MovieChat Forums > The Last American Virgin (1982) Discussion > My thoughts on the love triangle and the...

My thoughts on the love triangle and the ending.

posted 8 years ago by Hellzkitchen
14 replies | jump to latest

So after watching this movie here is my take.

Gary sees Karen for he first time and is immediately attracted to her to the point where he finds out where she lives and sabotages her bike to give her a ride to school. Extreme? Maybe a little, but he was just a fool in love and I can understand somewhat that situation.

He then asks her if she has a boyfriend to which she smirks and says no, the look on her face indicates that she knows Gary likes her. Then as Gary starts talking again she just leaves and ditches him. MESSAGE RECEIVED: SHE WASN'T INTERESTED. BACK OFF.

I would have backed off at this point.

Gary sees Karen and Rick at a party and she is all over him. I mean she could not stop looking at Rick. MESSAGE RECEIVED: SHE WAS CRAZY ABOUT RICK. BACK OFF.

Rick gets Karen pregnant and ditches her. Gary comes to her aid because she was scared. He raised money for her abortion and took care of her through her recovery. That was very nice of him and a very FRIENDLY thing to do. He tells Karen he loves her and she reciprocates. Okay, I can understand why she would. She went through a lot the last few hour and just wanted to feel a sense of comfort. It was not a cool thing to do but she was very vulnerable at this point.

She speaks to Rick again and goes back with him. Gary is crushed by this. Sorry man. She was just not that into you. Suck it up and move on. I get that it is still hard for him after all he did, but it was still never set in stone.

[–] Doom 8 years ago

I didn't enjoy reading this, but that doesn't mean you're not 100% correct.

Because you are.

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Wait a minute... who am I here?

[–] Beeracuda 8 years ago

100% correct.

The main message is: Just because you're a nice guy and do nice things for someone, doesn't mean that they owe you anything. A truly nice guy would have done what he did for Karen without any expectations of her becoming his girlfriend.

Gary was a bit self-centered anyway. Rose wanted him the way he wanted Karen, but he was too blind to see how much better he'd be with her.

[–] Hellzkitchen 8 years ago

Yup and yup.

[–] jayhn1111 8 years ago

She kind of led him on though

[–] ReturnOfWhiskey 8 years ago

No. She didn't.



[–] NewWaveBassist1 8 years ago

I disagree. She was nice and cordial, but did not lead him on. Even when she was pledged Gary's undying love, she was very vulnerable and didn't say she loved him back. She just kissed him in the moment. That was it. Yeah the fact she took everything Gary did for her and then didn't show any appreciation for it, ESPECIALLY when she went back to Rick, man, still, it was a total slap to his face. Thing is though, he should not expect something like for her to fall like he did for her just cuz he did all that. Like most men, he expected too much and especially expected too much more after he went out of his way to take care of her the way he did. That's his bad all the way. Sorry Gary, but you kinda deserved it.

[–] Hellzkitchen 8 years ago

ahahha yes.

[–] tonganprince 8 years ago

Precisely.

Nice job.

They should have called this.. "She's just not into you"

[–] SpaceMountainMike 8 years ago

Yeah and Gary was ignoring Rose who was coming on to him. He was giving her the same treatment that Karen was giving him. I think of two songs when I see this

You love her she loves him she loves someone else. Love stinks

AND

If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with.

_______________

My iMDB profile http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4297325/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

[–] tehck 8 years ago

Most of you are applying objective real-world morality to a movie. The irony is that the movie seems to know more about how people actually behave.

Perhaps the main point of the movie is that "love" is irrational and that people aren't thinking about what's best for them but are being compelled to do stupid and counterprodctive things because they can't control their emotions. As a practical matter, Gary was stupid to ignore Rose just like Karen was stupid to go back to the callous user Rick. That's the point. Just as importantly that's often what people really do -- both adolescents and adults.

That's one of the reasons I like this movie so much because it has the balls to turn the conventions of teen romance and romantic comedies in general on their heads.

[–] Herreken 8 years ago

Pretty much sums it up. Being in love and going through extreme emotional events can make people do stupid stuff.

DISPLAY thy breasts, my Julia!

[–] v_anzaldua 8 years ago

Gary was blinded by his infatuation with Karen. In his reverie, he interpreted any attention she gave him as interest. He just couldn't or wouldn't see the reality that was right in front of him.

[–] 8 years ago

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