What about the woman who got left behind?

I was really enjoying this film when I thought it was headed in the direction of how 2 very different people who forge a friendship over this strange project. I guess my clue should have been his wife being portrayed as having no interest in him but when it took the romantic turn I was a bit disappointed. I'm tired of movies trying to get us to root for the person "escapes" by simply walking away from their spouse and supposedly mundane life. That's not romantic at all.

i agree, it always bothers me when this happens in movies, it completely butchers what should have been a very nuanced plot-line, people on this board have said "she's an unsympathetic character, she's a B****" but that's how these stories always play it, make the partner a horrible cold unlovable character to justify the leads actions,
and i don't think this is just a one sided gender issue, you see it in many films where the main character, male or female, leaves their partner to run off with someone else, the partner is always vilified into one dimensional cold fish or *beep* to justify the actions of the lead character.
it's annoying because it oversimplifies human character and relationships, there's always two sides to every story.

I couldn't disagree more with you, in this particular point.

In my eyes this wasn't at all about a man in a midlife crisis and his suggestion to become a stay at home dad seemed genuine to me, though a little bit clumsy on his part. Also by her reaction you could tell, that it was her not wanting children and that they were not trying.

The character of Fred was slightly social incompetent but he obviously tried working on his marriage, which you can see in this suggestion and the fact that he gets upset when she takes on the job in Switzerland (Wasn't it Switzerland?). He also made attempts of involving her in his life, when he wants her to read an article he wrote.

The wife on the other hand seems very career driven and keeps him at a distance. She makes important decisions (e.g. the job) without discussing with him etc. From my point of view she had stepped out of the relationship emotionally way before the beginning of the film.

As to the situation, when she wants him back. To me it seemed more like a vanity issue than a genuine attemp to save the marriage. She was the successful, not socially awkward person yet he left her. If she would have genuinely wanted to save the marriage she should have done more than sending a text, she should have shown some real interest in the things that mattered to him.

So far my "defense" of the character of Fred. :)

As to the more serious topic of infertility. This indeed a very painful and very common issue nowadays (I speak from experience)and in my personal opinion it seems to be getting worse every year. But I doubt the movie was hinting at with that comment. I think the comment was merely put there to show his clumsy effort in moving forward with the marriage and her refusal.



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If Mary had wanted children - they'd been married (assumedly) a number of years and she didn't press for it. Fred only suggests a child at the point he's fed up with his job and needs something new to interest him so he can stay at home, look after the boy (it's obvious he doesn't even consider the possibility of a daughter) and he'll have a built-in fishing buddy.

Mary's busy with her career. She's clearly chosen that the career takes the driver's seat over the marriage. She's no longer in love with Fred - the love's gone from the marriage and now it's just a routine duty she performs. She makes him a sandwich for dinner...and trots upstairs to go to sleep rather than spend any time with him. Sex is bland and perfunctory and more to be endured than enjoyed. (Seriously? No taking off the pajamas, no groping and kissing, just "Oh, I guess we're done. Nighty-night!" and they both roll to opposite sides of the bed.) The marriage has long since ended in most areas of the relationship. He leaves, she leaves, really, it doesn't matter because it's just closing the cover on a story that's long ago run its course and ended.

So I think reading into the storyline that they split and she's wrecked and abandoned and won't be fulfilled without a child is adding a lot that's clearly not there in the current timeframe and the characters' backstory. If one of the spouses wants a child and the other adamantly doesn't, and that's a point of no bargaining, a couple will split and find someone else to have kids with.

Stop kidding yourselves guys, the other was younger and hotter.