MovieChat Forums > The Shape of Things (2003) Discussion > Jenny Was Not All That Moral Either

Jenny Was Not All That Moral Either

posted 11 years ago by denise1234
9 replies | jump to latest

**SPOILERS**

It seems that before Evelyn arrived on the scene, Jenny was perfectly fine going about her merry way, planning her marriage with Phil whom she seems to somewhat detest, and having and treating Adam as the guy friend she likes but won't sleep with or have as her boyfriend because although he has a 'good personality' and appears to be a devoted and loyal friend, he doesn't fit her conventional view of what her boyfriend should look like/be.

So, Jenny can be happy with having Adam on tap when she has problems (probably to offset the kind of support that she thinks she won't get from Phil); someone who can worship her from afar but to whom she doesn't have to commit any further than having him as the platonic guy friend who will help her out when she needs it.

Then Evelyn arrives.

Evelyn not only seems at least to really like Adam; she is ostensibly improving him.

And, now that a pretty girl like Evelyn sees something in Adam & is actually spending the time and energy to better his lot (or so it seems), and Adam is changing in kind, we sense Jenny becoming jealous and now seeing Adam through 'new eyes'.

Now, Adam is becoming somehow 'good enough' for Jenny to sleep with and to maybe even contemplate dumping Phil for.

Jenny makes advances on Adam, they sleep together (it appears), which not only is Jenny being unfaithful to Phil, but is also sabotaging the relationship of Adam and Evelyn.

So, although Jenny appears somewhat meek and nice, she is selfish, too. She seemed fine when Adam was a lonely, third party observer of what Jenny and Phil would have, but once Jenny sees Adam being desired by another woman and thus would not be as available to Jenny as he once had been, which would leave Jenny to having Phil as her one main guy, Jenny throws a monkey wrench into the whole thing.

That wasn't caring for Adam, on Jenny's part.

Certainly, at the ending reveal, Jenny (and we as viewers) find out what is *really* going on, but she didn't know all that when she was doing her own form for damage.

JMHO...

11/16/12: The day the Twinkie died :(

[–] ryansassy1 11 years ago

I tend to agree with you. Jenny is almost the stereotype of the girl who likes to have that guy friend in the background who worships her from afar so that she always has somebody to run to when things aren't going well, but whom she never lets in as anything more than a friend. That "friend" always ends up getting the short end of the stick, and she keeps leading him on emotionally. Jenny's a born user.
_________________________________
"I'm sorry, but.." is a self-contained lie.

[–] denise1234 11 years ago

ryansassy1^

Agree!

11/16/12: The day the Twinkie died :(

[–] jigstik858 11 years ago

True about Jenny, all the characters were unlikeable too.

[–] lamont-hard 11 years ago

Simple, Jenny liked the new and improved Adam as she was giving herself to him. I think she was kinda sleazy before all this even happened. She was probably cheating on her guy with someone else before she got with him. By the way he slept with his fiends gal anyway so he was not that moral himself.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] AdvanceIstheMan 10 years ago

In her first scene she mentions that she wanted Adam to make a move and he never did, and she gives off the impression that they could have easily been together. Then later when they kiss she says she had wanted to do that for years. So I think Adam's improvements motivated her but it's probably something she had been considering for years. I don't think she was a bad person, just unhappy and regretful.

[–] whatabadname 9 years ago

Agreed. I think her pursuit was fueled a bit by jealousy. Evelyn intimidated her to some degree (it was noted that she was cheated on, perhaps some self-esteem issues). She also wasn't attracted to Adam when he was hapless and insecure- a guy can be sweet but he needs to have some confidence! Jenny seemed very bland, a kind of a go with the flow type. Doing the thing you are simply supposed to do and being happy that you are within what is considered appropriate. At least, however, she was not a raging sociopath. Evelyn was reprehensible but an interesting character, I will give her that. But yes Jenny was flawed.

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 8 years ago

Evelyn not only seems at least to really like Adam; she is ostensibly improving him.

