- Alternative Character Interpretation: How genuine is Mikey and Strawberry's relationship? It is obvious lust was his primary motivation for getting closer to her, but does he genuinely care for her as the movie goes on? Or, considering how he quick he is to turn on Lexi and Lonnie by the end of the movie, will he abandon Strawberry once he's grown bored of her or if she doesn't help him get a comeback in LA?
- Award Snub: Despite much praise and buzz, Simon Rex did not get any Best Actor love from the Oscars. He did manage to win Best Actor awards at the Independent Spirit Awards and from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
- Base-Breaking Character: While Simon Rex has been universally praised as Mikey Saber, the tension comes from whether or not he's too despicable a protagonist to watch. Nobody is really rooting for him, but his unrepentant narcissism borders on the edge of Too Bleak, Stopped Caring.
- Crosses the Line Twice:
- After Mikey realizes that he has avoided any responsibility for the pileup, he celebrates in the yard... in full view of Lonnie's widowed father, who just looks at him with disgust.
- Mikey bolting across town with everything on display as "Bye Bye Bye" plays.
- The first time Mikey hooks up with Strawberry, she goes down on him in the truck cab... and after his climax, she proudly shows him she swallowed.
- He Really Can Act: As mentioned twice already on this page, Simon Rex more than blew critics and audience members away with his performance.
- Love to Hate: Mikey Saber, of course! The guy is a narcissistic, self-serving douchebag who seeks gratification in a sexual relationship with a high schoolernote , but Simon Rex infuses him with just enough charisma and hilariously over-the-top ego to keep (most) viewers hooked from beginning to end.
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