MovieChat Forums > Zero Effect (1998) Discussion > The cliche of the needy wife or girlfrie...

The cliche of the needy wife or girlfriend

posted 17 years ago by kaustin-9
11 replies | jump to latest

I liked this movie overall. But I am so sick of the way wives and girlfriends are always portrayed in movies. Jess, like all movie wives/girlfriends, thinks her man should quit his job and spend all his time paying attention to her. Of course the income is supposed to magically continue.

The poor pathetic woman has nothing to do all day and demands her man keep her entertained. His demanding job and his willingness to do it means he doesn't love her enough. Of course she hates his job. Is this really the way movie people imagine all women to be?

Some women would appreciate a man who is dedicated to his career and provides well for her. Some women have lives of their own and don't require a man's undivided attention.

I have known a few real live men who wanted to spend all their time at home with their family, but were unwilling to work and provide for them. The wives were NOT happy about it and the marriages did not last.

[–] vivicdiem 17 years ago

It's a movie. Don't confuse it for real life.

[–] lagartija1919 17 years ago

And in contrast, I have known women who got increasingly unhappy because the person they were with was constantly changing plans, canceling evenings together at the last minute and so on because of their all-important job. And that's not a cliché.

I've always resisted the notion that knowledge ruined Paradise

[–] freudified_n_funkified 17 years ago

Arlo seems almost completely inaccessible. It's not a cliche for his fiancee to want to spend some time with him uninterrupted by his needy and demanding employer, whom he gives much more of himself to than her. For the scant few scenes dedicated to pulling Arlo in that direction it seems to ring true.

[–] juviejay 17 years ago

I think you have to sort of imagine what is not there. I mean, Arlo gives this huge rant in the beginning to his friend Bill about how Zero is nuts and rude and inept. Then, we see him having to cancel time with his fiancee to work for Zero, time that he had apparently already planned out to be with her. Then there is the scene where he has to fly to Seattle, back to L.A., and then back to Seattle in the same day. This is weird. "You have to get away from him Steve," she tells him. So, I think we can surmise, it's not just the hours that she doesn't like, it's the fact that he (Arlo) is not reliable because of his job, and that his boss is possibly psychotic. I think she is as much worried about him (Arlo) as about herself.

"It's just a goddamned piece of paper." George W. Bush, refering to the U.S. Constitution.

[–] Zando777 12 years ago

I think you meant to quote Barry Bobama in your tagline.

[–] Burntout 12 years ago

Zando, do us all a favor and help Darwin out by going hunting with your pal Dick Cheney. Maybe you both will "miss" and we can have two less unthinking neanderthal-lite fascists in the world.

[–] juviejay 12 years ago

Well, it appears Zando may have a point. The source that reported that Bush said this "Capital Hill Blue" has been unreliable in the past. The reporter who wrote it, however, does stand by his story.

Here's what FactCheck.org has to say about the
matter.http://www.factcheck.org/2007/12/bush-the-constitution-a-goddam ned-piece-of-paper/

However, to say that Obama said anything similar is even more unlikely. Obama is a constitutional scholar. It's very unlikely that he would dismiss it in this fashion.

[–] MusicLovePoetry 10 years ago

I really do not think the OP is, that is why they said cliche. It is just a negative portrayal of women.

[–] philoj 12 years ago

As others have pointed out, Jess doesn't come across to me as needy - she doesn't whine because he misses one dinner or something. The guy can't make any commitments because Darryl is always yanking him around. We also don't know how long he's been working for Zero - three or four years of "I know you're at the restaurant but I have to fly to another state" gets old for anyone.

They're engaged, and she feels like he's married to his employer. It's not unreasonable.

[–] HowardJohnsons 11 years ago

There are plenty of movies where men are cuckolded by cold and unloving spouses.

What kind of a character did you want to see? An indifferent fiancee who just looks up from her book long enough to say goodbye? How would an element like this add to the story?

The movie has a maturation/development theme. Arlo gets free, Zero gets to experience a world he has never seen, Stark's daunting guilt and paranoia are lifted, and the love interest gets closure on her childhood pain. Throw a bitter uncaring wife in there.... and what spice does it add? What would Arlo be freeing himself from? Would he be trading someone who needs him for someone who doesn't care?

These characters were all critical to the plot, especially with their dispositions.

You definitely are jaded regarding women's portrayals in Hollywood, but I don't see how this movie was a good outlet for venting that frustration.

[–] chilone 9 years ago

Women love to meet nice guys that they can change.

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!