MovieChat Forums > The River Wild (1994) Discussion > A love for Wade?

A love for Wade?

posted 17 years ago by x-tally-x
33 replies | jump to latest

Okay am I the only person who likes Wade? I thought he was gorgeous in the movie and for some reason I made him up in my head to have some feelings for Gail. I kept noticing these slight lines and side glances between them. Like when he said to her "you are an amazing woman" and "things must've been worse between you and Tom than I thought there were". Is it just me? Did I completely imagine that there was a slight relationship between the two characters..? And are there any other Wade fans out there? X

[–] ScarletSevera 17 years ago

I love Kevin Bacon and you're right, he is extremely gorgeous. And for some reason, I was thinking the same thing as you. I felt like he liked her.

[–] misssmorbid 17 years ago

I love this movie and Kevin Bacon was amazing as usual, AND extremely gorgeous again as usual, I loved Wade too my friend didn't but I did, I was like NO he died lol, and he definatly liked gail, although if I was there I'd SO take him hehe.

[–] Chinnogirl 17 years ago

Hehe, you're not the only ones. I'm a MAJOR fan of Kevin Bacon's bad guy characters (but of course also the good ones! Just think of Balto, Stir of Echoes or footloose!), and Wade is NO exeption. I think Gail should've hooked up with him, he is more fun/dangerous/mysterious/you name it and after all, much more handsome! 8D

---
"It's so weird how your eggs have an expiration date. They're just like... eggs"

[–] sweetriversflow 14 years ago

I realize the first four comments and OP were most likely females but I have to agree, as a guy, that Bacon has some wild charisma and sex appeal. Wade embodies these things and uses them to his selfish advantage. Also Bacons characterin Hollow Man, (people are commenting on how they root for his "bad guy" versus the "good guys" in that film as well.

"Knock some sense on me baby.

[–] burbs82 17 years ago

I thought Wade was one of Kevin Bacon's greater characters. He's really convincing as a villain. And I always get a laugh out of that "white trash" joke. If you watch carefully, you see that even David Strathairn's character finds this line genuinely amusing, even though he and his family are being held hostage at gun point, and honestly, I probably would have to even in his same situation.

There's a scene in the original 'Friday the 13th' where Kevin Bacon and fellow counselors are being harrassed by this ridiculous motorcycle cop and he just starts laughing in the middle of this guy's speech about pot-smoking and local weirdos, and you see in his face that it's genuine so it's impossible for me not to laugh as well.

Anyway, Wade of River Wild; definately a great character, and a great movie.

[–] Eldancairo 17 years ago

Well, Kevin Bacon and Wade both have raw sex appeal, but Wade was an ass. Murdering and kidnapping aside (he killed 3 people), only a complete jerk would take offense because the man who saved his life had to hit him to save him.

He was also stupid. He brought suspicion on himself by giving Roark $200. He should have just given him $10 or $20. I doubt his parents would have balked over that.

And then he was just weird. I mean, to take it *personally* when Roark warned his father of the gun? What the hell was that? Wade would have produced the gun anyway. Harming a child is the worst thing a person can do, and even though a slap across the face won't result in permanent physical harm, those tears in Roark's eyes caused me to really loathe Wade's character.

And, no. They weren't flirting. He was making inappropriate eye contact and body language, especially during the scene when they first discovered the hot springs and he was attempting to talk her into going down The Gauntlet. She was uncomfortable with his long stares, and her eyes and body reflected that.

No, I didn't like Wade at all...which of course, made me like Kevin Bacon as an actor even more.

[–] Brynnda 17 years ago

I agree about WAde being a jerk for the reasons you mention, Greg (though i will admit i can kind of see why his character appeals to some women, too). Yes, giving the son $200 was definitely not a wise move on his part. He should have known the parents would not let the son take that money, so that was pretty foolish of him. Though he may have been doing that to try to get Roarke more on their side. He probably knew his parents would object, therefore making Roarke resent them even more.

And yes, killing 3 people sort of takes some of his 'sex appeal' away, for me, anyway. He did have some appeal for me, but when i realized he'd killed their other friend, that was a turn off.

