I just saw the movie this morning on Lifetime Movies and all the clues were there for the daughter's twisted attraction to her father:
The mother did the "tough love" thing with the older daughter, Ellie, while the father was overly permissive toward her. Then there was the fact that both parents were unfaithful to each other. Ellie actually witnessed her mother's liaison with the next-door neighbor, Lawson, and the viewer can infer from Ben's and Lena's dinner conversation after Karen's murder that they were intimate before his wife was killed. In fact, Ben probably promised Lena that he would divorce Karen and marry Lena. Remember the "green card" remark that Lena made?
And it's not shown, but Ben acknowledges that he's crossed the line by occupying the same bed with his daughters after his wife's death, first with the two of them, then that night on the sofa with Ellie. That why Ellie had the power to blackmail him into sending Lena away after his wedding to Lena.
So, the whole family was totally messed up. It's not difficult to understand why Ellie easily fell into that trap of first admiring dad because she was his favorite and he spoiled her, then missing him when he was staying away in the evenings, probably with Lena, and--from her point of view--mom was just mean to her and dad! Perfectly fertile ground for an Electra complex!
In peace,
Debbie Jordan
www.imaginetheworldatpeace.com
reply
share
farelite27
16 years ago
I don't think Ben crossed the line by allowing his daughters to sleep in his bed after their mother's murder. A situation like that can cause serious fear and trauma. And when he cuddled up to Ellie, he thought it was Karen - he was asleep after all. The family bed can be a very comforting situation, especially after a trauma such as the one that family had just experienced.
BUT.
The couch situation was entirely different. There was something very sexual about the way they lay together, and that whole conversation they had before falling asleept (the "kiss me like a movie star" talk) was disgusting. Was she implying that he stuck his tongue in her mouth? Ugh. And even if he didn't, bending you daughter backward and pressing your lips against hers ala Bergman/Bogart is just plain inappropriate and borderline pedophilia.
What a weird, twisted movie.
reply
share
WileyDairyGnome
12 years ago
And it's not shown, but Ben acknowledges that he's crossed the line by occupying the same bed with his daughters after his wife's death, first with the two of them, then that night on the sofa with Ellie. That why Ellie had the power to blackmail him into sending Lena away after his wedding to Lena.
Are you joking?? How is sleeping in a bed with your kids after their mother's death "crossing the line"? My sister and I slept in the bed with our mom when something really bad/scary happened at night. Is it okay because she's a woman...? It's not a big deal because sleeping in a bed with your parent isn't a crime. It isn't wrong. It is implied that they had sex that night on the couch. Why else would Ellie say that she'd tell Lena about the mole on his left cheek? His reaction made it obvious that they had sex. He starts letting her do whatever she wants after that.
-- I am a traveler of both time and space, to be where I have been
reply
share