Lovable Losers

This morning as I'm driving in to work, I notice that the Orlando Sentinel billboard just north of town (it's kind of cool, it uses light bulbs - like a car dealership sign - to promote three things every morning - articles, sections, coupons, whatever) is promoting an article in today's paper that examines why movie heros are such losers right now.

I haven't read the article in the paper yet and they don't seem to have it linked on their website, but I figured that I would go ahead and comment on the loser hero concept anyway, as the Sentinel article really won't change my position in the least.

Loser heros are so popular because people like losers. Admit it, you know someone like Jack Black in that new movie The School of Rock. They might be a coworker, a neighbor, a relative. But someone, somewhere in your life is a loser.

And while you love watching their incessant screwups and you love how they make you feel better about yourself, deep down inside, hope springs eternal. Even though they're a loser - an unreformed, uninformed, unrepentant, and unlikely to change loser - you still pull for them to, for one moment, one day, to actually do something to contribute to society.

And that hope welling up is why we like the loser hero movies. It gives an opportunity to root for the lovable loser who finally makes good, unlike that lazy coworker. It gives us an opportunity to believe in the potential of losers, despite the actions of your loser brother-in-law.

Movies with loser heros are movies of hope and goodness. They act as a salve in a cyncial and oftentimes negative world.

Loser heros give us hope. That is why we love the losers.

UPDATE: Curt of The Happy Husband has pointed out that the Sentinel finally has the story linked on their site. Here it is for your reading pleasure.