# Movies where dorky, not-conventionally-attractive girl gets the guy of her dreams? (Spoilers OK) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325 "2010-01-01T20:49:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/61 "2010-01-02T15:56:46Z")
> [@Windwalker](#): > > Are there any Hollywood movies in which genuinely unpretty (not Hollywood unpretty) women get the attractive guy? The _Hairspray_ movies have already been mentioned. On top of that, I’d also include _Shallow Hal_. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/62 "2010-01-02T15:58:38Z")
Sorry. I take back what I said about _Shallow Hal_, since this guy wasn’t exactly the man of her dreams. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/63 "2010-01-02T18:37:46Z")
How about _Secretary_? Maggie Gyllenhaal looks quite plain throughout that movie, although in the ending she is much prettier. That’s pretty much my favorite romantic movie. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/64 "2010-01-02T20:00:01Z")
> [@PapSett](#): > > What was the old movie starring Rikki Lake where sshe was mooning after the hot ice skater dude? It’s been at least 25 years since I’ve seen it… I remember they got together, but don’t remember if they _STAYED_ together? It was “Cookie” or “Babycakes,” I think. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/65 "2010-01-02T20:25:58Z")
Sorry this may be considered a hijack, but I thought it needed to be said: As a generalisation, attraction works a bit differently between men and women, and I think on the point of the OP, Hollywood is fairly accurately reflecting an asymmetry that actually exists out there in society. (We could talk about the reasons why the asymmetry exists, but that will defo kick off a separate debate. So I’ll leave it there for now.) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/66 "2010-01-02T20:49:36Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Sorry this may be considered a hijack, but I thought it needed to be said: > > As a generalisation, attraction works a bit differently between men and women, and I think on the point of the OP, Hollywood is fairly accurately reflecting an asymmetry that actually exists out there in society. > > (We could talk about the reasons why the asymmetry exists, but that will defo kick off a separate debate. So I’ll leave it there for now.) Good point. We could also ask why the “man of her dreams” in movies is usually a rich guy. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/67 "2010-01-02T20:56:38Z")
_Love Potion #9_ is about two dorky scientists (one woman, one man) who use the titular potion to attract gorgeous members of the opposite sex. The woman even winds up being proposed to by a prince. Of course, as the story progresses, both scientists transform into very attractive people themselves (they are played by Sandra Bullock and Tate Donovan). ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/68 "2010-01-02T21:59:42Z")
There’s [Sugarbaby](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090377/), a 1985 German film where Marianne Sägebrecht (dorky and quite overweight) lures Eisi Gulp (a slim blond gymnast who looks a bit like a young Sting) away from his beautiful, high-maintenance wife. She doesn’t get to keep him and the ending is both ambiguous and sad. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/69 "2010-01-02T22:19:21Z")
Elisabeth Shue in The Saint. At least they let her keep the bad hair and absorption in her work at the end of the movie. She’s obviously Hollywood unattractive, but it’s also obvious that The Saint is attracted to her intelligence and personality. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/70 "2010-01-02T23:27:09Z")
> [@spoke-](#): > > Well yeah, but in how many of the “dorky guy” movies is the guy genuinely unattractive (versus Hollywood unattractive)? I want to see the actress equivalent of [Jonah Hill](http://filmonic.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/seth700.jpg) (to be fair, he doesn’t quite ‘get’ the girl in _Superbad_, though the seeds are planted). ---
**Author:** ![jellyblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@jellyblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellyblue)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/71 "2010-01-03T08:14:45Z")
Mostly anything with Debra Winger in the 80’s/90’s - Officer and A Gentleman, Legal Eagles (cute movie), and the one with John Travolta - I can’t even remember the name of it. FTR, I think she was really cute, but that’s how the movies were written. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/72 "2010-01-03T14:17:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > _Twilight_ (which is very much a Mary Sue role) Twilight doesn’t really count. Bella merely thinks of herself as unattractive. Pretty much every guy she ever meets wants to date her. Well, thats how it works in the books. For somebody who hasn’t read the books, I’ve read a lot of reviews. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/73 "2010-01-03T14:28:23Z")
The American Pie films. Dorky band camper Alyson Hannigan gets an equally dorky Jason Biggs. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/74 "2010-01-03T15:02:09Z")
Would you describe Jason Biggs as the man of her dreams though? ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/75 "2010-01-03T15:44:12Z")
[Carrie?](http://www.best-horror-movies.com/image-files/carry-prom.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/76 "2010-01-03T16:33:39Z")
_In and Out_: Joan Cusack gets the attractive Hollywood star. > **[In & Out (1997) ⭐ 6.4 | Comedy, Romance](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119360/)** > > 1h 30m | PG-13 ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/77 "2010-01-03T16:50:16Z")
[babycakes](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096872/), with Ricki Lake and Craig Sheffer, or the original german movie this was a remake of, [Zuckerbaby](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090377/). ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/78 "2010-01-03T18:00:34Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > _In and Out_: Joan Cusack gets the attractive Hollywood star. > > [In & Out (1997) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119360/) Technically as I recall he got her, he’d had a thing for her since he was a pupil in her class and then he went on to become a star but always thought about her. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/79 "2010-01-03T18:01:26Z")
_Originally posted by **miss elizabeth** _ > [@](#): > > How about Secretary? Maggie Gyllenhaal looks quite plain throughout that movie, although in the ending she is much prettier. That’s pretty much my favorite romantic movie. Whaaah? Ok, for starters all my friends and I have discussed this and we all agree Maggie G. is so completely non-special we can’t understand what Hollywood sees in her. I think she fits the thread very well in practically _everything_ she’s ever been in. However … you think “Secretary” is a romantic film? One of us has the wrong idea about what “romance” is, but I can’t actually decide which I find more appealing. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325/80 "2010-01-03T18:07:45Z")
> [@Gorgon\_Heap](#): > > Whaaah? Ok, for starters all my friends and I have discussed this and we all agree Maggie G. is so completely non-special we can’t understand what Hollywood sees in her. I think she fits the thread very well in practically _everything_ she’s ever been in. > > However … you think “Secretary” is a romantic film? One of us has the wrong idea about what “romance” is, but I can’t actually decide which I find more appealing. OK, then how about _Dark Knight_ wherein she has _two_ Prince Charmings competing for her? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-dorky-not-conventionally-attractive-girl-gets-the-guy-of-her-dreams-spoilers-ok/523325.md?page=5)