And, now that a pretty girl like Evelyn sees something in Adam & is actually spending the time and energy to better his lot (or so it seems), and Adam is changing in kind

Spoken like a truly demented female. Just how vain are you denise? You have the nerve to say Evelyn is "improving" Adam. Who are you to say who needs improvement and what that improvement should be?

Is this just a female thing of passing judgement and thinking you know how to "improve" a guy? Would you be open to having some guy "improve" you? Sounds feminist to me. Would you allow a guy to dictate your friends, clothing and even cosmetic surgery for you? I absolutely know the answer to this.

Tolerance Is Intolerant Of Politically Incorrect Thought...🇺🇸

[–] Nanrad 8 years ago

The foundation of your argument is faulty.

Jenny liked Adam way before Philip came along and kept trying to get him to ask her out and she STILL liked him while he was in a relationship with Evelyn. It had nothing to do with looks, but rather, Adam's lack of social cues, his lack of assertiveness, as well as confidence. So, for Jenny, either he didn't like her or he just wasn't picking up the cues and, as she's dropping hints for this guy she kinda likes, his more assertive and confident friend swoops in. I can't speak for anyone else, but unless I REALLY like a person, despite lack of social awareness, that confident, assertive person is going to win out more times than not. But, the point remains: Jenny ALWAYS liked Adam and, perhaps, even more than Phillip--someone she got engaged to.

But, there is nothing to support that Adam worships her from afar. The only thing we know is that she admitted to both of them that she originally had a thing for Adam that never happened. We're not sure if she knew Adam returned her feelings. Maybe she suspected.

Yes and no. Jenny was jealous saw him through new eyes, but not in a "I-suddenly-am attracted-and-want-Adam" type of way. Jenny was jealous because Adam asked Eve out without hints being dropped for an entire semester and after the first time they met. He then went out of his way to change himself for her as well. Since Jenny's feelings for Adam never evaporated despite being engaged to his best friend and she didn't even have the most basic influence over Adam, where as Eve had an abundance, her jealous arose. IF she suspected that Adam may have had an inkling of feeling, Eve shot that out of the water based off of the fact that Adam asked her out and is willing to literally change himself for her. So, if she believed that his awkwardness if what prevented him from making a move, his relationship with Eve just tells her that he wasn't interested (which we know is false).

During the conversation regarding the art graffiti where Phillip admitted who Jenny liked first, it was obvious that Jenny still had feelings for Adam--she wasn't even jealous at this point. She was embarrassed that Adam either ignored her hints or were oblivious and now she's engaged to his best friend. It's not about Eve or even another woman being interested, but Jenny have the opportunity she didn't have before. Adam also allowed himself to be led into the place they'd arrived to. Jenny didn't twist his hand and make him have sex with her. Adam didn't shut it down after they kissed, so Kenny keep pursuing. What Jenny did was messed up, but I don't think she's not as moral as we believe, simply; she did an immoral thing.

Adam wasn't suddenly "good enough" for Jenny, she realized that he was more open to suggestion and more experienced with relationships and women. He is also more confident and decisive. Since her feelings for Adam never left, she allowed herself to pursue--to find out what it was like to kiss (and be with Adam). I believe it was spur of the moment, but she did benefit, which she knew, from Eve's manipulations (although she didn't know they were manipulations). Maybe you could forgive her for the kiss, but that wasn't enough for her. In a short amount of time, she makes up her mind that she just has to sleep with Adam and I don't think it was for revenge. It makes me wonder if she settled for Phillip to be close to Adam subconsciously.

Jenny was selfish by kissing as well as instigation the brief liaison, BUT she derived no pleasure from Adam being a third party/wheel and there is nothing to support that she's get pleasure from Adam being alone. Adam was alone by design of his personality, which prevented he and Jenny from being together. Jenny's selfish nature kicked in because she had to act on her desires once she realized (subconscious or not) that Adam was open to it and her.

And either you think she's a caring friend or you think she let him hang around because she liked the attention; I'm not saying it can't be both, generally speaking, but based on this argument, it can't. Adam also "hung" around because Phillip was his best friend, unlike Eve, Jenny wasn't going to make Phillip choose.

"And even with Will dead, the love triangle is not over."