good chick flick

That's what I thought when I first saw this movie 15 years ago. But you know what? People change. He tried his best to break off the relationship before he really started another one. As soon as he realized he wanted to be with someone else--before he took Laurel out or even kissed her--he told Susan he wanted to separate. Susan refused to accept it. So his life should stop forever because she's so needy and dependent that she can't let go of something that is obviously over? He said I want to separate, I want to move out, I don't want to be with you anymore. How many ways could he have told her that it was over??

He found her neediness, clinginess and dependence a turnoff. So did I. It was like she had no identity of her own outside being his wife. Life wasn't worth living until she heard his car in the driveway. Laurel was strong, independent and didn't need him. That appealed to him. Notice that the only time in the film that he showed any desire for Susan was when she displayed some independence and acted like she didn't need him (after the "girls' weekend" with Laurel).

When this movie came out, I was 15 years younger than I am now. I saw things totally differently... and through the lens of my relationship status and mindset at the time. I hated him and was like "GOOD! He got what he deserved!! PIG!!!" at the end. Now that I'm older and have experienced more, I see him differently. He tried to do the right thing by separating before he took the step of starting a relationship with someone else. That is more than most married men would do. And he also confessed to Laurel that he was still married.

But he was married to someone so clingy and needy that she wouldn't let go. At this point, he's done all he can do, and he has to move on. She becomes responsible for what happens after he says he wants out. When one person in a relationship says "I don't want to be here anymore, I'm leaving," it's over. You can't force someone to stay with you when they no longer want you. If they make it clear, and you just won't accept it, what happens after that is on you. If they DIDN'T make it clear, and just cheated without ever letting you know there was even a problem, THEN the fault lies with them.

But I'm still glad both women decided to move on without him.