That strikes me (like a lot of the responses on the other threads) as a really fundamental misunderstanding of what was offensive about that scene (actually, "those scenes" as it happened more than once). I think nudie bars are kind of sleazy and sad, but I wouldn't have had nearly as much of a problem, actually, if it was that kind of thing (the kid is kind of young, but still). The women in there, though they may have psychological or financial pressures working on them, still are (one hopes, at least) doing topless or nude dancing out of their own free will.
Whereas the teen girls shown in those scenes gave no indication they were out to strut their stuff and put on a show (I understand that some teen girls do set out to do that, but the way these were portrayed, it did not seem to be the case). They wanted to have fun with their friends, and go down the water slide. Instead, they were made to wait, so the adults (and their teenage protege) running the park could leer at them and snigger about it.
I would challenge anyone to really think about how they'd feel if it were their fifteen or sixteen year old daughter or sister going up to ride on that slide, and while their daughter/sister waited obliviously, men three times their age made them display their bodies for these men's male gaze.
Back to Trent, though, and stepdads: I had to deal as a teen with a pseudo-stepdad (he never married my mom, and still doesn't live with her, but they have been dating for years) that I butted heads with from time to time. He is generally a pretty decent guy when he is sober, but he can be a real mean drunk. I never saw anything nearly as objectionable about Trent. Which is not to say, BTW, that I think Duncan was totally off base to feel that Trent rubbed him the wrong way. Sometimes people are not that compatible, and this kind of situation and Duncan's age do not help. But since the main relationship is between the mom and Trent, they just have to negotiate their way as best as they can.
Think about the scene when Trent is waiting up for Duncan who has been out all night (or very late at least), without calling or telling anyone where he was. A lot of caregivers/guardians, whether parents or stepparents, would be very strict about that. The kind of "lip" or "backtalk" Duncan was dishing out would be met with some very harsh punishment. Given the range of strictness that exists in parenting, I think Trent comes across as fairly moderate there (and if you showed that scene to parents fifty or seventy-five years ago, they'd think he was being hopelessly lax and permissive, I think).
Probably the worst thing Trent does from my perspective is the "three" thing at the beginning; he also acts his most jerkish at the very end when they go to the water park. Both of those help set him up against the Sam Rockwell character. But I don't think they are consistent with how the character seems to be written throughout the rest of the film, although there is at least a way you can say the "three" might have been misinterpreted (as in, not meant that Duncan is a worthless piece of crap, but that he needs to put in more effort and engage with life, which appeared to be true enough). At the end, I suppose you could explain it as his being in a bad mood due to the vacation being cut short and all that.
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10 years ago
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GuyOnTheLeft
10 years ago
He clearly instantly regretted blurting that out. However, Duncan did need to learn somehow or other that his idea that he could go live with his dad "as soon as he gets settled" was a pipe dream. It's the reality of his dad's abandonment that is the most painful part of that, not Trent's revelation of this truth.
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Odie33
10 years ago
Indeed, there's nothing wrong about Trent striving to influence proper conduct, such as cleaning up for yourself and following the rules of an activity, to Duncan, even assertively, as that's what's necessary sometimes.
However, I feel the following three behaviors greatly diminish and perhaps go as far as to nullify Trent's attempted constructive criticisms, suggestive advice, and mandates.
1) Trent doesn't appear to lead by example and practice what he preaches. Duncan's scolded for not bringing his plate to the kitchen, not telling his mother where he's going, and so forth, yet we never see Trent doing the dishes, lying about his whereabouts, etc. How/why should Duncan take the protocols seriously if the person administering them doesn't?
2) Trent never provides encouragement/motivation. After every single critique and command Duncan obeys, whether taking his plate to the kitchen or succeeding at a summer job, Trent never responds with appreciation or a compliment.
3) Trent's a selfish bully. Even if he had good intentions at times, it was clear that Trent used Duncan as a target for his own angst and guilt. Beyond the well discussed "three" rating, Trent created other intentionally embarrassing moments, such as the life jacket scene, which simply worked as a self-esteem builder for him. If he were truly being objective and helpful, Trent would have instructed the girls to wear life preservers as well.
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Odie33
10 years ago
As for Owen...
The Sam Rockwell character is positioned by the script as morally superior to Trent given their confrontation and so on; but the stuff he was doing to use his authority to make young women display their bodies was worse than anything Trent did.
I don't feel he was ever meant to be a moral compass for Duncan. Both Owen and Roddy numerously exhibited irresponsible and unethical actions, plus were abrasive and outright verbally abusive at times (in a joking attitude). Nonetheless, Owen still proved to be a better role model than Trent because Duncan didn't need a lesson in morality, he required a demonstration of confidence, which the park employees clearly featured.
To put it another way... Owen was very outgoing and brash, but he usually knew when to draw the line, saying things such as "I was just kidding" when Duncan took Owen's comments literally.
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GuyOnTheLeft
10 years ago
Those are all good points. I forgot about the life jacket scene, which was pretty bad. I don't agree that it was about intentionally embarrassing Duncan or building up his own self esteem--I think it was simply that he didn't think Duncan was a strong enough swimmer--but it was handled very insensitively.
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MTulliver
9 years ago
" I don't agree that it was about intentionally embarrassing Duncan"
Um. Yes, it was. You can rationalize this character's behavior all you'd like. He was a bully, abusive, and a cheater. Set your bar higher.
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rdpepper210
9 years ago
I just can't stand the way Trent talks to Duncan. He is more like a teacher and student instead of someone who living with the kid's mother. He shows no warmth at all and I don't blame Duncan for being snarly with him, because I would have don the same thing. He is an emotional abuser and a bully.
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