I think they were trying to make him a loveable idiot, like Nick from My Family, but he just comes across as a kid with severe social issues. I can barely watch his scenes with Natalie, they're so cringe-worthy. He just seems like a desperate stalker.
Angels fall to the floor, like they would if I was captain
He's supposed to be a sensitive young man who is slightly simple. From what I can tell he's affected by the issues with his parents and missed his father growing up the past few years which could explain why he has absolutely NO clue how to chat up girls. He strikes me as the kind of boy who had very little friends and this could be because of kids at school finding out about his father's slightly odd lifestyle.
I thought he was quite likeable in a pathetic way.