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Original poster

To think British men are almost always nothing like those portrayed in movies and tv series?

205 replies

Sweetsfromheaven · 09/01/2026 08:12

As a foreigner living here for many years, I am sorely disappointed in the calibre of British men. 😒 Don't get me wrong, I don't live in fantasy, just be nice to meet a good man.

OP posts:
Latebloomer121 · 09/01/2026 19:04

Oneisnotamused · 09/01/2026 11:58

British men are great. They are good conversationalists (not all but many are). They have a decent, self-deprecating sense of humour. They can be witty. Some are a bit rough around the edges but some people like that!

Personally I don’t like men from other countries. They are misogynistic, condescending and have an over-inflated view of their appearance/superiority. They don’t know how to laugh properly. They bore me to shit. Why don’t you relocate to Afghanistan so that you can obtain a comparison? I’ve heard they treat their women really well.

I also find women from other countries are like this too, particularly European (some parts) or Middle eastern- think they're gorgeous (they're far from it), have an overestimated opinion of themselves, money-orientated, serious, aloof, boring, pretentious, zero sense of humour and high maintenence (when they have nothing to warrant it). I'm a woman BTW.

missmollygreen · 09/01/2026 19:03

Sweetsfromheaven · 09/01/2026 08:12

As a foreigner living here for many years, I am sorely disappointed in the calibre of British men. 😒 Don't get me wrong, I don't live in fantasy, just be nice to meet a good man.

You mean stereotypes and tropes in films are not accurate in real life?! Well I am shocked!

Nichebitch · 09/01/2026 18:58

Kingscallops · 09/01/2026 18:33

Try living in the real world instead of fantasy land and you won't be disappointed. If you're setting yourself high expectations that's on you. Are all Italian men tall dark and handsome as the myth goes?

Edited
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I did say she was generalising and I’m not as thick as your post would suggest. Pretending the movies we grow up with don’t shape our expectations is naive.
also I would say, of the countries I’ve lived in, uk is where reality differs from movies the most, and this is just because there’s less “middle ground people” - I.e. lots of posh types and also Jeremy Kyle show types compared with “normal” types.
But this is one of those threads where people just go against the OP from the start anyway

LetRip · 09/01/2026 18:43

Kingscallops · 09/01/2026 18:16

These threads really are boring now. British culture, education, cuisine and now men. I'm disappointed with many foreign things but I don't need to start a click bait thread.

Right, I’m still cringing over the “I’m ashamed and embarrassed to be British because of our history” thread

Kingscallops · 09/01/2026 18:40

An advanced username search says it all. Goady shite thread.

Jc2001 · 09/01/2026 18:38

Mapleleaf114 · 09/01/2026 09:16

british tv shows movies that are popular abroad: harry potter movies, james bond movies, tv series like doc martin and heartbeat- they dont show eastenders, incest street abroad for a reason so foreigners come here unprepared, another thing is how filthy,the streets and roads everywhere are littered with rubbish and run down uk is-thats not shown either. So any tourist coming here will be shocked on more than one front,by my experience with family and friends visiting

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It's incredible patronising to suggest that the only picture that foreign visitors have formed before arriving are through watching fictional British TV shows.

TonTonMacoute · 09/01/2026 18:37

So, OP couldn't be arsed to return to her own thread 🤔

Kingscallops · 09/01/2026 18:33

Nichebitch · 09/01/2026 18:28

OP, many posters are being silly here.
I’m not British either and I know exactly what you mean, as any other non British person would. You mean the Hugh Grant / Jude Law in the holiday characters. And obviously you’re generalising, but it is a real shocker when you arrive here to see how different reality is from stereotypes. And no, we don’t have this issue in our home countries because most don’t have globally exported romcoms that define a vision of our men (our women) for the rest of the world.

Try living in the real world instead of fantasy land and you won't be disappointed. If you're setting yourself high expectations that's on you. Are all Italian men tall dark and handsome as the myth goes?

MustTryHarderAndHarder · 09/01/2026 18:30

UniquePinkSwan · 09/01/2026 08:16

Loads of nice men out there. I married one.

So did I but I wouldn't say there were lots.

Nichebitch · 09/01/2026 18:28

OP, many posters are being silly here.
I’m not British either and I know exactly what you mean, as any other non British person would. You mean the Hugh Grant / Jude Law in the holiday characters. And obviously you’re generalising, but it is a real shocker when you arrive here to see how different reality is from stereotypes. And no, we don’t have this issue in our home countries because most don’t have globally exported romcoms that define a vision of our men (our women) for the rest of the world.

