I found Al Shaw one of the most unsympathetic, self-centered jerks I have ever seen in a movie. Everything he does is motivated by his own narrow self-interest. Even his supposed love for his daughter Georgie is based on his perception that she is an extension of him. He thinks he owns her, like his cars. Nothing he does is for her but merely to satisfy his own childish narcissism.
Wife and daughter are well rid of him.
Blaine in Seattle
He's a bit simple and he's never grown up - typical kiwi bloke cliche. But his wife's just as selfish in her own way.
shareWell, I have to defend the kiwis- though I'm American. The ones I've known and seen in movies seem pretty responsible. And god knows we have our share of immature jerks here too. Indeed Al Shaw is a very recognizible American figure- except for the accent.
It's funny though that such a good movie has such a jerk as its central character. And it's not even a comedy.
Blaine in Seattle
He's no more a jerk than anyone else - he's just been left behind a bit. Woman is attracted to boyish qualities in man, woman grows up and changes, expects man to grow up too. Not a new story.
shareBoth Jacqui and Al were selfish jerks, but the movie did not direct us to blame her because it always seems OK in a movie for a neglected woman to cheat on her husband, leave him, and take the children and we're supposed to sympathize with her. When the man behaves that way, he's to blame, but when the woman behaves the same way, it's still his fault.
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Yes,yes and yes!!
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