Amelie Poulain (Amelie)
The Cool Loner: A slightly odd girl who finds it difficult to connect with others, Amelie makes it her mission to improve the lives of those around her, while attempting to conquer her own sense of isolation.
Does She Find A Friend: She does, in the form of fellow oddball Nino, with whom she eventually plucks up the courage to start a relationship.
James Bond
The Cool Loner: Despite relationships with a string of gorgeous women, Bond never really makes a human connection with any of them. Apart from Vesper Lynd of course, and look how that turned out.
Does He Find A Friend: His best friend is probably his boss, which should tell you something.
Leon (Leon)
The Cool Loner: A softly spoken French hitman who kills people rather than meeting up with them for coffee.
Does He Find A Friend: Yes, albeit in the form of a teenage girl. Told you he was an odd fish.
Max Fischer (Rushmore)
The Cool Loner: The king of the extracurricular activity, Max doesn’t have many friends his own age, preferring instead to haunt the lovely Miss Cross… a teacher at his school.
Does He Find A Friend: He and Miss Cross share an odd understanding, and there’s plenty of affection behind his rivalry with industrialist Herman Blume.
The Driver (Drive)
The Cool Loner: Ryan Gosling’s unnamed driver is the model of outsider cool. Not so much a social outcast as somebody with zero need for friendship.
Does He Find A Friend: He does enjoy a kind of gruff accord with Bryan Cranston’s garage owner, while he finds himself falling for pretty neighbour Carey Mulligan.
Jason Bourne (The Bourne trilogy)
The Cool Loner: Only a true loner after the assassination of Franka Potente, Bourne’s fragmented memory always casts him in a pall of solitude. Fortunately, he’s a total badass, so he can live with it…
Does He Find A Friend: He’s aided and abetted by a series of allies, but in terms of his day to day, he’s largely a lone wolf.
Harry Caul (The Conversation)
The Cool Loner: San Francisco’s go-to guy for police surveillance, Caul is far more comfortable observing people than he is interacting with them.
Does He Find A Friend: He has a girlfriend of sorts, but despite that, he still finds it nigh-on impossible to connect.
Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver)
The Cool Loner: Unhinged he might be, but nobody could ever accuse Travis of complacency. When he sees a problem with his city, he damn well goes and does something about it…
Does He Find A Friend: He makes a companion of sorts in Jodie Foster’s teen hooker. It’s a bit unconventional, but it’s something!
Jim Stark (Rebel Without A Cause)
The Cool Loner: Moving to a new town with a dysfunctional family in tow and a tendency to get in trouble with the law, Jim Stark was always going to struggle to fit in…
Does He Find A Friend: He’s idolised by a young by named Plato, which doesn’t work out brilliantly for either of them.
The Man With No Name (A Fistful Of Dollars)
The Cool Loner: The fast-shooting, poncho-clad drifter, who is such a loner that he doesn’t have any use for a name.
Does He Find A Friend: Nope, but he finds plenty of people to shoot.
