MovieChat Forums > Blow Dry (2001) Discussion > Were we supposed to care about Shelley a...

Were we supposed to care about Shelley and Sandra?

posted 15 years ago by imdb-6674
8 replies | jump to latest

Shelley ditched her husband and son to shack up with someone else, and it was also his model thus ruining his professional life and private life in one fell swoop.

And then they have the NERVE to blame Phil for not speaking to them???!!! Why should he care about them when they didn't care about ruining his whole life due to their horrific selfishness and betrayal?

Shelley has the gall to talk about family near the end of the film. Sandra will never be Phil's family! She chose Sandra over Phil. You can't have both. It's adding insult to injury to even suggest such a thing.

The film seems to think that not only should we feel sorry for Shelley and Sandra but that we should condemn Phil for being so mean as to hold a grudge, and at the end when he comes around and is civil we should be happy.

I was very disappointed that he was nice to Sandra at the end. Sandra and Shelley are both selfish evil people.

[–] Iron_Martyr 15 years ago

I think it just doesn't work for you. Shelley made her choice, it was harsh, but it's what she had to do. And she didn't abandon her kid I don't think she keeps trying to speak to him but he's embarrassed by her which I guess is understandable but his problem not hers. I think 'evil' really is a step too far and I loved the scene between Phil and Sandra in the bath on the hill; he got over it and I think after ten years that's fair enough.

JESSIE There, now I can change my ID as often as I damn well please.

[–] moonbal 15 years ago

Have to agree with imdb-6674, felt like Phil 'got over it' in the bath tub scene with Sandra just for the movie plot.
Two women practically ruined his life and it was pretty lame that Shelley pulled out the "I'm dying with cancer" card. It leaves the others no alternative really.
Shelley DID abandon her son when she left with her lesbian lover.
Brian (son) is not embarassed about her lesbianism, more like he's angry that his mom left him and dad when he was still very young.

[–] Bellawen_Bolger_Of_Bree 15 years ago

I cared about them, and I didn't think that I would. They gave Phil a world of pain, but it had been ten years and they all still live in the same tiny town. That would be hell for Phil, seeing his wife and her lover everyday, I don't blame him for being angry or even for flipping off Sandra in the street whenever he saw her (though after 10 years, that would seem like overkill). Personally, I would have moved! But, having a son together and living right near each other, they should have worked something out by now.
I thought it was nice that the movie was about forgiveness, redemption, and moving on. I liked the scene in the bathtub, and also the scene where Phil told her she could have at least run off with a bloke and she says, to her there was no other bloke. I thought the end was well done, not overly sappy. Just the 5 of them walking out the door, communicating at last, even sharing a laugh over Sandra's hair. Nice.

[–] LoveBritFilms 14 years ago

Perfectly understandable to pull the "cancer card" as you put it. That's what the scene was for for 'tying up ends' with the older lady (Rosemary Harris), eh? Perfect sense, great movie.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] fabledmabel-10-33913 8 years ago

I agree - rather than really caring about "family", Shelly and Sandra merely sought justification for what they did - which was to be a couple of self-obsessed and self-serving GITS. No value system, no loyalty, and priorities far out of whack - especially since Shelly had a child.

[–] kevin-bergin 8 years ago

Have to be careful when bring in a lesbian relationship; particularly in the current political climate.

"It's the system, Lara. People will be different after the Revolution."