MovieChat Forums > Relative Chaos (2006) Discussion > ages/dates/math

ages/dates/math

posted 18 years ago by Tom444
12 replies | jump to latest

Something doesn't add up here.

Gilbert Gilbert (the eldest child) was so named because Dad lost a bet on the results of the Reagan election - and so could not have been born earlier than 11/1980 - just over 26 years ago. This actually jives with the possibility of Gil being a congressman - the minimum constitutional age is 25.

Now, comes Lil - so named to rhyme with big brother - and thus at least 9 months younger - a maximum of 25 years old. But 18 years ago at age 16 she had Pam. That adds up to har being 34 years old.

I am willing to suspend some disbelief here, but WHY make this error? Cripes - make the bet about something else!!

Tom in NH

[–] WonderLexxi 18 years ago

They also made a comment that the bet was made 'over thiry years ago'.... *archs brow*

[–] aamirfan85 18 years ago

maybe this all takes place in the future?

[–] mrblau86 18 years ago

lil had the kid 15 years ago, not 18

[–] KAnnD86 18 years ago

I thought the daughter was 19. Lil gave birth at 16. I didn't pay much attention to the ages during the movie, but yeah, it seems like they made a lot of mistakes. Enjoyable film nonetheless.

Tomorrow's just your future yesterday!

[–] chachah2000 18 years ago

Maybe they meant when Reagan was reelected governor of California in 1970- that WAS over 30 years ago.

[–] absoblue 18 years ago

yeah that and also did anyone notice that when they flashed back to dil throwing the dart it landed on gil's right foot. but then later he says that he can never put full weight on his left foot. idk maybe i didn't fully see it but did anyone else notice?

and then he burst into flames

[–] jcar03 18 years ago

They must of been referring to the governor election in the early 70's and not the president election.

[–] zoemol 18 years ago

They specifically said it was the Reagan-Carter election- hence it had to be 1980 and Lil's daughter said she was 18. Lil spent her junior year away- age 16, so Lil had to be at least 34 years old- born in 1972- They should have used the 68 election- I wonder if someone thought it would be a funny line/gag and no one in production paid attention to ages and math?

[–] tdakoo 18 years ago

another Math problem.

After the second event Gil and Dil were tied. Then Lil won the next event and they were all tied. It's impossible for them all to be tied becasue each place won a different amount of points.

[–] rennfoole 18 years ago

Yeah, we noticed that right away. But, we are betting that the script was changed on set. It makes more sense that the bet would have been whether Nixon would win for a second time. Considering that there is a brief scene of Gil sleeping and muttering "I am not a crook" (a famous Nixon quote), this makes the most sense. The bet was probably changed at the insistence of an actor or crew member who thought the Reagan bet was funnier not fully thinking of the time-line consequences.

Inserting this as the source of the bet makes all the other year problems work out including the age of Lil's daughter.

That having been said, the movie was well-paced and very funny. The actors did their job well and were very entertaining. The time-line thing just sticks out like sore thumb (or foot, in the case of Gil).

[–] ajillity81 18 years ago

i believe the bet was during nixon's reelection because the other guy's last name was nixon. hence nixon nixon. that would make it 1972.

[–] Holland_Manners 18 years ago

They were talking about they made it clear that they were talking about the Reagan/Carter election, and yes, I noticed this too. The only logical answer is that this occurs sometime in the not too distant future, not really affecting anything in the movie other than a few age descrepancies.

"You may be the universe's buttpuppet, but I'm it's right hand fist of fate!" -Wonderfalls