Every lead character in a movie needs a few things: a signature hairstyle, a quality catchphrase, and most importantly, a sidekick. A good sidekick serves as a foil to the main character, bringing to the table a contrasting personality and appearance. The best movie sidekicks also help the viewer to see the main character through an insider's eyes, and their interactions reveal more about the protagonist than the narrative action alone. Additionally, sidekicks can be comic relief, lightening things up when the current situation is a downer. And there's no better example of this than in the movies of the 2000s. The movie sidekicks of the '00s were funny, earnest, and as imperfect as the characters whose sides they stood at. They were the faithful best friends, coworkers, and sometimes even pets of the main characters. And, a lot of the time, they were a little weird.
No, really. One of the great things about being a sidekick is that you can have all the personality characteristics that were deemed too quirky for the main character. If you're only getting, like, 30% of the screentime, people don't really mind if you have a bigger-than-life personality. Hence, the cinema has a long history of outrageous sidekicks, although there are also plenty whose demeanors are a bit tamer. Check out all of the different personalities and roles of some of the most iconic '00s movies sidekicks.
1. Ron, The Harry Potter Series
Harry would never would have survived his many encounters with You-Know-Who if it weren't for his spunky BFF.
2. Saul, Pineapple Express
A weed dealer played by James Franco makes for one hell of a sidekick.
3. Cal, Talladega Nights
John C. Reilly's Cal was best bud to Will Ferrell's Ricky Bobby in this comedy, complete with a catchphrase handshake.
4. Brenda, Scary Movie
Brenda was always there for Cindy, until things got too scary, at which point she bailed ASAP.
5. Sam, The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
Possibly the most loyal sidekick ever, Sam followed Frodo to the end of the world and back. Like, literally.
6. Lilly, Princess Diaries
Lilly was Mia's smart and sassy sidekick, whose opinions were as numerous as her hair clips.
7. Barry, High Fidelity
Jack Black was an over-the-top salesclerk at a music store, where he always offered words of wisdom to cheer up John Cusack's character Rob. He also sang a dope version of "Let's Get It On".
8. Gretchen, Mean Girls
The Brutus to Regina's Caesar. Also, her dad was the inventor of toaster strudel, in case you forgot.
9. Donkey, Shrek
Sweet, unassuming, and a notorious overtalker, Donkey eventually worked his way into Shrek's heart.
10. McLovin, Superbad
Evan and Seth were not nearly appreciative enough to have a sidekick who put his neck on the line to buy them booze, and who used phrases like "Chicka-chicka-yeah...".
11. Michelle, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
You know that friend who's still stuck on a guy she dated for two weeks last year? That's Michelle. But she's also kind, and even impersonated a therapist to help Andy trick her fake boyfriend into thinking they were going to couples' therapy. It's a long story.
12. Pedro, Napoleon Dynamite
You don't need to understand this friendship to appreciate it. Just watch and enjoy.
These sidekicks have a ton of character, and in some cases actually steal the show. It's a good reminder that you don't necessarily need to be the main star to shine the brightest. And, thankfully, you don't have to travel back in time to enjoy these '00s movie sidekicks today.
Images: Paramount, Giphy (12)