I'm a bit surprised no one's mentioned Kevin BAcon's other bad guy role in Sleepers. That was a good movie, very well done, but Bacon played an awful character in the primary abuser of 4 young boys in a prison. I was shocked. I've only seen him in one other sort of bad guy role.. that was in the movie The Woodsman. In that movie he played a former child molester. The movie followed his character's life after he'd gotten out of jail and gotten a job. For any BAcon fans, his role in Sleepers was so nasty, it might really turn them off.

[–] Julie980 16 years ago

I love Kevin Bacon in this movie! So hot! he had a ass in Wild Things!

[–] Eldancairo 16 years ago

I remember Sleepers, but that movie is so disturbing, and as a result, Kevin Bacon's character has no sex appeal whatsoever....which of course means Kevin is a phenomenal actor. Only one of those boys came out of that ordeal with a normal secure adult life (to a degree).

Kevin played a bad guy in Wild Things, and he was really bad in Hollow Man. But he made up for his naughty activities in Wild Things by showing his cute butt! Yes, I paused the video and took a good look! Whew!

Don't you DARE faint Pittypat Hamilton! If Melanie says it's alright, it tis alright!

[–] BoSoxRule 14 years ago

He was also a bad guy in White Water Summer and Trapped.

I'm happiest...in the saddle.

[–] mplo (2305) 5 years ago

So, Kevin Bacon's always playing big, bad-assed, rough-and-tough guys!

[–] moviegirlll 15 years ago

i agree,Wade was hot!!

~Rest In Peace,Heath Ledger~

[–] baillierose 15 years ago

I am not at all a fan of Kevin Bacon. For me, the best part of the movie was when Gail shot Wade.

[–] Des_is_my_Constant 15 years ago

Oh yes am watching it now and he's definitely a Hottie McHotpants!!!

[–] rocketyank 15 years ago

Kevin Bacon was smokin hot in the movie but the character of Wade was a heartless dick who got what he deserved.

[–] BoSoxRule 14 years ago

You completely imagined it, Gail was absolutely disgusted by lowlife Wade.

I'm happiest...in the saddle.

[–] FoxyMrsCena5 14 years ago

Omggg.. Kevin Bacon looked SO good in this movie. He's so hot. Anyways. I know where you're coming from too.

[–] frogca 12 years ago

Ick. I didn't like him from his first smarmy come-on grin at the kid! And his slimy come-ons to Gail. Repulsive. I hate manipulative people. Total turnoff.

Hollywood looks (hey Johnny Depp) do nothing for me if they are wrapped in a poison personality.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] frogca 12 years ago

> You are confusing the actor with the character!

Nope. I commented on the character. THought that was obvious. The fact an actor is handsome is irrelevant - the character was nasty, and that is what touches me. So, well done.

Maybe you meant to reply to the OP? (But you replied to my post.)

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] hoochiemoochie 12 years ago

LOL the OP and those who agreed remind me of women who "fall in love" and sometimes end up marrying guys in prison...they buy into the manipulative wiles of the "bad boy" and start to sympathize with the "poor criminal" who is always "misunderstood"...give me a break.

Wade was a psychotic pervert coward who killed several people and risked killing even more in his attempts to get away with his crime. Though it is a fictional character I pray that anyone who is even remotely attracted to a person like that is either deluded or just immature and will grow out of that phase...well either those options or they're just white trash.

truth hurts...sorry but it's true

[–] mplo (2305) 5 years ago

Gail was incredibly naive at first, because she thought Wade and Terry were okay. Tom, on the other hand, was fully aware from the start that Wade and Terry were not at all they way they came off as. Wade was going to shoot Gail, and so she ultimately shot him before he could shoot her.

[–] mplo (2305) 5 years ago

Wade was a manipulative, sociopathic criminal. It took Gail quite awhile to realize that.

[–] mplo (2305) 5 years ago

Kevin Bacon is a good actor--no doubt about it. He's best when he plays these big, bad-assed, rough-and-tough, sociopathic criminal-type guys. His expertise in his playing the role of Wade in "The River Wild" is certainly no exception.

Kevin Bacon is a somewhat less intense version of Jeremy Renner when it comes to playing parts like that.