Cringe is a response to embarrassment or social awkwardness. The left side is often associated with awkwardness and clumsiness. The track was written as a summary of neurotic teen angst and awkwardness. Cringe comedy is a specific genre of comedy that derives humor from social awkwardness. He praised Grant's performance, describing it as a kind of "endearing awkwardness". A brief moment of awkwardness followed but no hug. He has a virginal awkwardness with women, and a fondness for superhero comic books. As in Fassbinder's film, in "Far from Heaven" Haynes portrays feelings of alienation and awkwardness. She is surprised to find Mark annoyed by her arrival, which causes awkwardness between them. Given his mild social awkwardness, he is seemingly unaware of Don's opinion of him. Descriptions of Maxwell remark upon his remarkable intellectual qualities being matched by social awkwardness. Nadia is shy and the two experience some awkwardness. Melvin invites Carol to accompany them on the trip to lessen the awkwardness. Conversely, Ben Brantley found an "ineffable grace in her awkwardness". "The A.V. Club" reviewer Nathan Rabin praised the episode for its "sheer squirm-inducing awkwardness".