10+ Movie Characters That We’re Supposed To Sympathize With But Some Viewers Just Can’t

Jessica Wilson

After a stressful working day, sitting on our sofa and watching our favorite movie is so relaxing. However, during enjoying the movie, we realize some characters turn out to be so annoying and obnoxious. There’s something wrong with them - their silly stubbornness or zero grip on reality are unacceptable.
Despite their life situations, we can’t stop wondering, “Did someone think they were funny or adorable?”, “Am I really supposed to sympathize with this kind of person?” No matter how much we love the story, these characters definitely drive us so crazy that we want to turn off the TV. Don’t get us wrong because some flawed characters can be fascinating.
We’ve wandered on Reddit and completed a list of grey characters from popular movies and TV Shows that make you question how some viewers can sympathize with them. Read these articles to see more: 16 Movie Characters Make Viewers Grit Their Teeth in Irritation and 10 Famous Movie Characters That Seem Like Great Role Models but Aren’t.

#1 Carrie Bradshaw From "Sex And The City"

Characters That We’re Supposed To Sympathize WithSource: New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock

In the reboot, Miranda steals the obnoxious crown right off her head though. (lunalives)
In addition to being a horrible person she was also a terrible writer. Her “couldn’t help but wonders” are the cringiest writing ever. (castortusk)

#2 Bella Swan From "Twilight"

Characters That We’re Supposed To Sympathize WithSource: Pinterest

I checked out some of the books at random it was all Bella being a horrible insane manipulative villain. (ThrowawayBlast)
Bella is dumb,& Edward basically groomed her. (Vast_Preference5216)

#3 Emily From "Emily In Paris"

Characters That We’re Supposed To Sympathize WithSource: STÉPHANIE BRANCHU/NETFLIX

Emily from Emily in Paris she fucks up and barely suffers the consequences. Sleeping with a friend's partner and still remains friends with both of them openly. Screws up business opportunities, nothing besides a slap on the wrists, and somehow, it's magically resolved. And her whole " I am a dumb American, bon apple tea!! And she dresses like if Harry styles was colour blind. (WaxWalk)


#4 Ted And The Gang From "How I Met Your Mother"

Characters That We’re Supposed To Sympathize WithSource: Fandom

Ted and the gang in How I Met Your Mother. They're terrible to a lot of people.

EDIT: Barney literally admits to human trafficking a woman in the Brecket episode and they say he's a good guy 20 seconds later cos he apologised for forgetting a girls name he slept with. And don't get me started on Ted.

(throwExpression8602)

#5 Sheldon Cooper From "The Big Bang Theory"

Characters That We’re Supposed To Sympathize WithSource: Michael Yarish / WARNER BROS.

When I actually recently watched the series I was shocked how much of a bully he was, in any other show he would be the villain. (goblinmarketeer)

#6 Hannah Baker From "13 Reasons Why"

Characters That We’re Supposed To Sympathize WithSource: BETH DUBBER/NETFLIX

Commits suicide and becomes romanticized by the school and everyone around her, gets a cute boy to become obsessed with her and view her as 'the one who got away', and gets revenge on all her bullies. It's everything you *don't* want to tell or show a person struggling with suicidal thoughts. (DMMEPANCAKES)

#7 Noah Calhoun From "The Notebook"

Source: Pinterest

You're supposed to watch it and be like "yeah, Ryan Gosling is the better man, and Rachel McAdams needs to leave that swine James Marsden for him!" when in reality Ryan Gosling's character is a total fucking weirdo, and James Marsden's character is just like a regular dude who treats her well and isn't evil or anything. (Shigidy)

#8 Rory Gilmore From "Gilmore Girls"

Source: Everett Collection

Rory Gilmore- whiny, narcissistic, cheated on multiple boyfriends. (Far-Juggernaut8880)

In hindsight, it's not a surprise she turned out how she did with everyone powdering her ass from day one of the show. The way she collapsed because one whole person told her she wasn't cut out for the career she wanted was proof of that. In any other show, that would be the point where the protagonist digs deeps to remember why they wanted that dream or realize their talents were better suited for something else. (Shirogayne-at-WF)


#9 Rose Dewitt Bukater From "Titanic"

Source: 20thcenturystudios

Rose is the worst.

We meet her and she's marrying some toolbag for money, and apparently we're supposed to feel sorry for her? Frances Fisher and her poor little rich girl daughter (granddaughter? I dunno...) might have to work at a job? That doesn't make her a heroine, that makes her Anna Nicole Smith with a nicer hat. She can walk away, even in 1912.

Unsurprisingly the guy she's marrying for money is an asshole so she tries to kill herself. She can't even do that right, and nearly drags some random kid from third class down under the ship with her who's only trying to help. Then after there's a misunderstanding about the kid's intentions, she spend 90 seconds letting them arrest him and rough him up before pointing out the obvious.

(garrettj100)

#10 Jim Preston From "Passengers"

Source: Columbia Pictures

Out of pure selfishness, the dude decides to ruin the bright future of a girl so that she has no other option than to live with him. She'll never accomplish the great projects she had, she'll never see any of her loved ones, she'll never be able to even talk to another human being, she will live in prison for the rest of her days.

While the movie hints at the fact that he's a selfish asshole. It's largely overbalanced by the idea that a man's gotta do what he's gotta do to pursue [his own] hapiness. In the end, her stockholm syndrom is presented as a happily ever after ending.

(hoaxymore)

#11 Scarlet O’Hara From "Gone With The Wind"

Source: Wikipedia

You’re supposed to not like Scarlet. She is a horrible person and she doesn’t realize it until it’s too late. (PrincessTimeLord)

#12 Ross And Rachel From "Friends"

Source: Pinterest

Ross and Rachel... They really do deserve each other...(ThickWeatherBee)
Ross is pretty shitty, particularly during his relationship with Rachel, but imo Rachel is so much worse. Even if we assume Rachel was right in the whole "we were on a break!" debacle, there is no way that justifies her being constantly petty and interfering in Ross' romantic pursuits for years afterwards. Also Rachel is just a way worse friend/person in general, she's constantly selfish, putting her own interests above everyone else's, and totally and repeatedly lacking in awareness of her privilege relative to everyone else. Her entire character growth is about her pursuit of independence, which is great, but she's still the same self-centred twat by the last episode. (Poignant_Porpoise)

#13 Julianne Potter From "My Best Friends Wedding"

Source: TRI-STAR/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK

She spends the whole movie trying to break up her friend and his fiancé because she realized she’s in love with him. (Agreeable_Memory_67)

#14 Andy Sachs From "Devil Wears Prada"

Source: 20th Century Fox

She is ungrateful, arrogant and oblivious. Yet we're supposed to feel sympathy for her because Miranda is doing her job. (SleepyLabrador)