MovieChat Forums > Chances Are (1989) Discussion > The i word and the disturbing ending (sp...

The i word and the disturbing ending (spoilers)

posted 11 years ago by Alfabeta
16 replies | jump to latest

This is the first time I've ever seen spiritual incest, I think. My problem is not that they decided to run with it (free speech and all that). My problem is that it was never even addressed in the movie (wouldn't be much of a comedy if it was, I guess, unless they were making a satire, and they unfortunately weren't).

Say what you will about the performances, romance and comedy in this movie, but in the end, this was a movie about an amnesiac dad hooking up with his daughter with everyone's (even Heaven's) approval and it left a really bad taste in my mouth. No way that the writers and the producers were that "innocent" and blind to the fact and simply didn't notice it. I've seen it 15 years ago and that WTF ending stuck with me for good.

Was anyone else disturbed by this ending?

[–] darkthunder84 11 years ago

Except it's made clear in the movie, that 'Louie' was never meant to keep his memories and experiences when reincarnated into the body of 'Alex Finch'. Essentially, the result is that you have the DNA of Alex, with the "soul" of Louie. Biologically speaking, there is no incest involved.

[–] Alfabeta 11 years ago

The fact that it was angels' plan to make him forget he's hooking up with his kid makes the whole thing even more bizarre and worse. And yeah, biologically it's not incest, but if there ever was such a thing as swapping bodies, I'd say the "legal" definition of incest would easily be extended to cover that as well.

[–] lisamj1973 10 years ago

I agree. It is very weird.

[–] Darthmauler_megaa 10 years ago

It never occurred to me to be disturbed by the ending. If you listen to the "After All" song at the end, the idea is that love might change, but it never disappears. Louie, Corinne and Philip (and now Miranda and Alex) have a love together that's greater than mere labels (husband, friend, father, etc). And no changes can ever end that for them.

And hey, never has a better phoenix metaphor been personified in human history.

"We never win any ball games...but we sure have some interesting discussions."

[–] demetgn-1 10 years ago

I was very disturbed too. He was actually her father,what difference does it make that he forgets he is,he is still her father. And the mother knows it too,she hasn't forgotten anything,so the best friend,and they all pretend nothing is wrong.Very disturbing ending.

[–] Darthmauler_megaa 10 years ago

I think that's over thinking things. It's a larger than life comedy that's just trying to send a message about moving on after loss. In every way that matters, he is no longer the father. He had his own life as Alex and the old memories were interfering with that. Plus the mother also had to move on and let the memory of her husband go.

"We never win any ball games...but we sure have some interesting discussions."

[–] Alfabeta 10 years ago

My point, exactly.

By the way, Cate Archer rocks! :)

[–] PiaPuffytail 10 years ago

I agree with ClearWintryDay, who said, "I think that's over thinking things. It's ...trying to send a message about moving on after loss. In every way that matters, he is no longer the father. He had his own life as Alex and the old memories were interfering with that. Plus the mother also had to move on and let the memory of her husband go."

I believe that is absolutely correct.

But yes, I also believe it's still a little bit icky, lol. Like...how would the daughter feel knowing that her father's soul had been reincarnated into her lover's body. Who, by the way, had begun to remember his former life and tried to get with her mom?

[–] Darthmauler_megaa 10 years ago

Thanks. :) I mean, I get it, it's a funky premise, lol. But that's the point. It's just a surreal movie metaphor for moving on. Think about it too much and your brain will explode, hehe.

"We never win any ball games...but we sure have some interesting discussions."

[–] wvsarafan 8 years ago

Disturbing?

You're an idiot.

It's a silly little romance/comedy. Take a chill pill.

[–] eyeandeye-1 10 years ago

IMO people thinking it is weird or incest are thinking purely from a human perspective and are completely missing the point.

The concept of family is a biological concept, it is in the genes, not something intangible like a soul. Can a soul be the mother, father or sibling of another? No it cannot as family pertains to physical/matter, which itself has strong evidence as being an illusion of thought.

A soul is meant to evolve and not get attached to physical reality, which is why when Louie died the lady said to her co-worker Louie has a strong case of attachment when he was desparate to go back to earth.

Nobody is really anybody if you catch my drift as the soul incarnating into a body and acquiring human traits like a personality is akin to playing a character in a play...the world's a stage as they say!
Thus saying Alex who has his OWN biology/DNA/Body etc getting with Miranda is incest is like saying Demi Moore dating Ashton Kutcher is incest because she played his mother onscreen in a movie once!

[–] Ekaruce 10 years ago

Did you really just compare being reincarnated to acting in a movie? Lmao

[–] eyeandeye-1 10 years ago

I did indeed and perhaps at some point in the far and distant future when you are reincarnated you may stumble upon this post and finally understand it!

[–] Darthmauler_megaa 10 years ago

Why not? The analogy makes a lot of sense.

"We never win any ball games...but we sure have some interesting discussions."

[–] cristalle1 9 years ago

I really enjoyed this gem but the ending with him and the daughter is still disturbing to me. Whether he remembers or not is she not still his daughter or is it technically not his daughter since his spirit left Alex's body and Alex is now Alex and no longer Louie? Hmm...I guess it depends how you view the whole reincarnation story.

[–] BoSoxRules 7 years ago

My God, you people are insane.