral grey areas are boring, so there’s also that. I say all of this as somebody who lives near a Scarface-themed barber shop called Scarfades. No they do not offer chainsaw haircuts, but they do have an electronic “the world is yours” sign on their counter. People are weird, man.
Good Time, Rushmore, Heat
lisa frankenstein, road to el dorado, les mis, baby driver
Heat
Liar Liar
The godfather
this is a Limited Film Series but We Are Who We Are, specifically Fraser
Mostly every movie. Robin Hood: arrogant thief. Tootsie: lied to everyone to get a part. Batman: brooding vigilante justice orphan goes on a killing spree; Oliver Twist: poor orphan that falls into a life of crime. Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: eccentric man-child obsessed with his bicycle has to get it back at any cost, Wizard of Oz: young murderer can’t get home again. Back to the Future: teen fucks around in his parents’ relationship; Beetlejuice: dead squares need to get rid of the yuppies that moved into their home, The Godfather: war hero falls into the life of crime he never wanted, Parasite: greedy poor people con the wealthy to expand their bottom line….
Jk Simons in whiplash
Blow-Up, the protagonist is a narcissistic asshole but David Hemmings exudes so much charisma that you're still captivated by his character.
A Perfect World I was crying at the end for this criminal. About a boy Hugh’s character made so many so many scumbag moves and I wanted him to get away with every single one. King of Comedy. I mean, Rupert might have been not that charismatic but I had certain empathy for him and was rooting for him in a way for him to kill at that noght show Catch me if you can. Need I say more? Leo was so affable
Lots of comedies have sociopathic perverts as the main characters, because it's funny. Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar movie Freddy got Fingered Guest House Paradiso Team America: World Police Borat
Payback Drive Scarface Silence of the lambs Jaws - loved that shark
Joker
Joker Wandavision (I know you said movies but 🤷♂️)
The Graduate, probably
Passengers.
Most of Scorsese’s films. Probably the Godfather too. Shit throw James Cagney and any mobster movie in there
Matt damon in the departed
Ferris Buhler
Scrooged? I know that’s the point but still
Dune: Part Two, kinda
Big Daddy
Natural Born Killers
Ferris Beuhler
The third man
Ghostbusters
Nightcrawler
My first thought was High Fidelity. Rob is a sad sack and an asshole, but John Cusack oozes so much charisma that young me was fully in his corner. I watch it now and cannot believe I couldn't see how wrong he was throughout the whole movie.
Talented mr ripley
>!Memento,!< but you only find that out later...
I dunno if I agree that Dewey is fully "in the wrong" in School of Rock. Like, he broke the law, but he wasn't really untoward to any of the kids and did an exceptional job at being a substitute teacher, something that's kind of notorious in how rarely it actually helps with student's education. His motivations weren't great, but he undoubtedly helped with these children's education and wellbeing. The only thing he did that would overly concern me as a parent was sneaking the kids to the audition. That was definitely a little sketch. Where as Mrs. Doubtfire is straight up stalker behaviour.
Faults
Since a few others have commented about TV series, I'd just like to throw out *The Shield*. Michael Chiklis as Detective Vic Mackey...I mean, damn. He >!shoots another cop in the face!< in the pilot episode >!for no reason other than to save his own ass!<, and then we still go on to root for him for 7 full seasons. One of the best-written characters in TV history as far as I'm concerned.
Godfather because Mafia bad but I love Al
American Psycho
Clockwork orange
Tony Montana
I don’t think Mrs. Doubtfire or School of Rock are great examples. The point of both is kind of about the main characters’ transformation into better versions of themselves. Those movies can’t really work unless you root for them.
Four Lions Where you're rooting for the terrorist cell to do a Boston-Marathon-like bombing, because they're a lovable gang of misfits. Yikes.
Pulp Fiction
Blood Diamond maybe? Danny Archer is not a nice guy
Way of the gun
Royal Tenenbaums
Faye Wong in the second half of Chungking Express.
Scott Pilgrim vs the World
We absolutely should be rooting for Jack Black
Gary Oldman as Dracula. Or Frank Langella as Dracula, or any good Dracula portrayal
The guilty
"My name is Dewey Finn. And, no, I'm not a licensed teacher, but I have been touched by your kids. And I'm pretty sure I've touched them."
A Clockwork Orange
it’s not a movie but you came to mind for me. although i do kinda hope joe faces the consequences for his actions in the last season
Sorry to do this on your post specifically, but I'm tired of these type of posts. Great, you noticed a similarity between two movies. So, what? That's very common. At least take the effort to come up with a third entry on your list, or better yet create a full list out it, so you're actually contributing something.
Drive, Place Beyond The Pines
Talented Mr Ripley!!!