Unlikable protagonists

Sometimes it seems like Hollywood goes out of its way to make its protagonists unlikable right off the bat.

Take "Going the Distance" which I just started watching right now.

Our first encounter with the heroine, played by Drew Barrymore. She's sitting in the editor's office at the newspaper where she's an intern watching the editor drown her story in red magic marker corrections. He tells her "good reporting, it needs to be completely restructured, and running through a spell checker couldn't hurt. 'Munincipal Court? I don't think I know where that is."

OK, set aside the fact that this is what copy editors do all day. It's their job -- a lot of stories filed in a hurry for daily deadlines have spelling errors and perhaps sub-optimal structure. Producing a story for the morning paper is a team effort.

Set all that aside (again, please), she leaves the editor's office and her friend asks "Where are you going?"

"I'm 31. I'm an intern. I'm going to get wasted."

OK, you have now caused me to despise your main character. Thanks. Hmm, just because your boss doesn't shower you with praise, you're going to go get wasted? Don't suppose that could have anything to do with why you're 31 and an intern, could it hon? Nahhh. Wouldn't be any point in sitting down and ... ohhh ... maybe doing that restructuring your boss recommended.

In one vignette, I've learned that the character is an irresponsible loser and I don't care if she gets hit by a truck in the next scene. Doesn't bode well for the rest of the movie.

Our hero's opening scene is similarly uninspiring. He's a kind of a thick doofus who won't commit, but who can blame him because his shrill girlfriend is the type who likes to play the "when I say I don't want you to get me a birthday present, it means I want you to get me a really great birthday present" game. As an older guy, I have to say, the guy is better off without her. Imagine that kind of mind game. The. Rest. Of. Your. Life.

Thanks for hauling me right into the story, Hollywood. Shallow bland, loser main characters. Mmm, way to make me want to keep watching.