Why 15? - Tadpole (2002) Discussion

[–] somemoviesilike 20 years ago

Are you crazy? What would have been interesting then?

You don't seem to have picked up that Oscar is different. No, as a rule, 15 year olds don't do that sorta thing. But, as a rule, inmates don't escape from prison like the Shawshank Redmption. People don't discover their world is computerized like the Matrix. People with broken legs don't usually deduce a committed murder just by looking out their apartment ike Rear Window.

The film would have lost everything.

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[–] jacowium 14 years ago

I know it's more than 6 years ago, but I couldn't read your response to the OP without first saying that yours was the perfect response!

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[–] Defenseman13 11 years ago

lol, wow... best response. Old post, I know.

Yeah, a lot of 15 year olds do. Sadly, not in America. Most American adults can barely speak their own language, much less think at that level.

http://us.imdb.com/name/nm2339870/

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[–] DethstruXioN 8 years ago

Its irony, i happen to like both Sigourney and Bebe, turn back time 15 years i would be 16, id be happy to be around either of the two :)

But the point of OP was the age, like others say, if youd change the sex around of the characters, it would result in middle aged men sexing up a 15 y/o girl, which would obviously not go over well.
I thought it was already inappropriate enough for a son wanting to screw the woman that his dad was screwing, or i guess i should say loving.
As mature as the kid was supposed to be, i dont think he was in control of his urges, desiring your stepmom also does not really indicate much sophistication.

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[–] scarletminded 20 years ago

First off, Oscar's mom was French, so he learned it from her. That's a given.

I know a lot of 15 year olds that drink. It is a sad truth that some of these bars serve drinks to minors, but that is another story.

If you have never heard of a 15 year old sleeping with an older woman (the teacher who slept were her student was the big one) then you never watch the news, I guess.

The point was to say that Oscar was a special boy, mature beyond his years. That is why he liked older women and thought girls his age were dumb.

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[–] MovieObbsesed 20 years ago

that's ture Oscar was beyond his years but the part that was unrealistic is he was DRINKING AT A BAR and he's only 15!

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[–] Rick_Bman 20 years ago

its not hard to obtain a fake ID, especially in New York... when one of my high school classes took a field trip to NYC half the class came back with fake IDs.. so it is very plausible that he would be drinking in a bar, especially, if he's not acting like a 15 year old...

-----------
"Do you find me sadistic?"

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[–] audonamission 19 years ago

That's the whole point! That he isn't like other 15 year olds. He spends his summers in France, so he speaks French, and he probably has learned to appreciate alcohol from the culture. How many 15 year olds are like that? If there were a lot, then he wouldn't seem so out of place. If he didn't seem out of place, he wouldn't have our sympathy when he sleeps with a 40 year old instead of hanging out with some girl his own age. So he NEEDS to seem out of place, otherwise the movie would fall apart.

What Would Leatherface Do?

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[–] LordEmeryStanfordMerloe 19 years ago

OH Please..... I'll give you the fact that it was the funny irony of the film and it was rather funny. But c'mon, an intelligent 40-something year old woman having sex with a 15 year old boy? Regardless of the fact he was "special", the fact that the writers felt this should be in the script is ludicrous. What if it was a 43 year old man bedding a 15 year old girl? I thought this was simply needless and irresponsible. This was NOT interesting, funny, cute, or anything else even close. This is a crime- and it also demeans women. This is coming from a man who appreciates the opposite sex. Wake up folks.

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[–] Can_a_bitch_get_a_donut 17 years ago

What if it was a 43 year old man bedding a 15 year old girl?

That happens quite often too, my friend, and has since the beginning of our species.
I found this movie not at all unrealistic, except perhaps that Oscar was obviously very intelligent for his age.

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[–] TwoTieS14 17 years ago

Hey, I'm 15-but a girl, Half the lads in my year at school drink pretty much every night and shag the first people they see. But it might be different where your from. Cause I'm from sheffield/England.

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[–] lil_e_123 16 years ago

Its weird that you americans are so thingy about the booze. In Australia, England, Europe, Asia (Hell everywhere) they'd serve alcohol to a twelve year old.

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[–] davidsena 16 years ago

that's ture Oscar was beyond his years but the part that was unrealistic is he was DRINKING AT A BAR and he's only 15!

