Although many of the male characters depicted in this film are exaggerated and portrayed unsympathetically, I believe it was a cinematic device to move the story along more quickly. It wasn't necessary to further develop the character of the men who sought to marry the down-on-her-luck Zelleweger--it wasn't their stories being portrayed, but that of the story of Zelleweger's determination to provide for her sons. If the men were stereotypical and one dimensional, it was done to make a point. I found a lot of sly humor underlying some of their personalities. Having been raised in the 50's, I know it was a sad reality of that time that most women had fewer choices when it came to relationships. It was a man's world and women very often had to rely on their good looks and being connected to the right man to provide for their needs. If Zelleger's character seemed devious and contriving in trying to find a husband, it was because of those hard realities. Maybe one needs to be a woman who has experienced a similar life to appreciate this. I enjoyed the movie and although it wasn't laugh out loud funny, it was entertaining and worth seeing.