Four Movies Every Guy Should See

Sooner or later, every publication targeted at men provides a list of movies that every man should see. Far too often, however, these lists focus on movies notable primarily for their sheer testosterone levels--action blockbusters, crime films, and sports epics. While the movies featured in such lists are indeed very enjoyable, they rarely speak to the experiences of the average guy. It is important here to distinguish between "men" and "guys." Men go to war, run corporations, kill things, and triumph over impossible odds. Guys, on the other hand, go to work, drink a lot of beer, and spend most of their time trying to find (or keep) a woman who will put up with them. The movies described here are not about explosions and car crashes, they are about being a guy.

Caddyshack While Caddyshack often shows up on "manly movie" lists, the focus is always on Bill Murray's character, whose battle with a troublesome gopher is a skewed version of the classic "manly" tale of man against beast. What few reviewers recognize is the nonconformist streak running through the film, especially in the form or the Chevy Chase and Rodney Dangerfield characters. These characters allow us to vicariously flip the bird at the establishment (pefectly embodied by Ted Knight), even if we can't do the same in real life.

This Is Spinal Tap Since all guys, regardless of musical talent, have at some point fantasized about being rock stars, Spinal Tap at first seems like just another escapist fantasy. The difference is that, unlike the protagonist in most movies of this type, the members of Spinal Tap are woefully incompetent. They screw things up just as much as we do, and that makes us feel better about our lives.

The Big Lebowski Although this movie has everything a guy could ask for, from bowling to topless women on trampolines, its real appeal is its main character, The Dude. Like the nonconformists in Caddyshack, Jeff Lebowski is his own man. Despite the strange situations he becomes involved in, The Dude handles everything with a Zen-like calm that we wish we could emulate. In reality, most of us have more in-common with The Dude's tightly-wound sidekick, Walter.

High Fidelity This movie, based Nick Hornby's excellent book of the same name, tells the story of Rob, and aging Gen Xer who owns a music shop. After breaking up with his girlfriend, Rob examines his life and realizes that life isn't as bad as he thought. While he's not a success in the traditional sense of the word, he's doing what he wants to do. The idea of defining your own terms of success, regardless of what society may tell you, is one that most guys can appreciate.

Like all such lists, this one is based entirely on the author's personal preferences, biases, and neuroses. For example, some guys would place Office Space or Clerks on the list for many of the same reasons I included High Fidelity, but my love of music and appreciation of John Cusack's work ultimately won out. While you may not agree that these are the best "guy movies" around, chances are you'll find something to like about each of them.