MovieChat Forums > Prodigal Sons (2008) Discussion > I HATED Marc - spoilers enclosed

I HATED Marc - spoilers enclosed

posted 14 years ago by philafilm
18 replies | jump to latest

I don't often use the word "hate," but that was my first comment to my film group upon our exiting the theatre. I HATED Marc. I even admitted I kinda wished, for the rest of that lovely family's sake, he'd just make it easy on them and go through with his suicide plans. Some members of my film group turned to me in shock and said "that was a documentary, you know... that was a real person," to which I replied: I know. They said: But he couldn't help it that he was violent/insane. I said: But you can't help who you hate. (And besides, there was one clue from the younger brother that it wasn't the car accident that started Marc's flare-ups; it sounded like he'd beaten up on both younger siblings his entire life)

This film really made me look inward on myself and my relationship with my own family. I have a healthy relationship with those who I like as individuals, and the rest I never see or speak to. I don't see the point in forcing something that doesn't come naturally. As a result I've got a tiny and incredibly close-knit family. Quality over quantity. After years of attempting to get along, I feel sometimes it's best to just write people off. I really wish Kimberly had done this with Marc. I couldn't understand why she kept trying. I couldn't understand why she was the only one to visit him at the hospital. I couldn't empathize with her when Marc accuses her of wanting him to die and she vehemently disagrees. Why was she so hell-bent on fixing this relationship? Especially after she HAD written him off in the past, for a decade! He obviously hadn't changed from his former *beep* self.

Few people ignite such a violent reaction within me (I can find good qualities in nearly everyone), I felt compelled to see if anyone else had similar strong feelings.

[–] bcamille-real 13 years ago

At the Out & Equal conference Kim stated that Mark died a several months ago. She did not state the circumstances of his death, only that it was sudden.

[–] druss44121-1 13 years ago

"I HATED Marc. I even admitted I kinda wished, for the rest of that lovely family's sake, he'd just make it easy on them and go through with his suicide plans. Some members of my film group turned to me in shock and said "that was a documentary, you know... that was a real person," to which I replied: I know."

philafilm...

Yeah, anyone with mental problems we should probably just kill... or even better, lobotomize! Afterall, if a person who "can find good qualities in nearly everyone" doesn't like someone, then they must truly be a worthless human who needs to die!

In fact, I can do one better. Let's build this train system, where anyone who is undesirable, we just put them on the trains and they get shipped to these, uh, health camps! Where they get to work and do labor, so they're giving back to society! Everyone wins, they're given a purpose, we get to wear the wonderful jeans they make. And then after they outlive they're usefulness, we can just burn them in the exact same factory, and it'll be like they never existed. Talk about a flawless plan or what. And don't worry, I'm a very compassionate person, so if I'm saying this, it must be gospel.

Only on IMDB... only on IMDB are people so f---ing proud of their hatred.

[–] philafilm 13 years ago

Wow, last poster, way to stereotype! Please try to understand I wasn't generalizing ALL people with mental health issues... I don't think anything I wrote in my original post came across that way, and if it did, then know it's not what I meant.

It's been over a year since I watched this film so I'm not prepared to discuss its specifics without re-watching it. But:

I had a very intense dinner with friends a few nights ago during which we discussed things that society has deemed are absolutely unacceptable to dislike. The conversation actually stemmed from my dislike for The Beatles. According to everyone I know, this is not only unacceptable, but borderline offensive - which seems odd to me, one individual's opinion of one band... not like I was claiming to like everything "except for country and rap" which is how so many people I know describe their musical tastes. I find it weird to stereotype an entire musical genre. After The Beatles, topping the list was any particular race of people (finally, well done), and next up was victims of traumatizing crimes/accidents and/or handicapped people who also happen to be jerks. Immediately when naming the latter I thought of this film. The man's character turned me off - and if you read between the lines, from what I recall there was plenty that pointed to the fact that he was a questionable character even before his accident. Now, why some find it perfectly OK to hate on entire ethnic or religious groups (think how many Americans trash the French (freedom fries?), or Indians trash Pakistanis, or how much of the non-Muslim population has some irrational fear of Islam) and receive little to no flack from the general population is beyond me, but I personally would never stereotype an entire population. I focus on the individual, and in this film's case, I didn't like him.

But whatever, call me insensitive if you wish; I'll call you narrow-minded.

[–] EliotTempleton 9 years ago

What rmm413-1 said.

[–] rmm413-1 12 years ago

Bragging about being hateful, cruel, and small-minded, huh? I don't know what makes some people want to flaunt their worst, least attractive traits online. Yes, let's hate the brain injured (and even partially lobotomized!) man who is having serious troubles in his life instead of trying to help him. What fun! With that attitude, why not just encourage all damaged, hurt, confused ill folks to kill themselves (or is it that you only want the ones you personally dislike to kill themselves)? Then maybe we'll only have wonderful, superpeople left like the original poster. Do you torture injured insects and animals in your spare time too? It's certainly the image that you are projecting by wishing a poor ill man to be dead. I bet you're thrilled that he is, in fact, now dead. Whew! One more problematic person dead. Wonderful! If only more sick people would die prematurely, wouldn't this be such a greater world?

This is precisely the reason why so many mentally ill and other handicapped people have such difficult times in life. Some very narrow-minded people insist on judging them exactly as if they were normal, when of course they are not normal by way of their illness or handicap and that has to be taken into account when judging them and their actions. Some people however simply find it easier to hate such people rather than try to understand and help them.

I know there are a lot of hate-filled, highly judgmental people out there, but why let everyone online know that you have such horrible traits? And I bet you even consider yourself to be "tolerant." What a hypocritical joke...

[–] Yinky 9 years ago

I understand your frustration and anger, but have you ever lived with someone who is mentally ill and violent? I don't mean working with them, etc., I mean living, day in and day out, with someone who refuses to get help, blames the world for his problems (physical & mental) and feels his illness grants him the right to treat those in his life as his whipping boy(s)? Someone who is completely unreasonable and bullies those who dare to defy him?

It's not easy to live with a person like Marc. Or even be related to him. The youngest brother had not talked to Marc in 10 years, and at their reunion, Marc punches him. Why would ANYONE feel sorry for Marc at that point? As another poster pointed out, it was pretty obvious that Marc was intellegent and manipulative, and used his illness as an excuse to react with violent rage when anyone angers him, intentionally or without malice. The anger and resentment Marc feels toward the whole world runs his life, and he won't do anything to help himself. So his family is supposed to live their lives around and FOR this person who abuses them...and they're just supposed to take it? Live their whole lives for a man who screams at them at the blink of an eye?

Look at how many times Marc mentions he has a head injury. It seemed like he prefaced each meeting with that. So that tells me that he knows he can do whatever he likes and get away with it.

Dealing with a person like Marc SUCKS. I suppose if you've never lived it, though, you wouldn't understand.

[–] bastets_kitten 10 years ago

I didn't hate Marc, I hated how he used his condition as metaphysical White-Out whenever anyone called him on his behavior. He knew damn well what he was doing