1. The strict boss is a bitter one
If the protagonist in a movie is a businesswoman, she is likely bitter. This lady will intimidate and humiliate her subordinates. No one will rejoice in her success, as she will be overshadowed by the horror she inspires in the people around her. This is exactly what the protagonist of The Proposal is like, at the beginning of the film, and Miranda Priestly, from The Devil Wears Fashion.
By contrast, powerful and influential men, such as Christian Gray in Fifty Shades of Grey, are not repulsive at all. On the contrary, their behavior seems to make them more attractive.
2. If the groom leaves his fiancée, he is a scoundrel
In the movies, when the groom leaves the bride at the altar, he is branded a scoundrel, and the following scenes are designed to detail the woman's suffering. And even if the bride later forgives her partner, the public "will never forget what she did." Such was the case with Mr. Big, from S- and the City. Viewers are still in awe of the fact that Carrie has resumed her relationship with him, and the character remains widely judged.
However, the story is different when the bride leaves her fiancé. After all, she does it to “gain her independence” or to “find true love”. That's the story we saw in Runaway Bride. In these cases, the characters of the couple are usually not very deep or can even be villains. In this way, they do not provoke empathy.
3. Couples in which the woman appears to be more attractive than the man are common
In movies and TV series, quite beautiful women are often shown dating men who are considered less attractive. And here it is not about our value judgment (after all, beauty is subjective), but about the general impression, which is often conveyed by filmmakers. For example, Charlotte from S- and the City, at first, wasn't too interested in Harry because of his looks, but then she fell in love with him.
However, "ordinary" women do not usually charm handsome men as if by magic. A rather rare exception is the protagonist of the film Bridget Jones's Diary. Despite all of her complexes with her appearance, Bridget makes two handsome guys fight over her love.
4. When a guy chases a girl, it's scary
In film productions and television series, men who pursue the woman they are interested in are scary. And for good reason: this character usually doesn't know when to stop and ends up doing terrible things. That is what, for example, happens to the character in the You series.
But if a girl runs after a guy, the situation is presented comically. For example, Helga from Hey Arnold! made an altar in honor of the boy she liked. And Elle Woods from Legally Blonde stalked her ex and followed him to college to try and win him back.
5. If the father does not pay attention to his son, the public will forgive him
Often in films, parents are shown who do not pay enough attention to their children or simply cannot establish a good relationship with them. The only problem is that neglectful fathers often appear in sitcoms, while "bad" mothers are characters in dramas. An example of comedy about a father who disappoints his son over and over again is the movie Liar, Liar. In it, Jim Carrey's character misses his son's birthday, but throughout the plot, he manages to change his attitude.
However, even when a mother who has not treated her son as she should, becomes a character in a sitcom and changes her attitude in the end, the public will never forgive her previous behavior. Kate McCallister from My Poor Little Angel, for example, is still considered one of the worst mothers in the film world. Many people seem to overlook the fact that Kevin was forgotten not only by his mother but also by his father.
