how did they get to be this messed up?

The two main characters seem so deeply dysfunctional, so completely without happiness, with such a dark view of sexuality... but why? Watching the film, I have no idea. Paul is gay and in denial, maybe? And the girl... I really have no good theory. Maybe she's majorly depressed, maybe she grew up without much love or affection. It's puzzling, and sad. I hope that these characters aren't supposed to reflect 'everyone's inner thoughts' or whatever, because they're clearly pretty pathological, in a highly idiosyncratic way.

Still, not a bad movie.