After reading Sean Flack’s article “Wonder why guys are jerks at the bars, maybe it’s the movies they watch,” I was filled with a sense of challenge.

As you may know, I am a movie fanatic. What you may not know, is that I was an avid gamer; and I don’t mean the video type.

I can say proudly that I learned most of what I do today from movies. Well, I learned about things from movies, and then watched more movies to compare the content. Then I did research and tried things out, and then watched more movies to see where I could alter what I had observed.

Long story short — too late — I formed my personality around the characters I viewed growing up on the silver screen. One of the primary things I learned from movies: How to meet women.

Flack wrote the following:

“I just don’t get people. I don’t get how any human with a brain could think that sitting down next to a girl you don’t know and letting out some line you heard in an ‘American Pie’ movie is a good idea.”

Well, I’m here to tell you, those lame or jerkish lines are not only what you want to be doing to pick up women, but they are the best things you can be doing.

Now, before someone goes off about how pick-up lines are dumb and how this is sexist or any of the other arguments you may make, understand I am only speaking from the perspective that in using these lines, you are wanting to get to physically know a woman first; if you both click, the dating without the pure intent of carnal activities can occur later.

Coming into a group of women and being something different is an efficient way of being noticed. Being the “alpha” of a group means attention is granted to you. Being very forward is an effective way of accomplishing that.

But don’t take my word for it, check out the works of some of my favorite PUAs, or pick-up artists: Erik Von Markovik, aka Mystery, and Neil Strauss, aka Style. These two are legends among the pick-up community, and the methods they use have been displayed, comically or otherwise, in film for years. And yes, I do speak in game jargon and I do “peacock;” I’ve even run game successfully in the Sunset Boulevard area.

I got into the “game” back in around 2003. I was introduced by a friend, and I loved the idea of having a group of like-minded guys all out with the intent of discovering the magical equations that would work to gain the admiration of women.

Now, before this, I had only what I saw in films to use as a basis. And let me tell you, they aren’t all that different.

The seemly bad lines guys deliver at bars are likely due to the person’s lack of effort to hone their pick-up skills into an art form.

Men like Ross Jeffries, one of the early yet still effective PUAs, and David DeAngelo have been consulted for years as outlets to help create the needed skill set to persuade people; to gain their attention and keep it focused on you.

The bad pick-up lines in movies are the sort of game guys run in real life. The big difference being, in film, they don’t show the conversation past the openers; it simply isn’t doable in a film to spend the time showing every little nuance of a conversation, you’re just getting the highlights.

The openers that are as bad as, “Hey baby,” do work to start things rolling.

So, the problem doesn’t lie with the films, it lies with the lack of solid follow-up — so don’t blame the movies. It’s the whole violence in films argument all over.

All aside, being a jerk, or rather being an alpha, does work at the bar or at parties. I’ve done it for years, and had I not met my amazing girlfriend, I would still be using the same tactics — by the way, I used the same tactics when I met her. Hell, I still use the tactics when I go out with some friends to help them pick up.

Flack’s disgust with guy’s using pick-up lines from movies and whatnot appears to not be annoyance with the use of them, but more of an annoyance that they are working. No, they won’t work on all women, but they do work, you just have to keep trying.

I realize that I am moving beyond the realm of conversation the original article presented, but rather than complaining about them, why not try to instigate change and force the guys delivering pick-ups without follow-up into a corner; game them right back. Be the alpha.

Nice guys finish last. Being only yourself, and expecting people to like you for it, is naive. Being confidant is some of the most misplaced advice someone can give you — being competent is a far cry better.

With the interconnectivity of the world, there is more and more competition out there that might not have previously existed. Getting your ideas from a movie is not only advisable — tell me honestly everyone doesn’t think Ferris Bueller or Van Wilder aren’t amazing as possible personality archetypes — but it is almost necessary.

Using pick-up lines is a good idea if you want to get laid; the caveat being you have to understand the follow-up. You have to be able to keep the rest of the conversation going. Learn your basics from the movies, then do some reading. I recommend books such as: “The Game,” “The Annihilation Method” and “Venusian Arts,” or even the abundance of online community sites where you can discuss your trials and tribulations.

Use film to your advantage. I’m happy to elaborate further if anyone is interested; ask away. Until then, I leave you with the best pick-up line I’ve ever heard, and used, from a movie:

“I don’t exactly know what I am required to say in order for you to have intercourse with me, but could we assume I said all that? I mean, essentially we are talking about fluid exchange right? So could we go just straight to the sex?” – “A Beautiful Mind”