MovieChat Forums > The Object of My Affection (1998) Discussion > Does anyone else dislike George?

Does anyone else dislike George?

posted 17 years ago by Absolved
8 replies | jump to latest

He's fickle as hell. One minute he's willing to start a life with Nina, then gets his head turned very easily by Paul, but still tries to keep her on a string until she finally has enough and won't let him go on using her as his backup plan. I think the scene that bothered me the most was after Thanksgiving dinner was over, she's washing the dishes, and he says "I love you" to Nina, and then proceeds to take his lover into the bedroom right in front of her.

In the end, it just seemed like he was basically using her to fill his idle time.

[–] Incredible_Brightness 16 years ago

I agree with you, except, he kind of made it clear that he didn't want to be the only man in her life. Right when they were getting off the roller coaster, he said it. Based on her reaction, he felt what he was doing was okay. That, mixed with the time Nina was with Vince and when she told him that she wouldn't mind if he was with someone.

I like George. But, like most people, I don't quite understand George. What he wants and is working towards is often hard to guess. I hate to do it, but I agreed with Vince when he told George that he had the wrong job (or the right job, in the wrong place). George is definitely fickle.

"Carol, one word of advice: send Cindy to a special school"

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] klc-16 14 years ago

He isn't "fickle".
He simply prefers men to women. and he never pretended otherwise.
The fact that he loves Nina doesn't change the fact that he is gay... and that he will STILL be attracted to men...duh!

One of the things that I find interesting about this film is that -typically- Nina makes teh common mistake that just because a guy loves her she suddenly will automatically become teh total centre of his existance...AND that she can change him.

How many women think that all a gay guy (who they are in love with) needs is to sleep with them and suddenly some sort of miracle will take place?

Women try to change men all the time. Women always think that once they have a boyfriend it gives them the right to suddenly TRANSFORM him into everything she wants him to be.

"Leave the toilet seat down"... don't .... (add what you want here)...

Remember that song from Guys and Dolls?
"Marry the man today and change his ways tomorrow!"

That is exactly the mistake Nina makes in this film.
She realizes that she is much more compatible in general with George than with her boyfriend... and then when she becomes pregnant she uses the kid as the lure to keep him (George) with her. Talk about manipulation! (I'm only kidding..but it is just as possible to say that SHE is "manipulative" as to say that HE is "fickle". Sheesh!

[–] gmansi 13 years ago

"He simply prefers men to women. and he never pretended otherwise.
The fact that he loves Nina doesn't change the fact that he is gay... and that he will STILL be attracted to men...duh! "

Perfect answer. He loves Nina but not like a man love a woman, he loves her like a friend.

[–] HarlowMGM 12 years ago

I agree with much of what you say, Nina was being very unrealistic from the beginning but I don't excuse George's behaviour either. Nina was actually pretty rotten to Vince, she was not obligated to marry him or anything but you don't tell a man who is the father of your child, "I don't want you act as the father but instead want this new friend of mine to be a father figure". It would have been different if Vince was abusive or something but his only "flaw" other than being a bit of a loudmouth was not being what Nina wanted as a husband. Nina was subconsciously falling in love with George pretty early and I think George realized it but never did anything to discourage it until he finally found someone he wanted to be with. He may not have been straight but he was flattered by her crush and it probably stroked his ego after being dumped by Tim Daly's character. George clearly had a deceptive streak himself - notice he originally tells Nina it's his brother on the phone but then his conscious gets him and he tells her it was Tim - but then when he starts having a fling with Paul he fails to call Nina as promised and is clearly lying to her about just hanging out with friends when he is into the affair and Nina has no clue that he and Paul are sleeping together when she invites Paul and Rodney to Thanksgiving (thinking they are a couple, an impression George realizes and does not clear up) - and then Paul and George announce their plans to spend the night together to the shock of both Nina and Rodney! Ultimately George was a jerk not unlike his old boyfriend Tim although the movie wants us to believe he is a nice guy.

[–] SCsurfguy 8 years ago

George's characterization would come off as more believable if he was bisexual and/or struggling with his sexuality and entertains the thought of being with a woman.

You never get the sense that he is anything but comfortable and open about who he is as a gay man.

Yet he rolls around on the bed with Nina. Kisses her. Tells her 'I love you.' Etc. etc. He sends some major confusing messages to her to begin with regardless of what he says at the roller coaster. Actions speak louder than words.

It also makes gay men look like confused sorts, or maybe like they're not really gay…..if they can swing to women so easily. Makes it tough for gay men who are trying to convey the message that we don't choose to be this way. Especially when you have guys like this who are all over the place with it.

Odd flick in many ways.

The first time I saw this at the theater I really liked it. Found it touching and pretty applicable to my own situation. I'm gay. I was a teacher at the time. My best friend was a woman.

But never was I attracted to her. Nor did I let her reach down my pants. Kiss her in bed. Etc. etc.

In watching the movie again, I found his character irritating. And I found her equally so.

She's all upset with him, throwing ice cream at him. What did she expect was going to happen? But then again, what did he expect her to expect? He's rolling around in bed with her telling her he loves her.

Again, an odd flick.

[–] spencerthetracy 8 years ago

George agreed to help raise Nina's child but that does not mean George cannot have a romantic life. Perhaps their perceptions were wrong about what it means to raise a kid. And obviously Nina saw that as a romantic connection requiring a romantic commitment. But that was never realistic. And for Nina to think that George should ignore a big part of his life was selfish and unrealistic. She set herself up to be sorely disappointed.

I love this movie so much. I always have. I wasn't with someone at the time and this movie made me yearn badly. (I used a George Constanza term).

Kay: Senators and presidents don't have men killed.
Michael: Oh, who's being naive, Kay?

[–] jon-31 7 years ago

It also makes gay men look like confused sorts, or maybe like they're not really gay…..if they can swing to women so easily. Makes it tough for gay men who are trying to convey the message that we don't choose to be this way.

Actually, it seems to be setting up for that (like many a tiresome older movie), but in the end it specifically does the opposite. He may like her, and have a vague kind of fantasy of setting up housekeeping with her while he's feeling lonely about meeting a man... but in the end the answer is clearly No, it doesn't work, and they were both foolish to think it could.