Despite your tone, AND your quotation-marks when it comes to my profession, I will answer your questions.
1 and 2) How do you know how much my house costs? I have worked hard all my life, and saved money. Along with acting in movies and TV shows I have of course had other jobs, but noen of them extremely well paid, was my point. If you work hard enough, you can accomplish a hell of a lot Which is ALSO why I am now back in college, so that I can have something more secure to fall back upon.
3) I live in a large city, with a nutty neighbour who, if not 365 days a year, I guess she closes down during the colder months and some hollidays, sells stuff on the lawn, or gives it away most of the year.
4)She was depressed, and in a bad relationship. That affected her mood, and her teaching. As soon as she broke up with her husband, and started changing her life, she also made some changes in her teaching. Any one who has had some trauma in their life could see that this wasn't completely unrealistic.
5) Larry worked at U-Mart, maybe he, like I, worked his ass off? Maybe his ex-wife was well off. We don't know how much he earned, that was never stated. Maybe he had money saved from his navy days? Maybe he got the flat screen for his birthday?
6) Maybe your friend didn't save money, maybe your friend is a slob as well? Who knows?
Final point, this is a movie. It is not real. Maybe you should start watching documentaries in stead?
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JohnQ1127
12 years ago
I don't know how you could determine my tone when tone has deal with sound.
I put "Freelance Actor" in quotes because it's a rather vague vocational description. My college room-mate was a "freelance actor" and he's spent most of his life as bartender in NYC making little money from his acting gigs.
I also don't see how someone who's acted in movies & t.v. is analogous to someone who worked at Target.
By your own admission you claimed to have a nice house yet never had a "high scale" job which I'm assuming you mean a high paying job. You compared your house to Larry's house in the movie. Larry's house in the San Fernando Valley near Carson Califronia costs about $300-400 thousand dollars. That's how I determined your house value. Larry being able to afford that house on his salary is ridiculous. You might as well give him the power of invisibility.
Team Leaders at Target work very hard but just don't make any money and they can't afford a nice 1500 square foot middle class home with the SUV and the Flat Screen T.V. in the San Fernando Valley on $12-13 dollars an hour
Larry's neighbor has a 365 days a year yard sale which no middle class suburban town would permit. By your own admission you don't have a neighbor that has a permanent yard sale.
You didn't say where you're from so I can't make a comparison.
Robert's character was an alcoholic who wasn't very nice and was bitter, jealous and apathetic. She didn't really have anything to like about her. Her changes were ridiculous. Suddenly she goes on a moped ride and buys treadmill and sobers up and becomes a great teacher in about 5 minutes in the film. Terrible amateurish sit-com style writing.
People make crap wages at Target/Umart even when they work their asses off. His ex-wife doesn't even get a name in this stupid movie. Unlisted men in the Navy make crap wages. Even if his wife had money and paid for the house, it's completely ridiculous that Larry would buy her out and be able to live a comfortable middle class lifestyle making $12-13 dollars an hour.
My friend worked and saved his money but only made about $13 dollars an hour as a Team Leader at a Bloomingdales type department store in the NYC suburbs. His rent was $900 a month for a small two bedroom apartment in a working class town.
All movies are unreal but they have to exist in some sort of discernible universe. If your going to start with ridiculous premise that Larry could afford that house in that neighborhood on his salary then why not give him the power to fly or invisibility.
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eidsol
12 years ago
By the way somebody is writing condecendingly, you can by all means determine their tone, allthough I did not put it in quotationmarks;) Tone of voice can definately be said about tone of writing as well...
When I wrote freelance actress without quotationmarks, it is because I have a degree in acting, it is my profession and as often as I can I work as an actress. However, to make ends meet I have worked in jobs similar to Larry's, and though I do have a University education in acting, it does not help me get jobs as a CEO etc, (high scale) that other people with a 5 year univeristy education will get. You now probably will point out that OH, so you DID go to university, yes I did, and now I have started another degree that is more work oriented. (like Larry)
I have no idea where Larry's house is situated. I was comparing similarities. I live in an upscale neighbourhood in a large city.
