northern_sky Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 (edited) I saw this great little flick tonight following OG's recommendation. It's a modern adaptation of a Dostoevsky story, but the themes are so universal that the translation feels seamless. I couldn't get over how authentic the characters were, in contrast to some of the romantic dramas/comedies out there like 500 Days et al. It struck several of my personal chords. Anyone else see this? **Spoilers below.** Guy meets Girl A. She is pretty, sweet, and genuine. She tries to push past Guy's evident wall of sadness by taking a keen interest in his life and the art he makes. He starts to date her halfheartedly. Meanwhile he meets Girl B. She is somewhat prettier than Girl A, but the main difference is her emotional coldness and false confidence. She's also more than a little crazy. Guy immediately falls for Girl B, whilst backburner-ing Girl A. Girl B friend zones him and uses him as an emotional tampon, but he is in denial. He finds out she is involved with a married man, and sticks around as a shoulder to cry on, hoping she'll dump the MM and fall into his arms. Guy enters a committed relationship with Girl A, partly out of resentment and partly to make Girl B jealous. He continues to come to Girl B's rescue whenever she has another crisis. Girl A has no idea this is going on. She is in love with him, and puts up with his detached manner despite sensing that something is probably off. Finally Girl B dumps the married man, Guy tells her he is madly in love with her, they screw on the roof of their apartment building, and they craft a plan to run away together. Girl A is still in the dark. Guy buys diamond ring for Girl B and plane tickets. At the last minute, right before they are about to depart, Girl B tells him that her married man has left his family for her and she is going back to him. Guy is heartbroken, but decides to settle for Girl A and is even thoughtful enough to regift her the ring he had intended for Girl B. Totally oblivious to all this, she enthusiastically accepts the marriage proposal of course, and when she notices him tearing up as she puts on the ring, he explains, "I'm just so happy." ------- I watched this with my roommate and we both felt the main character was uncannily like many young guys we've known. The other two characters are also familiar types. We were cracking up and shaking our heads the whole way through. Edited January 7, 2011 by northern_sky
sweet sugar Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 Oh. I saw this movie on cable and I misread the ending. I thought he was crying at the end because he really did realize how much he loved girl A.
OceanGirl Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 I am glad you liked the movie. I saw it multiple times and struck a personal chord with me. My worst fear is being in girl A's position. That is why I am evaluating interest levels of guys so much That's an example of the movie that really touched me on a personal level. Most Hollywood romantic comedies do nothing for me. 500 days of summer only provoked mild annoyance at both characters. Also, have you noticed how girl B pretty much initiated their whole friendship? She was the one who was calling him all the time (even at 2am when they barely knew each other), setting up times to meet etc etc. He gladly went along with it but she was the initiator. Basically, being the confident aggressor while maintaining emotionally detached aura = WIN.
OceanGirl Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 BTW that screwing on the roof scene was so authentic. That's what "real life" screwing on the roof would look like..not the glossed over Hollywood BS. Blue Valentine is pretty much similarly raw.
Author northern_sky Posted January 7, 2011 Author Posted January 7, 2011 I am glad you liked the movie. I saw it multiple times and struck a personal chord with me. My worst fear is being in girl A's position. That is why I am evaluating interest levels of guys so much That's an example of the movie that really touched me on a personal level. Most Hollywood romantic comedies do nothing for me. 500 days of summer only provoked mild annoyance at both characters. Also, have you noticed how girl B pretty much initiated their whole friendship? She was the one who was calling him all the time (even at 2am when they barely knew each other), setting up times to meet etc etc. He gladly went along with it but she was the initiator. Basically, being the confident aggressor while maintaining emotionally detached aura = WIN. yeah, and the way he would feed her little crumbs that I can totally imagine a girl (myself included) clinging to: "I really like you" while he is kissing her, or making the occasional, half-assed joke to impress her, cuddling with her after sex.
Author northern_sky Posted January 7, 2011 Author Posted January 7, 2011 BTW that screwing on the roof scene was so authentic. That's what "real life" screwing on the roof would look like..not the glossed over Hollywood BS. Blue Valentine is pretty much similarly raw. Yeah, this is the sort of movie I love. I am looking forward to BV coming to my theater.
Author northern_sky Posted January 7, 2011 Author Posted January 7, 2011 (edited) one of my favorite moments is when she leaves him a voicemail and mentions how the sound of music is playing on tv, and makes some dorky joke about it, as if it's now this cute, inside thing between them. Meanwhile, he couldn't give a fck and is spying on the other girl through his window or dialing her up...can't remember which. Edited January 7, 2011 by northern_sky
Woggle Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 Switch the genders and it would be much more accurate. You can also throw in an affair with Girl B who is now Guy B.
Author northern_sky Posted January 7, 2011 Author Posted January 7, 2011 Switch the genders and it would be much more accurate. You can also throw in an affair with Girl B who is now Guy B. Disagree entirely. -----------------
Woggle Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 Disagree entirely. ----------------- How many times do you hear about a woman chasing a man she can't have who only wants to use her? When she realize she can't have him she settles for some nice guy who treats her like gold but she is not attracted to. This works okay for a while but she finds the old guy who used her on facebook and an affair starts. Are you telling me this is not a common thing these days?
Author northern_sky Posted January 7, 2011 Author Posted January 7, 2011 How many times do you hear about a woman chasing a man she can't have who only wants to use her? When she realize she can't have him she settles for some nice guy who treats her like gold but she is not attracted to. This works okay for a while but she finds the old guy who used her on facebook and an affair starts. Are you telling me this is not a common thing these days? no, i'm telling you it's not any more common than the reverse: a guy chasing a cold-hearted bitch and taking a nicer, plainer girl for granted.
Woggle Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 no, i'm telling you it's not any more common than the reverse: a guy chasing a cold-hearted bitch and taking a nicer, plainer girl for granted. Most guys wonder where the latter are and how they can find them. I hear men all the time complaining and wondering where all the nice girls are.
Author northern_sky Posted January 7, 2011 Author Posted January 7, 2011 Most guys wonder where the latter are and how they can find them. I hear men all the time complaining and wondering where all the nice girls are. you were like this guy. you were married to a woman you described as crazy for years. there are plenty of men who chase bitches.
Woggle Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 you were like this guy. you were married to a woman you described as crazy for years. there are plenty of men who chase bitches. At the time we married we were both crazy. Things went downhill when she went from crazy to completely off her rocker and then I divorced her. Now that I am healthier I married a genuinely nice and good hearted woman.
Author northern_sky Posted January 7, 2011 Author Posted January 7, 2011 At the time we married we were both crazy. Things went downhill when she went from crazy to completely off her rocker and then I divorced her. Now that I am healthier I married a genuinely nice and good hearted woman. yeah, and a lot of people are crazy, hence why this scenario is so common in BOTH genders.
Star Gazer Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 Is this another "pointing the finger" thread?
Author northern_sky Posted January 7, 2011 Author Posted January 7, 2011 Is this another "pointing the finger" thread? did you read my OP? There's no finger pointing in there.
Cobra_X Posted January 7, 2011 Posted January 7, 2011 Switch the genders and it would be much more accurate. You can also throw in an affair with Girl B who is now Guy B. I definitely think your are right about this one. Not that guys don't do this sort of thing... it's just not very common. There is a key difference to how men operate in this situation. Most men intent on playing women like this would intend to marry Girl A and use Girl B for sex. Just like the MM in the movie was doing... and in fact just like most married men who cheat do. Get it?
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