Moveoverdarlin · 09/01/2026 18:25

Well if you were expecting to land a Hugh Grant, Daniel Craig, Pearce Brosnan, Theo James type chap, I think you need to be fairly high calibre yourself!

Maybe lower your standards and go for a Danny Dyer, Russell Brand, Shane Ritchie sorta guy!

I’m sure foreign blokes are disappointed too when they don’t find Sienna Miller and Keira Knightly in their local Spoons of a Friday evening. 😂

Kingscallops · 09/01/2026 18:19

So do you have an ex Italian boss OP? This is all so familiar.

Kingscallops · 09/01/2026 18:18

JadedVeryJaded · 09/01/2026 08:29

You’re not wrong at all OP. That’s why my current squeeze is from overseas!

UK man - take your pick from mansplaining self obsessed bores (cycling or running or gadgets or work) or overweight shapeless lumps in grubby sports gear (the irony) or effeminate creatures with badly shaped moustaches in yellow teacosy hats and cord trousers that don’t reach their ankles.

Maybe it's the kind of woman they attract.

Kingscallops · 09/01/2026 18:16

These threads really are boring now. British culture, education, cuisine and now men. I'm disappointed with many foreign things but I don't need to start a click bait thread.

AncientMarina · 09/01/2026 18:09

Either OP has left the country in disappointment or an Onslow-alike has swept her off her feet this very day.

FlowerFlour · 09/01/2026 15:38

LorettaY · 09/01/2026 14:19

As a Scottish woman, im still waiting to find a kilted Sam Heughan roaming the countryside 😉

as someone who has lived in Italy, I can tell that disappointing stereotypes exist everywhere.

Exactly!

I think the OP is getting an unfair dragging. She thought a suited Daniel Craig was going to help her with her suitcase as soon as she got off the plane, then Henry Cavill would hold a door open for her, and a young Hugh Grant would make charming conversation with her as they walked through the airport. Her dreams have been crushed, let's have some empathy here.

Haven't we all harboured fantasies about meeting Al Pacino in Sicily, Jamie Fraser in Scotland, Alain Deloin in France and Eric Northman in Sweden? I've been disappointed by reality a thousand times but what can I say? I live in hope. The world needs dreamers.

MaloryJones · 09/01/2026 14:45

XENOPHOBE !
Slagging off British Men in their own Nation
Rotten you are.

Crushed23 · 09/01/2026 14:41

If you’re looking for David Brent, I can introduce you to at least 8 from my old workplace. Let me know.

ImFineItsAllFine · 09/01/2026 14:35

AmIthatSpringy · 09/01/2026 12:25

😂. You're right OP

the number of people online fantasising about rugged Scotsmen sweeping them off their feet is hilarious.

They need to spend the night in Mid Craigie in Dundee.

Or perhaps watch Trainspotting 😂

randomchap · 09/01/2026 14:27

FriendlyFlame · 09/01/2026 14:05

Well, if we see HG less as a handsome, debonair bachelor and more as a man arrested for soliciting a prostitute, vocal about 'not believing in monogamy', and who got two different women pregnant at the same time, there may in fact be quite a few such treasures left.

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At the same time? That's quite the skill

BadLad · 09/01/2026 14:23

Almost nothing is like it’s portrayed on TV. Because TV programs are made to entertain.

LorettaY · 09/01/2026 14:19

As a Scottish woman, im still waiting to find a kilted Sam Heughan roaming the countryside 😉

as someone who has lived in Italy, I can tell that disappointing stereotypes exist everywhere.

Catdrama2 · 09/01/2026 14:10

Whatever you say, OP, British men are funny you cannot take that from them 😂😂😂

BeQuirkyMintScroller · 09/01/2026 14:09

Aluna · 09/01/2026 10:23

Or to put it another way first post is cringe knee jerk insecure defensive

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I disagree. Generally it is inaccurate to say

"All of the men of [insert nationality] are like xyz. All of them. The whole lot. All terrible."

FriendlyFlame · 09/01/2026 14:05

canuckup · 09/01/2026 13:56

No Hugh Grant's left for sure

Well, if we see HG less as a handsome, debonair bachelor and more as a man arrested for soliciting a prostitute, vocal about 'not believing in monogamy', and who got two different women pregnant at the same time, there may in fact be quite a few such treasures left.