How do you know that the neighbour of Larry has the sale 365 days a week? My neigbour has it daily, but I have never counted how many days a year she has it.
It wasn't the moped ride that changed her life, it was when she got to grips with the fact that her relation-ship was bad and not working, and made a change in that. First.
Again, we do not know how much Larry made an hour, and how his financial situation and savings were. Did he inherit the house? He might have. Even if the script doesn't give specifics, I seriously don't understand why people have to hate it so much. I can litterally smell the brimstone in some of the postings about this film.
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JohnQ1127
12 years ago
Well initially you wrote that the criticisms towards this movie was unfounded because you essentially live just like Larry Crowne. We find out that you have little in common with Larry Crowne's situation other than attending college after the age of 35.
First off you have B.A. degree, whereas Larry has never attended college and is attending a community college.
You're 37, Larry Crowne is in his mid 50's.
You've appeared in movies and t.v. Larry worked at Target.
You own a house in an upscale neighborhood near a big city so you've obviously earned quite a bit of money in your adult life to afford that lifestyle. Larry was a team leader at Target making $12-13 dollars an hour. It's impossible to live Larry's lifestyle on that salary.
You've implied that people who work at Target can afford Larry's lifestyle if they "just save money." That's utterly ridiculous.
Larry lives in the San Fernando Valley, that's obvious if you just watch the film. the school is located in Carson California. Homes like Larry's house in the San Fernando Valley go for about $300-400 thousand dollars.
Larry tells Talia, "I know of a place that has yard sale everyday." Every scene in the movie with Cedric has him having a yard sale. By your own admission your neighbor doesn't have a yard sale 365 days a year. What town in a suburban middle area would permit such a yard sale? There are zoning laws plus people would complain about the constant traffic etc.
Robert's character's transformation was written with about as much depth as a crappy 1990's era FOX sit-com.
It's not hard to determine how much Larry was making. I work in an upscale suburban NYC department store for 10 years, Team Leaders/Assistant managers made anywhere from $10-14 dollars an hour depending on years of service etc.
People hate this film because it's contrived, convoluted, and dumb. It's made by two A-list stars so we expect a little bit more. It's not funny, there isn't a laugh in this film other than George Takai's cryptic laugh. There's zero chemistry between Roberts and Hanks and there relationship is contrived.
But overall it's condescending and oblivious to the way working class people live and the real problems they face.
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eidsol
12 years ago
Ok, I am starting to realize that arguing with you is like trying to piss in the ocean to change the tides.
One of the reasons for this is that for you everything is either black or white.
When I say many similarites, and that I recognize things, it obvioulsy doesn't mean that I am a 50 year old man. I see similarities.
Like I have pointed out numerous times, I have had to work in jobs exactly like Larry's to make ends meet. I have worked in department stores.
A Five year University degree is worth just as much as 20 years in the navy, when it comes to getting work or /and promotions.
Larry tells Talia that he knows a house where there is a yard sale every day, I tell you that my neigbhour has a yard sale everyday. The truth in these two statements could be the same. It might be a slight exaggeration.... From Larry....
BUT, people who only see black and white, and no areas of grey, do not have the immagination to reflect even a little over possibilities that Larry can have saved money when in the navy, inherited money, his wife can have had money enough so that he saved when together....etc.
As to my house, it is probably worth more now than Larry's. However the prices in my neigbourhood has gone up enormously, and when I bought it I worked as a clerk in a shop. No acting jobs in sight. I just saved money.
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JohnQ1127
12 years ago
You don't have to argue with me. We can have a debate back and forth but so far you haven't really been able to make a very strong case.
