It's not that implausible as when you consider that they'll have affairs with people who they see often...

@silverhawkins said:

I generally struggle to love a film where all of the characters are so unlikeable. I find this is a trait a lot of films and TV shows suffer from. They try and make themselves so gritty and 'real' that actually, it's not particularly enjoyable to watch.

A friend and I felt that way about a film that we'd watched together. But what is the alternative? I'm not that big on filmmakers contriving to force my identification with characters... y'know, cue up the sad music and the whole enchilada... however, these characters were, as you pointed out, all pretty unlikeable. Still a good film though.

I tend to really like films and tv shows where all the characters are unlikable. Succession is my new favourite tv show. So long as the characters are not written 2 dimensionally it can be very entertaining , especially if the writing is sharp. Though I can't remember what they're like in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.

I find watching something like say The Social Network, where the protagonist is portrayed as such a scumbag more enjoyable than something with you're average good guy. It's partly the shock value of seeing what they say and do next. But also because you're seeing someone unrestrained by the social expectations of society (often because of money or power). There's kind of a tension to it. I wouldn't want to meet them in real life but I find it a blast to watch.

But villainous characters can still be likeable. El Patron Del Mal (and just about every other show about Pablo Escobar) work so well because his character is an antihero, it's clear why people are loyal to him and love him, even while it's clear that he's a bad person. Similarly Breaking Bad was a show where almost every character is hugely likeable (Skylar excepted), and none of them are 'average good guys'. Ozarks, Better Call Saul, Utopia, The Boys, Fargo... the best shows have at least some characters with charm and wit, and when you look down lists of the top rated films and TV shows pretty much anywhere, they're all laden with memorable, likeable characters. When I say 'likeable' I don't necessarily mean they're people you'd become friends with (although man alive, pick pretty much anyone to have a pint with in The West Wing and I'll be there), more that you 'like' to watch them. Characters who are endlessly dour are just off putting. It's such a trend these days, presumably for the reasons outlined by JJF above, but it tends to turn most viewing experiences into a bit of a chore.

@silverhawkins said:

But villainous characters can still be likeable. El Patron Del Mal (and just about every other show about Pablo Escobar) work so well because his character is an antihero, it's clear why people are loyal to him and love him, even while it's clear that he's a bad person. Similarly Breaking Bad was a show where almost every character is hugely likeable (Skylar excepted), and none of them are 'average good guys'. Ozarks, Better Call Saul, Utopia, The Boys, Fargo... the best shows have at least some characters with charm and wit, and when you look down lists of the top rated films and TV shows pretty much anywhere, they're all laden with memorable, likeable characters. When I say 'likeable' I don't necessarily mean they're people you'd become friends with (although man alive, pick pretty much anyone to have a pint with in The West Wing and I'll be there), more that you 'like' to watch them. Characters who are endlessly dour are just off putting. It's such a trend these days, presumably for the reasons outlined by JJF above, but it tends to turn most viewing experiences into a bit of a chore.

Yes, very true. I do really need to watch The West Wing.

The world is full of different types of people... including loathsome people as well as just very flawed and unflattering people... These movies are a window into the kind of lives that many of us try to avoid IRL...