Lately, this trend has been appealing to most girls, to be different and “quirky”. Where this “quirky” girl’s personality is based on them doing something crazy. Like…eating… or watching Netflix and chilling at home. When in reality, these are normal things to do, not totally out of the world, crazy, unique, never thought of ideas.

Where putting down the supposedly ‘average” female, in order to make themselves feel better or look cool is actually just misogynistic or slut-shaming by being less girly or feminine. 

Main Personality Types: 

All these Manic PIxie Dream Girls usually share a common personality trait. 

• Outgoing/Extroverted 
• weird taste in fashion/music “oddballs”
• don’t care about what other people think 

But why are these MPDG girls interested in these boring and lame dudes who often mistreat or take advantage of them. Where their relationships are often a compromise.

Since these types of films never have a happy ending where the two lead characters get together. The purpose is to change the male protagonist’s life (the sad boy) for the better.

The MPDG “completes” the male protagonist or is so admired because she is what the sad boy can never be…

Common “Quirky” Girls

Edgy: despises other girls because they are “sluts”. Personally she doesn’t wear makeup and guys fall in love with her cause she’s different/tomboy.

Shallow: hates drama and doesn’t care about anybody else or what they think of her and to male friends, she is like “one of the other guys”. The ”I can open my own door” type.

Sadistic: tragic past, a victim of a bully, abused, but beautiful, shy, smart yet poor. 

All three are never explored to a much deeper level because, by that time, they already had disappeared from the guy’s life and are no longer part of the story. Although I believe the stories could have more meaning if they were to. 

Examples of the character portrayed in Hollywood:

Through a phenomenon called “manic pixie dream girl” a term created by Nathan Rabin. This character is mainly formed at the idea of the male protagonist. Its purpose is to fulfill that boy and to change his life for the better, only to suddenly disappear at the end. Leaving just as she first came. 

StarGirl (2020)

Stargirl was one of the most infamous quirky girls from the early 2000s. She’s one of the most extra and dramatic students to ever appear. She especially makes a long-lasting impact on another student, Leo. Thus, their story begins.

Paper Towns (2015)

Margo Roth Spiegelman was a pretentious and rebellious student, who loved solving mysteries. Her life was full of surprises and instability, there was never any room for her childhood best friend Quentin to join. Although mesmerized by her uniqueness and adventurous state, their romantic relationship would never last and was very unrealistic.

Ruby Sparks (2012)

Ruby Sparks is a fictional character created by author Calvin Weir-Fields. Due to his lack of romance in his life, he one day dreamt of a beautiful redhead who was vivacious and eccentric. Where Calvin could “edit” her character and write her as he wishes.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Sam, a free-spirited senior in high school with her step-brother Patrick befriend Charlie, our main protagonist, and the sad loner of the story. Charlie is just an ordinary freshman nerd who has fallen deeply in love with Sam, who always seems to date the “wrong guy”.

500 Days of Summer (2009)

Tom, an unhappy, hopeless romantic seeks a love life, when suddenly he meets Summer. Summer is a peculiar and overjoyed girl who simply does whatever she wants. This amuses Tom. But as they get to know each other, they realize how different they really are. So Tom spends the rest of his days pondering what went wrong in their relationship.

Watching the Detectives (2007)

Neil, a film buff, has an argument with his girlfriend who tells him to stop obsessing over movies and wasting his life. Then he meets Violet, a female who lives her life as if she were in the movie. Admiring her presence he follows her, even though a life full of instability and crime. Wondering if this is the kind of life he actually wants.

Elizabethtown (2005)

Drew Baylor, an aspiring shoe designer recently gets fired from his high paid job. And to make matters worse, he also gets dumped by his girlfriend and he thinks his life can only go downhill from here. However, his flight home, he is approached by flight attendant Claire who helps him understand the beauty of life again.

Garden State (2004)

Andrew Largeman, a former actor, decided to return to his humble state, where he meets an amateur yet excited musician, Sam, who is full of life. As they spend more time together, they create a closer bond in their relationship, maybe even completing each other.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Clementine is a weird and outgoing girl, that undergoes a procedure to erase the memories of her painful breakup. Joel, her ex-boyfriend, finds out what she’s been doing and decided to do the same. Throughout the story, you witness first hand the humble beginnings of the romance and what went wrong.

Sweet November (2001)

Nelson Moss and Sara Deever meet unexpectedly at a DMV. As time passes, the two began to converse and attempt at a relationship together. But after one month they would go their separate ways and will simply forget each other.

Almost Famous (2000)

This semi-autobiographical film is about a young boy Russell Hammond, who loves music. After getting a writing assignment with the Rolling Stones, he meets Penny Lane. From that encounter, she opens Russell’s mind to a whole new world he had never known.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

Holly Golightly, a woman who simply does whatever she wants whenever she can, meets Paul Varjak one day in his apartment. Holly is what Paul wishes he could be. As adventurous, assertive, and outgoing as she was, she taught Paul something about himself that had yet to be discovered.

However, I think that this whole concept can be summed up in one image:

Thank you so much for reading! Comment down below your thoughts or any movies I may have missed!