In your initial post you said, "I seriously do not understand what all the "this is not realistic" -crap is all about. Had I been male, this could have been a film about my life..." What??? in what way is this a film about your life. You're college educated 37 year old woman who's appeared in movies and t.v. and live in an upscale neighborhood in a nice house and you were able to afford that lifestyle from making a good deal of money. Larry worked at Target.
As we have found out the only think you really have in common with Larry Crowne is that you're both post 35 and going to college. Your life s not a very strong analogy whatsoever.
This is a ridiculous statement:
"A Five year University degree is worth just as much as 20 years in the navy, when it comes to getting work or /and promotions." Do you have any idea how much enlisted men earn in the Navy? Larry was probably earning something like $1200 dollars a month during the 1980's. That's about $14,400 a year.
You're black and white analogy is again silly. Films have to exist in a certain universe with some set rules. Why not just say that Larry found a pot of gold and was able to pay the mortgage that way or maybe he found a magic lamp.
Larry's wife may have paid a substantial portion of the down payment of that house but it's implausible that Larry could have bought her out on his salary.
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jenx42
12 years ago
Eidsol, after reading what I'll just call a discussion I have to say that I admire that you eventually saw the need to walk away. When people know everything about everything but nothing about human behavior and possibilities, really what is the point. We should get together and pee in the ocean just to see what happens though.
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lexyladyjax
12 years ago
Larry Crowne's ex-wife was called Laura. There were many laughs in this film for those of us who enjoyed it. If no one thought his dance of victory seen through the spy-hole in the door was amusing, it's possible they read the critical reviews and prejudged the story. It happens.
There were fascinating characters in this film. I enjoyed meeting them. If the sequel comes through, I'll enjoy seeing them again. I look very forward to that, if I'm around for it. However, as a cancer survivor that's up to God.
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nutsberryfarm
10 years ago
bring on the sequel!
'I'm not making art, I'm making sushi.'-Masaharu Morimoto
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indalay422
12 years ago
JohnQ; you obviously don't live in CA and have probably never even BEEN there! Carson is NOT in the San Fernando Valley for one thing. The movie was filmed in Reseda, which IS in the SFV though. As for yard sales "every day": YES, there are some, I've seen them with my own little eyes. When I lived up the coast, in a smaller town even, there were a few people who would have "yard sales" almost every, single day. When it rained, which isn't often enough, then there would be no yard sales, but only because of the weather. Moron. You just love to sound superior is my opinion of YOU.
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nimstic
11 years ago
Eidsol, I don't even know why are you even responding to that child. But nice of you.
I found Larry Crowne very boring and cliched, but didn't really stop watching it because its unrealistic. But the characters were really boring, that mexican kid and the scooter gang? Somehow didn't appeal to me. And I am all for such cute little movies....
BUT I found your striking similarity with the character very interesting! If you have chosen to study at this point of life (You know how studying could signify your long term vision of your life) it must mean you are such a positive, optimistic person! Wonderful to hear such instances. I wish you all the good luck! and I am sure you'd be successful in building that something more strong to fall back on to in your elder years. My best wishes!
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jac91604
10 years ago
I agree with JohnQ1127, my first thoughts was how does someone working a low level retail management position afford a house in the San Fernando Valley, if he grew up in the house and it was left to him that is one thing, but we see that isn't the case. No way he could have gotten that house.
It's like those Lifetime TV movies where you have 20 somethings scraping by and yet they have gorgeous apt in NYC....LOL.
He also got way too chummy with classmates way too fast.
The film comes off more as satire instead of reality about a situation that is very real in America.
I was disappointed, it could have been done better.
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JohnQ1127
10 years ago
Thanks for the comment.
The movie is terrible and ridiculous which is one thing but it's downright condescending and patronizing. I remember seeing Hanks & Nia Vardalos being interviewed about this film and their comments were so disingenuous and patronizing to working class people.
LOL, with your NYC apartment comment. That's like Friends where a coffee waitress and a struggling caterer can live in a 1200 square foot apartment in downtown Manhattan. First off those apartments don't even exist, they'd be lucky to live in a shoe closet. Then NYC in friends looks like some middle class suburb in New Jersey.
