Who isn’t familiar with the classic Manic Pixie Dream Girls, that character archetype in films and books who bring a little extra light and toxicity into their male counterparts’ lives? But what about Manic Pixie Dream Boys (MPDBs)? They are out there, too – it just seems that they don’t get as much appreciation. Take the film Still Breathing as a Manic Pixie Dream Boy example: Fletcher McBracken is an unforgettable character played by Brendan Fraser who definitely fits the Manic Pixie Dream Guy type.
6 Traits of a Manic Pixie Dream Boyfriend (As Evidenced By The Still Breathing Movie)
1. One with His Inner Child
Most people who would travel to China based on a vague dream would be described as reckless, but when Fletcher McBracken it comes off as endearingly curious. Fletcher embraces his inner child and has no ties holding him back. He is spontaneous and that’s part of his Manic Pixie Dream Guy allure.
2. Fletcher Has an Innocence About Him
Fletcher has an innocence about him that makes his perspective on the world unique. He’s not bogged down with the worries and anxieties that plague the typical person. He’s optimistic and has a magical zest for life.
3. Busts out Sage-Like Wisdom
Paradoxically, Manic Pixie Dream Guys often also have a sage-like wisdom. Fletcher definitely fits into this category too. He’s able to provide advice and words of wisdom out of nowhere that the protagonist needs to hear, which often helps her make important decisions.
4. Free-Spirited Energy
What kind of guy can randomly decide to fly to China only to miss the flight, stay in LA for a few days, fly back to his hometown of Texas, and back to LA a little bit later? A Manic Pixie Dream Guy of course. Fletcher is free-spirited and has an energy about him that makes him unique.
5. Determined To Make The Female Lead’s Life Magical
Manic Pixie Dream Guys have a different way of seeing the world. We see that in the wisdom they impart but also in how they live their lives. Fletcher sees the magic in the world in the smallest of places. Even when he stacks rocks on top of each other and calls it art.
6. Attractive in Personality and Looks
What would a Manic Pixie Dream Guy be without being dreamy? That’s a rhetorical question because Manic Pixie Dream Guys are almost always alluring in personality and looks. Not only does Brendan Fraser fit the criteria for a dreamy guy, but he also creates a magnetic persona that draws people in.
Experience Brendan Fraser’s Manic Pixie Dream Character in Still Breathing
Still Breathing is a film, one of the best 90s romance movies that stars Brendan Fraser and Joanna Going in a magical romance. When artist and street performer Fletcher (Brendan Fraser) thinks con artist Roz (Joanna Going) is the woman he has seen in a vision, he has no idea she sees him as her next victim.
Watch Still Breathing For Free on Reveel