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Lloyd Dobbler's my favourite of the picks. Although at heart I think I'm closer to William Miller. I try try try sooooo hard to be cool, but I'm just not. Never will be. Instead I have to wear Clash t-shirts and have posters of the Beatles and the Stones all over my walls, despite being too old for that kind of thing, in the vain hope that I may become vicariously cool somehow.
Ain't happened yet.
Though "Almost Famous" is almost a perfect film for me - I knew my answer before I heard the options: Lloyd Dobbler. Lloyed Dobbler RUINED all other high school and college guys for me. Dobbler is so singular, unique, dimensional, intelligent, and full of undirected potential - he made all the other guys a bit boring. In the long run, Crowe probably did me a big favor by raising the bar on character.
I love the world that I get to see through William Miller's eyes. But the one I find most compelling and can hang out with again and again is Lloyd.
I'm no Crowe fan, but it just can't be Almost Famous. If the only interesting character in your movie is an MPDG groupie, you've made a bad movie.
I went with Janet Livermore/Steve Dunn, but only because I think that William Miller is going to win. And because I love the movie Singles, in a way one can only love a movie when you watch it too many times as a teenager. And because Cameron Crowe named a character Janet Livermore. Janet Livermore!
Thanks to Erin for posting that link to the article. I've always wanted to read it, but not enough to do the archival digging.
I just recently read the actual article that Cameron Crowe wrote for Rolling Stone (we all know that William Miller is Cameron Crowe and that Stillwater is the Allman Brothers, right? Just checking). It is pretty fascinating in light of the existence of Almost Famous. Rolling Stone has made it available here: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-allman-brothers-story-19731206
Also, I voted for William Miller. But I respect the hell out of Lloyd. #InYourEyes
Indianapolis, IN
I am not shocked that Almost Famous is winning this considering the Filmspotting audience. However, I am shocked that Jerry Maguire is so low on votes! Are people insane? Cruise is charismatic in a very charismatic love story. Who doesn't cry during the "You complete me" scene toward the end of the film? This is a very well written character with a lot of depth that is displayed throughout the movie, and I believe he has the biggest transition than the other characters on the list. Shame on all of you that voted for anyone else! Have a nice day :).
Another vote for Penny Lane
I adore Almost Famous like few other movies but let's be honest : the main character isn't that compelling. Sure, he is cute in his awkward precocious teenager sort of way, but mostly he lacks presence and is only witty with a pen in his hand, not to mention how annoyingly naive and innocent he can be. Lloyd Dobbler on the other hand is fun, cool and genuinely funny. He is the guy you want to spend your time with and gets my vote here.
But really, it's Penny Lane we all want to hang out with, and whoever says otherwise is lying -or has no heart.
This vote immediately narrows to William and Lloyd, and though I know William is likely to win, I urge you to cast a vote for Lloyd. Here’s why: Since there a female on the list, and even if she is only a half, I will assume that female heroes qualify. In that case, we have an easy dismissal of William as a hero, because the true hero of Almost Famous is Penny Lane. She touches the lives of everyone she knows, and William barely even registers with his own sister. William is obsessive in his goal, and the entire film is about his need to finish his article, not about his relationships with others. He is our window in to the world of Stillwater. He is a passive character for most of the movie, and other characters react far more to the fact that he is writing an article, than to who he is as a person. Place any other character of wide eyed innocence in his part and you would get the same movie. And just as the “deflowering” scene occurs simply because he is a virgin, the movie occurs because of his article. William is an artist, and his art transcends his personal relationships. But it is Penny that enables him to reach his goal, and she is the true hero of the film. If she were on this list, the choice would be much more difficult.
Enter Lloyd Dobbler. Early in the movie he gets his dream date, and he ends up being the key master and accepts his role even though it is the final school party and all he wants to do is hang out with Diane. For most of the movie even, Lloyd spends his time worrying about the welfare of others, yes, mostly Diane, but he also helps his friends, his sister, his nephew, and even his antagonist in the film, Diane’s father. Even though he doesn’t dramatically change anyones life, it is his kindness that woos Diane, his strength that guides his sister, his playfulness that mentors his nephew, and his honesty which disarms Diane’s father. When our hero is stabbed in the heart with a pen, he recovers and continues his selfless behavior, even though he tries to declare himself a new Lloyd. And what hero has ever embodied or lived a speech as great as the one Lloyd effortlessly offers up to the most difficult of challenges… the inquisition by the father of a girlfriend. “If you were Diane Court, would you fall for Lloyd…?” Yeah!
What? No love for David Ames from the criminally underrated Vanilla Sky? Eh, guess it's William Miller for me.