Top 10 Underrated Heartthrobs from 2000s Movies
#10: Prince Charmont “Ella Enchanted” (2004)
Hugh Dancy played the hero in a few underrated movies during the noughties - from “The Jane Austen Book Club” to “Confessions of a Shopaholic”. But he’s at his most charming in this playful fairytale-inspired rom-com. Prince Char is heir to the kingdom but hasn’t fully embraced his responsibilities. When he meets the passionate Ella, played by Anne Hathaway, she makes him want to be a better man. He might be a spoiled prince, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously and he’s willing to learn from the girl he loves. He’s fun too, always ready to take on the next adventure.
#9: Kevin O’Donnell “Coyote Ugly” (2000)
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“Coyote Ugly” was a favorite with 2000s teens, but not all of us were watching the bartenders. When aspiring songwriter Violet first meets Kevin, she’s under the impression that he’s a local bar owner who can help her promote her music. Turns out he’s just a drifter. But he still does what he can to help her achieve her dreams. Coaching Violet through her stage-fright and pushing her to step out of her comfort zone, Kevin doesn’t always get it right. But his heart’s in the right place. And with that accent and those abs, we’d forgive him almost anything.
#8: Alex Browning “Final Destination” (2000)
It only took five minutes for nineties kids to fall in love with Casper in his human form, so a whole movie featuring Devon Sawa was a dream come true. In the first installment of the “Final Destination” franchise, he plays Alex Browning, whose timely premonition saves a handful of his classmates from a plane crash. But death doesn’t like to be cheated and it comes for each of them in turn. Alex begins the movie as a dorky every-guy, but as the story progresses he turns from a frightened teenager into a bit of a hero. Sawa showcases his acting range and makes us believe in Alex’s journey. Here’s hoping he returns for the upcoming 6th film, should it be a reboot!
#7: Warren Peace “Sky High” (2005)
In a school for teens with superhero powers, the villains’ kids will naturally be viewed with suspicion. But that doesn’t explain why the creators of “Sky High” ignored the all too obvious chemistry between Layla and Warren Peace. She was the overlooked best friend, pining after the protagonist. He was the bad-boy from the wrong side of the tracks. But Warren understood her better than Will ever did. He looks after Layla when Will stands her up and even agrees to be her fake date to homecoming. But romance is not in his arc. The hero gets the girl and Warren gets to be Will’s new best friend instead.
#6: Ethan “Something Borrowed” (2011)
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Lesson one to learn from “Something Borrowed”: If you want movie-goers to invest in a ship, don’t cast John Krasinski as the loser in your love triangle. Or, in this case, love square. Krasinski plays Ethan, who loves Rachel, who loves Dex, who is her best friend’s fiance. You can’t help who you fall for. But Dex is a cheat and a liar and Ethan is funny, charming and sweet. When he lets Rachel know that she’s his first choice, it’s difficult not to root for them. It’s one of those movies where you can’t shake the sense that she ended up with the wrong guy.
#5: Max Campion / Johnny Martin “Penelope” (2006)
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An American accented James McAvoy cuts a dashing figure in this underrated fantasy rom-com from 2006. Posing as blue blooded Max Campion, he steals Penelope’s heart (and ours) as he attempts to bring her out of her shell and into the real world. He may not have the power to break the curse, but he’s got plenty of other attributes. With his soulful eyes and typically 2000s hair, he plays the piano and can jump a gate and make it look easy. Plus, he loves our heroine just the way she is.
#4: Kostas Dounas “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (2005)
Based on the book by Ann Brashares, “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” follows four best friends during a long summer apart. Lena’s storyline takes her to Greece, where she falls for local guy Kostas. Lena is shy of meeting new people, but Kostas is kind and straightforward and she soon becomes comfortable with him. He pays no attention to the petty feud between their families and encourages Lena to let go of her inhibitions and have fun. There are bigger themes than holiday romance at play in this movie, but Michael Rady’s Kostas isn’t easily forgotten.
#3: Matt Flamhaff “13 Going on 30” (2004)
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Matt begins “13 Going on 30” as the nerdy best friend to Jenna, the teenaged heroine. But by the time she finds herself ‘thirty, flirty and thriving,’ he has morphed into peak Mark Ruffalo. In the intervening years, Jenna’s quest for popularity and perfection made her lose sight of what was important. But Matt stayed kind and he never stopped loving her. Matt’s quiet happiness when reconnecting with Jenna and his hurt at the way he’s been treated in the past are acted with a touching sensitivity. His final goodbye and declaration of love is heartbreaking. Matt doesn’t need to play the ‘nice guy’ card because his actions speak louder. We know he’s one of the good ones.
#2: Travis Brody “Hannah Montana: The Movie” (2009)
When a TV character gets their own movie, it’s unlikely that their big screen love interest is going to be end-game. When the protagonist goes back to their episodic world, they need to be able to move on to the next person. That’s bad luck for Miley Stewart, because Travis was pretty much perfect! In the “Hannah Montana” movie, Miley returns to her hometown to reconnect with her roots and take a break from Hannah for a while. There she reunites with Lucas Till’s Travis Brody, who knew her when they were kids. With his Southern manners and laid-back charm, he helps her keep her feet on the ground. And he was gorgeous, wasn’t he?
#1: Derek Reynolds “Save the Last Dance” (2001)
The noughties had its fair share of dance movie heroes, but Derek, star of “Save the Last Dance” doesn’t get the kudos he deserves. Portrayed by Sean Patrick Thomas, Derek falls for Julia Stiles’s new girl Sara, when she moves into the neighborhood. He’s been accepted into medical school and helps support his sister and her son. But he still finds time to discover Sara’s hopes and dreams and encourage her to realize them. They face some opposition as a mixed-race couple, but Derek has no time for other people’s prejudices. Theirs is a simple but hopeful love story and the actors have great chemistry.
