As Binghamton students, a fair majority of us live reasonably close to ‘the city’. While it’s great being able to work and play in the greatest city in the world, we also get to enjoy watching our home city on the silver screen when we head to the movies. In honor of all of the fantastic films set in New York City, HC Binghamton has compiled a list of our favorite male characters from some classic NYC-set films .
Will Hays: Definitely, Maybe (2008) : Because he is an adorable dad that tells his daughter the story of how he fell in love with her mom. Because most of the movie is a flashback that takes place in the happiest, most awesome decade that we all love to miss ( the 90s). Because he was a nice midwestern boy that came to New York City because he believed in democracy, and meets the love of his life campaigning for Bill Clinton, Because he’s freaking Ryan Reynolds, thats why.
Christian Thompson: The Devil Wears Prada (2006) : He was the uber-chic New York Magazine Essayist that tried to lure Anne Hathaway away from the scruffy, struggling chef boyfriend Nate. He did this all while impossibly procuring Harry Potter Manuscripts and shadily trying to take over Runway Magazine. But the fact that he is so charismatic and stylish is enough to make us forget the fact that he’s kind of a jerk.
Catcher Block: Down With Love (2003): We don’t remember anything about this movie excluding that it was set in New York City in the 1960s, featured a ton of really cute retro fashion, and Ewan McGregor, which is the trifecta as far as we’re concerned.
Paul Tannek: Loser (2000): He is a sweet small town kid on scholarship at an unnamed New York City University that is near impossible to afford (NYU) trying to adjust to life in the city, and his stuck up trust fund baby roommates, all while falling for beautiful bridge-and-tunnel misfit Dora, who is in a dysfunctional relationship with Paul’s shady English professor. The alternative soundtrack gives the movie a wonderfully distinct personality – hello – they go to an everclear concert, and we can forgive the creepy stringy haircut Paul has for 97% of the movie because he rocks a deer hunting hat.
Joe Fox: You’ve Got Mail (1998): Okay so he’s a bit old, but You’ve Got Mail is one of the greatest romantic movies in recent years. It has a spectacular script, that captures the the multi-facted personality of New York City, which in itself is a character. Joe Foxx is rich, slightly arrogant owner of “Fox Books”, but is also warm-hearted, witty, and truly likeable. Meg Ryan is the earnest owner of a small bookstore on the upper west side. Fox puts her out of buisness only to later discover that he has been emailing and falling for her for several months via email. And in the end It’s not personal. It’s love. Cue collective ‘Awe’.