There's also a disturbing trend in movies and t.v. shows over the last 20-30 years where everybody lives in an upper middle class neighborhoods in a nice big house regardless of income.
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jac91604
10 years ago
You're welcome John Q.
I lived in "the valley" for many years. I believed they filmed in Reseda but the house looked more like something you would find in Encino or Sherman Oaks.
And the house was big. You're talking between 800K to a million dollars. It would have been more realistic if he rented or had a smaller house and took in a renter(which many people facing foreclosure do).
It would have been believable if he grew up in the house and his parents bought it in 1962, no way he could have afforded it or bought the ex wife out.
Yes, exactly like "Friends". At least "Friends" was a sitcom.
Interesting about what you said about Hanks and Vardolas(I really think she is a one hit wonder with MBFGW). Because the film which dealt with a real issue and could have been good on so many levels didn't reach any of them.
It was silly and as you say "patronizing" of a real problem today.
I agree, there is a trend where everyone lives in an McMansion.
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JohnQ1127
10 years ago
jac91604,
I'm from New Jersey so I don't really know that area at all. My mother had an uncle who lived in North Hollywood and that's about the extent of my knowledge of the area. I've just noticed more and more over the past 20-30 years that movies and t.v. shows are so out of touch in the way they depict how average Americans live. I knew a guy who basically had a job like Larry Crowne but in an upscale N.J. department store so he actually had some decent benefits and probably made a little more money. This guy lived in a really small one bedroom apartment and drove a 4-5 year old honda civic and basically lived paycheck to paycheck.
What really struck me about this movie were the previews on HBO where Hanks and Vardolas are talking about how "healing" this movie is for struggling people and how this movie will give them "hope" and a plan for the future. I was like WTF??? are they serious. I couldn't believe how patronizing & condescending they were and how out of touch as well.
The opening premise is completely ridiculous as he's fired for not having a degree?? WTF? makes absolutely no sense and for some reason they call it "downsizing". Why didn't he just get fired budgetary reasons or some other normal reason.
Then we see that he has a really nice SUV and a nice upper middle class house with really nice furniture and accessories. How he's able to accomplish this on a $10-12 hour job is never explained. This movie is just about the dumbest movie I've seen in a long time with big name actors.
It finally dawns on him that SUV's use a "a lot of gas" so he buys a moped. There's so many moments in this film where you start to wonder if Larry is mentally challenged or something. But then he becomes some kind of business genius by the end of the film.
Then his Navy backstory is so dumb. It's something out of a WW2 movie. He stays in the Navy for 20 to be a cook?? Why would anybody do that? O.K. you join the navy to be a cook because you don't have any money for culinary school. O.K. why would you keep reenlisting for 20 years? And then when you get out why wouldn't you get a job as a chef someplace?? Why would you take a job at target?? Makes absolutely no sense and makes the guy look like a complete moron.
Then there's the neighbor with the everyday garage sale?? WTF? What middle class town would allow such a ridiculous thing? I"m allowed to have 2 per year. There are tax laws and zoning laws people have to follow. Why doesn't his other neighbor open an outdoor bar and sell beer and wine to makes money. Why doesn't Larry just open some kind of fast food place out of his garage.
That's only the first 1/2 hour of this ridiculous movie. Then there's the storyline of the horrible alcoholic teacher who is somehow employed by this college. She does absolutely nothing but get drunk and then she turns her life around by buying a treadmill and she magically becomes a great teacher. And then for some reason she falls in love with knucklehead Larry.
I could go on but what's the point.
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marx686
9 years ago
Its only a movie, but, if Larry and his spouse bought the house in Reseda in the 1980's, it would have probably been affordable with two incomes, a Navy Pension and a VA loan. Those 500K prices are now, not 30 years ago..and yes I bought a home in CA in the 90s with one income. :)
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