Word: jerk
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Following quickly on the heels of another aeronautical thriller, “Red Eye,” “Flightplan” represents a new incarnation of the in-flight thriller, one that must contend with the public’s knee-jerk connections to recent historical realities. But “Flightplan” works so well precisely because it refuses to get bogged down in prevailing American biases...
...biology concentrator in Leverett House. With the incendiary perspective of a cynical senior, he hopes to discuss Harvard and senior life while combating political correctness and knee-jerk liberalism – and maybe ruffle a few feathers along the way. His column, “Seniority Complex,” will appear on alternate Fridays...
...These subjects are controversial enough that I do expect, and have already received, some knee-jerk reactions: on the right, saying that this [is a way of saying] that the origins of this nation aren't Christian, or some kind of politically correct glorifying of savages; and on the left, saying that I am trashing them by saying they are violent, and not perfect stewards of nature. In fact, Indians were human beings, just like anybody else. Like anybody else, they did some absolutely amazing stuff, and some stuff that makes you roll your eyes...
Dabney Coleman established himself as Hollywood's go-to smarmy jerk in such sublimely '80s comedies as Nine to Five and Tootsie. But he hit his apex of riotous unlikability in this 1983-84 sitcom about local talk-show host Bill Bittinger. Selfish, lecherous and desperate to move up the career ladder, he irritated and deceived his crew (including a young Geena Davis) with impeccable smarminess. Bill presaged HBO's Larry Sanders and The Office's David Brent, but it took TV a decade or two to catch up with him. Thankfully...
...sentimentality. They are people, not case studies. In the pilot, for instance, Sam dates a sweet girl whom he tricks into dressing like an actress from a cookie commercial. He does this, we see, because of deep body-image and intimacy issues (also because he's kind of a jerk...