Hi Scott -- I think you are spot on here. But I have been waffling about whether Dad is nemesis or mentor. He may be a bad mentor, but he has imparted his wisdom, and she has taken it to heart. I see how he sets up the thing she is fighting against, which is her inability to commit or let her suitor get close. But she loved her Dad, as was illustrated so beautifully in the graveside service scene. So I have a little trouble seeing him as nemesis.

As you know, Susan, character archetypes are malleable reflecting the organic nature of actual characters. So no right or wrong when ascribing types to characters in analyzing a movie. I could see the father as a Mentor, what I call a Dark Mentor (like Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption who points the way to death for Red). However if Amy's struggle is to in effect 'break up' with her father and his cynical world view about relationships in order to move toward Unity via a relationship with Aaron, then that is suggestive, isn't it? Besides there's no law or rule which says a character can't love a Nemesis figure. Remember, the fundamental reason for a Nemesis to exist is to provide opposition to the Protagonist. That's it. Whether they are evil or not is simply a choice in developing the character's persona. For example in Bridesmaids, Annie is the Protagonist and who provides opposition to her throughout Act II? Helen (Rose Byrne). Eventually Helen turns to the 'good' side and Annie and Helen become allies. But Helen's primary function in the story is to serve as a Nemesis figure to Annie. Always so interesting to dig into a movie's characters and see how they interrelate and what their respective functions are. Thanks, Susan, for your comments!

Hi all. I'm often torn on Nemesis characters as well ... often I find, as with "Trainwreck," the Nemesis is within the Protagonist. They're battling their own demons more so than a real opponent. I missed the fact that Gordon's reinforcement of his view was basically an opposition to Amy's desire to move forward, and thus the moves of a Nemesis. The scene with them in the garden is where this really comes up, though. Neat that you're calling out LeBron as Trickster, I didn't see that at all, but with your commentary, Scott -- absolutely! P.S. I found the Diana character very flat. Anyone else? Not funny, nor, particularly evil ... just kinda' middle of the road dull. Maybe that was the goal - I didn't like her whatsoever. :-(