MovieChat Forums > The Chumscrubber (2006) Discussion > So what did Billy's Dad do to him?

So what did Billy's Dad do to him?

posted 14 years ago by Blackcatt14
9 replies | jump to latest

That scene where Billy smart mouthed his Dad about the knife in the wall got very intense when the Dad said "C'mon." And Billy the Bully just got this look of complete naked fear (he looked like a little scared boy for those 2 seconds.) When I saw that look on his face, I got scared, seriously. Then Billy hesitantly walks out and then there's just the friends (and kidnapped boy) sitting in silence, anticipating...but then nothing. No whiplash sound, not smack, no scream. I was expecting something to be heard because that's what the friends' looked like they were doing, but then nothing happended. I'm sure something had to happen because when we came back to him he was just sitting down quietly. I just think the scene just went off too quick or like Billy wasn't given enough screen time/story at least. I would have liked to get a deeper look into his life to see what made him act like that. I know "bully being abused by daddy" is classic, but I like it none the less. It interests me. So when that the scene just left that pivotal moment that was supposed to "explain Billy" in some way just blank, I felt a little cheated or left out. I know we'll never know what happened in that house and all we can do is speculate. But was anyone else at least curious as to...I don't know...what that whole freaking scene was about? What did his Dad do? Do you think his Dad was hurting him in some way or had some punishment that scared him shatless and made him act nutty?

[–] BlameMyWildHeart 14 years ago

Actually, on the DVD if you watch the deleted/extended scenes, that's one of them. And it shows the friends still sitting there and you hear Billy and his dad in the background. I don't remember exactly what was said but you hear an exchange and then you hear Billy say something like "No dad please don't" or something like that and then a smacking noise. Soooooo I don't know take from that what you will. I'm not entirely sure why the scene was edited out so awkwardly. If they didn't want to include that they could have done a better job piecing together the before and after parts of that particular story line.

[–] Blackcatt14 14 years ago

Oh okay. See that's what I think, too. I don't think the editor pieced the story together as nicely as it could have been. He or She should have been called out on that, too. There were a lot of scenes and parts of the movie that just weren't pieced together right. The editor could have done a better job. I'm just especially disappointed because the Billy and his Dad thing could have been a good story line to run with. Oh well. For all it's worth, I still like the movie as is. Thanks for filling me in. :) Poor Billy. :(

[–] BlameMyWildHeart 14 years ago

Oh yeah I agree. The editing is *beep* but the movie is still pretty good. It definitely would have helped with understanding why Billy is the way he is. Though, I can't help but wonder if they cut that part out to leave it up the the audience's imaginations. Nothing they could show would be as bad as what some people could imagine is happening. But even if that was their intention, they could have done it in a way better form than they chose to. It's just too awkwardly edited.

[–] Blackcatt14 14 years ago

Exactly. Leaving Billy's whole background up to the audience's imagination isn't a horrible idea, but that still doesn't excuse the *beep* editing. Yes! Awkard is the perfect word for the editing. Thank you! Like some things just didn't...fit. But I deal with it because every time the movie comes on, I'm no doubt going to watch it. haha Basically, the story was good, the editing just didn't do it justice.

[–] BlameMyWildHeart 14 years ago

Lol pretty much. And like the whole "Billy why would you do that" - "Because I'm a stupid bastard?" quote thing would make more sense if they had left in his messed up relationship with his father. I wonder how many times Billy's dad told him he was a "stupid bastard."

I can't hold the bad editing against it either. It has a phenomenal cast. I mean Glenn Close and Allison Janney alone make it worth watching. And from an actor's point of view the scene at the end between Dean and Mrs. Johnson at Troy's funeral is brilliant. I bought the dvd out of one of those $5 bins at walmart for that scene alone. It's flawless.

"Don't look at me, I'm *beep* ed up on corn bread."

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] razlakh 13 years ago

There was no editing failure. You already know what's implied by his action. A 'no dad no!' sound bite is tacky and the editors realized it.

[–] mell_o_drama 14 years ago

I don't think you really need to see or hear anything to understand the relationship between the son and father. I think that moment when Crystal digs at Billy saying he's going to be in the airforce 'like his Dad' and Billy instantly snaps that he's not like his dad sets up their relationship, and the scene leading up to his father asking him to step outside shows a lot. I think a 'no, Dad, don't Dad' scene would have felt more clumsy and awkward than cutting away did.

[–] ThattimeIfell 10 years ago

After it was mentioned that there were cut scenes on the DVD implying physicality, I realised I was wrong, but when I watched this, I thought that the abuse on the dad's behalf was withholding any kind of discipline/attention.

The muted response that the kidnapping got from his dad made me wonder what Billy would have had to do in order to get his dad to react to him.
Even when his dad did pick him up on his behaviour, it seemed more out of concern for the house, than his son carrying a knife.
Billy seemed to want to provoke some sort of response from his dad, and the fact that there was none, was almost sadder to me.

(Please, no one take this the wrong way, I'm not saying that violent parents are caring parents.)