MovieChat Forums > Inventing the Abbotts (1997) Discussion > Honestly, This Could Have Only Been Writ...

Honestly, This Could Have Only Been Written By A Woman

posted 15 years ago by edwardoyle
8 replies | jump to latest

Overall I like this movie. But the idea that Doug would only be consumed with chivalrous rage toward his brother but not jealous rage toward Pam is a little far fetched. That's just not how guys are--that's how women want to believe guys are.

And he blew an opportunity with Elanor at the airport! She started out acting all flirty with him but then he started going on about his mother and Pam and she got cold on him. He probably could have nailed Elanor. That would have made it all even--both Doug and Pam would have gotten horizontal with one of eeach other's siblings. Clean slate. That would have feeed up any jealous feelings or shame and Pam and Doug could have lived happily ever after.

That's the only way they could have overcome Pam nailing Jacey in real life. Call me cynical, but I think I'm just a realist.

[–] irishaspaddyspig 15 years ago

edward, edward, edward. Some men don't think in terms of getting even. He knew his brother was an effective womanizer. His brother's betrayal was the most painful. To him, pam was a victim. Pam simply succumbed to his brother's well known machinations.

In the airport, Doug was heading home to arrange his mother's funeral. Not exactly a prime seduction moment. He had decided to forgive Pam. He had loved her so long, that he couldn't picture a life without her.

These things do happen.

That said, yes it was written by a woman....Sue Miller. The screenplay was by a man...Ken Hixon.

"a malcontent who knows how to spell"

[–] tigudik 15 years ago

But the idea that Doug would only be consumed with chivalrous rage toward his brother but not jealous rage toward Pam is a little far fetched.

It's pretty clear from the entire movie that Doug is a kind-hearted person, not one prone to fits of rage. When he ran off, he had time to think and probably realized that 1) Pam was drunk 2) Since JC had a vendetta against the Abbotts he was pretty much preying on Pam on her moment of weakness (her being drunk). So i'd say that Doug's reaction was a pretty normal one.

And he blew an opportunity with Elanor at the airport!
HE WAS FLYING HOME FOR HIS MOM'S FUNERAL, FOR GOD'S SAKE! i know, i know, i'm merely a girl with a naive girly mind who doesn't realize that men think of sex 24/7 and the loss of a parent isn't going to stop a red-blooded man from "nailing" a hot chick.

out of all the things i've lost i miss my mind the least

[–] Enrique-8 15 years ago

NIHI:

You "nailed" it, my friend. Just a perfect-perfect answer to the other posters narrow thinking! I congratulate you!

Enrique Sanchez

[–] Howlin Wolf 14 years ago

It's not about revenge; it's about letting go of the grudges and misinformation that have been eating away at the family for years. This is the entire point of the film, I feel, but a certain maturity helps one to be satisfied with the conclusion.

... and this viewpoint comes from a guy, not a female.

"I've been turned down more times than the beds at the Holiday Inn; I still try"

[–] timlin-4 11 years ago

The idea that a man would come up with a revenge plan using sex is absurd. But the triumphal ending where the guy takes his brother's sloppy seconds from the girl who "wanted to take things slow" with him does indeed demonstrate the depravity of the common female mind. Chick flick: scat porn for women.

[–] first-things-first 10 years ago

I LOL at your thread. I couldn't take it seriously at first, but I will give it a go. I see your point, but it was so personal with Doug. No one could hurt Pam in Doug's universe. So he would forgive her first, protect her from others and herself. Was it realistic, probably not, but that's his definition of love. As you state your conditions for life, this character was given a set of conditions for his behavior.
I don't know if Eleanor really wanted Doug, she had found memories of him, which could have led to what you say. But she seemed to respect that he was in love with Pam, even if Pam wasn't ready to believe she was in love with Doug.
Is this an idealistic view of love, no, maybe it's the best of love. And the worst is happiness. That sets the bar high for love. There's no hate at either end, there's happiness and forgiveness. Some believe revenge and vengeance have no place in love.
You paint men with a broad brush, which disrespects their individuality, in my opinion.

If we can save humanity, we become the caretakers of the world

[–] dwarol 10 years ago

And he blew an opportunity with Elanor at the airport! She started out acting all flirty with him

I didn't see that at all. I just saw her reconnecting with someone in her past by recounting a humorous moment. She was clearly under a lot of time pressure to catch her ride and she had no intention of hanging around. I imagine that Eleanor was still Eleanor and still sleeping with a lot of guys, but it's clear that she never saw Doug as one of them (probably because he was so serious).

Just because a woman sleeps with a lot of guys doesn't mean she's open to every guy. I know that's how a lot of guys take it, and it causes a lot of hard feelings, but that's just how it is.

[–] Jeromagnus 8 years ago

If it was JC at the airport, you can be sure Elearnor would have had a good time, dead mother or not. Even if Doug was also there.