I must be the only person who doesn't think he comes across as a horrible jerk in the books. He was a jerk in the pensieve scene, yeah. But Snape was a dick, too, and not just because James such a meany to him.

At any rate, he was fifteen years old there. He changed. Granted it was more implied than shown in the books, but I certainly didn't come out of them thinking badly of him. Anyway, people who think differently will probably always do so, and I'm preaching tot he choir, otherwise. Heh, I just always get all O_O at vehement James haters.