Sorry to burst your bubble, home skid, but I was 6' 3" by the time I was 15 and getting served in bars and clubs. Hell, a 14 year old classmate of mine was wandering around the hotel at WDW on New Year's Eve drunk off his ass with a bottle of JD in his hand. It does happen.

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[–] cursive_iz_king 19 years ago

So should Max in Rushmore be 32? Is that more believable?

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[–] LordEmeryStanfordMerloe 19 years ago

I never saw Rushmore, what's the deal? For some reason, you neglected to explain.

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[–] cursive_iz_king 19 years ago

Max is a kid who is not a normal kid too. The thing is that these "coming-of-age" type films simply would not work without the main characters being teenagers.

BTW, go rent Rushmore. Fantastic movie. Maybe check out Igby Goes Down too, but if you didn't like Tadpole because it was a little dark, Igby will be WAY too dark for your tastes.

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[–] sonopolly 19 years ago

niquems, I think this movie is a bit too sophisticated for you. Stick to American Pie......

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[–] LordEmeryStanfordMerloe 19 years ago

Why? Because I feel that a 40-something woman sleeping with a 15-year old boy is foolish? What does that have to do with it's "sophistication?" If you read my post, I explained that I understood the purpose of the script and him being beyond his years. I STILL felt it was ludicrous. Please explain your (boarderline insulting) statement.

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[–] sonopolly 19 years ago

Sorry, niquems, that was a really bitchy thing to say. To me it wasn't ludicrous at all, it happens whether anyone thinks it's wrong or right it's a movie that portrayed things that happen. Movies aren't about morals (which is a very subjective issue), they're about people and not about the average person often but maybe about the unusual person or situation. I guess I didn't understand your objection to that scene because maybe you didn't think it was moralistic or something that happens often but it does happen, it has happened and that's what the movie portrayed. I think one can make judgments on Mary Kay Letourneau and express they're opinions about her but a movie is a movie and I like when they're evocative and provacative and when you object and if your objections have any impact then movies will lose those so valuable (in my opinion) qualities. See it made us have this discussion and to me that's a good thing.....

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[–] Richard_Booth 19 years ago

Last December, at the age of 16, I sat at a bar in Chicago drinking various forms of alcohol. It happens.

--
Richard Booth

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[–] jenn-74 18 years ago

As I recall, in Rushmore, Max didn't sleep with the woman that he was obsessed with. That's the difference. No-one is saying that 15 year old boys don't have crushes on older women, but what is irresponsible and rather tasteless, is having them sleep together.

I agree with the other poster who said that if this had been reversed and the female had been 15 and the male in his 40's that there would be a far greater outcry.

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[–] thetripdoctor 18 years ago

What about AMERICAN BEAUTY? That is an older guy/younger girl movie. She's not as young as him, but still. People don't have a problem with that movie.

These films make TADPOLE look like a sunday picnic!
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[–] jenn-74 18 years ago

I do.

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[–] LordEmeryStanfordMerloe 18 years ago

Film is freedom of art, sure, but I don't know of any sane 40-something woman that would have sex with a 15 year old boy- regardless of his intelligence level. There have been women going to prison for this, and thousands upon thousands of men who ARE in prison. The writers made a major mistake simply for allowing this subject to take a front seat ahead of their writing. The scene was also just to unbelievable to appreciate anyway. Poorly done. P.S I don't believe in Rushmore OR American Beauty that the the adult-child slept with each other, so that's a mute point.

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[–] Hauz_20 18 years ago

What in the world is a mute point? One that makes no sound?

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[–] golden_muse 11 years ago

P.S I don't believe in Rushmore OR American Beauty that the the adult-child slept with each other, so that's a mute point.

In the movie Blame It On Rio, Michael Caine's character slept with a character who was 17--the actress who played her was also 17, and had to get her parents' permission to do nude scenes. There was no public outcry and Caine's career certainly didn't suffer. And we won't even begin to talk about Lolita and Pretty Baby, where the characters and the actresses who played them were younger than that portrayed in Tadpole. As far as American Beauty, it's true he didn't have actual sex with the girl--but he openly lusted after her all through the movie, kissed her, and stripped her naked--stopping only when he found out she was a virgin.

As far as Tadpole--I thought the movie was clever and quite funny. I didn't like Bebe's character because she showed no shame or even reflection in sleeping with a 15 year old; I loved Sigourney's character, she was clever and radiant, but I thought she should have much harder on her friend for sleeping with her stepson.

