MovieChat Forums > The Paper Chase (1973) Discussion > Kevin storyline was ridiculous

Kevin storyline was ridiculous


Oh no!! He flunked out of Harvard Law therefore his life is over. What a bunch of garbage.

The fact he got into Harvard Law means

a) he had top grades in college
b) he did very well on the LSAT which means he's a pretty bright guy

Keep in mind this was 1973 when few people went to college, unlike today when everyone with a pulse has a BA. Only about 10% of the population had a college degree back then. Having a college degree - any degree - meant you were going to have a good career ahead of you. A college degree with straight As (which is what he would have needed to get into Harvard Law) and the job opportunities available were endless.

Add to that his photographic memory.

And yet we're to believe that his life was over and he'd be flipping burgers or something like that.

Otherwise really good movie but the Kevin thing almost ruined it for me.

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The rationale is that Kevin believes, or is pressured by his family and his wife's family to believe, that he has to graduate from Harvard Law School and become a successful lawyer, or else he's a failure.


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Fowler's knots? Did you say ... fowler's knots?

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Ashley's family may have pulled some strings to get him into Harvard. His grades may not have been that good.

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I agree that in real life, Kevin would've been okay financially, and almost certainly would've gotten through law school, even if at the bottom of the class.

But in 1973, there were also far fewer legal jobs than today.

More importantly, I can tell you that even (especially?) at the top law schools, people freak out, cry, and get extremely depressed and even suicidal over their first year exams. Because these people are used to being at the top of their classes, are highly competitive, and are unused to struggling to this extent. And because the first year of law school can be a major mind-****.

I had a friend who freaked out and dropped out from the stress, even though he was one of the smarter students. (He came back and thrived the next year.)

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I get that people freak out, etc. I know I freaked out in my freshman year. I attended a top college and high school was a breeze for me, I got straight As with barely trying. Then college was like WHOA!! You mean I actually have to put in an effort to just pass? YIKES!! I had a mini-panic attack and started to question whether I belonged there. So I understand that aspect of it.

But even after the initial shock of it all, and even after realizing that maybe he's not Harvard Law material, his reaction was a bit far fetched.

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I think he had his heart set on being a lawyer. He was depressed because his brain wouldn't perform the way he wanted it to perform. These are young, successful men. One's first brush with failure can be devastating if you're used to success. He might also feel ashamed of himself. Shame isn't rational. It does not promote rational behavior. It certainly does not promote optimism.

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