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[–] Ryno_II 18 years ago

I was a lot like Oscar when I was 15. Not with voltaire and such but with scotch and middle-aged women.

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[–] grenadinecros 18 years ago

you know, as a fifteen year old, i sat in a bar drinking and read classic literature. its not very odd for something like that to happen. this is a movie, its someones point of view. i particularly enjoyed it. if you dont, thats cool.

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[–] jescci 18 years ago

If he were 17 we'd be relieved of the "ew" quality. Most 15 year-old boys want to jump every mildfthey see. But to suggests that most milfs are loney enough, horney enough, desparate enough or selfish enough to return their feelings and act on them is troubling, unrealistic and irresponsible.

What say there, Fussy Britches? Feel like talking?

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[–] Director-21 18 years ago

If it were a realistic movie about a 15 year old ending up in bed with a woman 20 years older than him it would have been either:

A: about a bumbling kid with no clue about things getting seduced by a trashy older woman who likes control and secretly cringes most of the times he opens his mouth but thinks he's cute and likes the fact that he doesn't have experience.

B: a movie about a ditzy 40 year old who can relate to a 15 year old on his leval, with dialogue about as sophisticated as an episode of Jackass.

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[–] the_eccentric_warrior 18 years ago

I mean 15 year olds is little young...you are a kid during that age. 20 would have worked well...or at least 18.

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[–] Director-21 18 years ago

But that's the whole point it was supposed to be controversial. An older woman and an 18 year old or 20 year old might seem a little creepy/wierd or strange to some but it would not be controversial. Look at American Pie 1 (a huge mainstream hit if ever there was one), the 18 year old bangs Stiffler's mom and it was hardly controversial. This movie was supposed to be an edgy indi art house fair.

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[–] warlok1 18 years ago

You are kidding, right? a 15 year old will do anything he can get away with, including banging older women.

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[–] the_eccentric_warrior 18 years ago

American Pie wasn't to be taken seriously at all. The guy in American wasn't having a bunch of relationships with older women and the movie wasn't centered around him.

I don't think the movie rides on it being a controversial film as much as a coming to age film, and learning about love, obsessions, etc...15 just seemed really young to me, I thought it got a little far fetched then and I didn't relate as well.

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[–] IrishFlowr 18 years ago

OK, I LOOOOOOOVE AaRON! He is soooo......I don't know, HOT! And he is such a great actor. I love this movie!! I love the aprt when...spoiler

when is fake sideburns gets stuck to Diane, and he sees it, and when his dad sees Diane kissing him, I was like OHHH *beep*

**PYRO KICKS MAJOR MUTANT ASS!!!!!**

Sarahlane
[email protected]

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[–] LordEmeryStanfordMerloe 18 years ago

Irishflower,

Sorry, but you seem desperate. Calm down over some guy on the screen. Sorry.

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[–] zedmelon 17 years ago

I have not seen the film. I don't care if I never see the film. I found this link through a *very* convoluted Google search unrelated to the film. Most of this conversation is points made by those who are not willing to change their minds anyway. I only have one thing to say:

LordEmery, be opinionated, be stubborn, be too prudish to understand that fiction does not necessarily by design exist solely to corrupt the masses. But don't pretend to be so old that you cannot recall a single gush over a crush; it truly is the worst thing I've seen on this page. Let IrishFlowr have her moment of adoration without your being a jerk about it.

Mom says my .sig can beat up your .sig.

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[–] Maghtuira 18 years ago

I spoke French and German in addition to English fluently since when I was around 6-8 years old. It's believable. One only needs parents who taught you multiple languages when you were young.

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[–] dial5551212 18 years ago

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093253/

"In the Mood" --1987

Based on a true story.

I would posit that the whole "protect the children" mentality we see so much in evidence today may be doing more harm than good. My take is that it is just retarding the natural maturation process. I guess that's what happens when a person puts more stock in another person's opinion than their own.

"Hear ye, Hear ye. It is time to convene the U.N. global council on sexual morality and acceptable behaviors, for I would like to get laid."

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[–] krazyyou505 17 years ago

Lol this is really quite funny, it's just a movie. So he slept with older women and drank in a bar. What's the big deal? Hell- I'm 16 and have been to a bar it's no hard to get fake id's and the whole sleeping with older ppl thing, it happens sometimes. That's life, but really this is just a movie so it's not a big deal. People blow things way outta proportion sometimes.

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