MovieChat Forums > Starbuck (2012) Discussion > confused about an essential point

confused about an essential point


Okay, in the story it's revealed someone code-named "Starbuck" fathered over 500 children through in-vitro fertilization 20 years ago. In turn the sperm bank, in its normal course of doing business, responded 20 years ago to requests from women who wanted to get pregnant but were unable to do so through natural means. So far so good, I get that. What I *don't* get is why the screenplay had the public outraged at Starbuck for getting all those women pregnant in the first place, as if he were some kind of criminal pervert at worst (and "pervert" was used frequently in the movie media in describing him), and at best a randy, money-grubbing slacker. Huh?? He was donating sperm for money, which is legal, and furthermore it wasn't Starbuck who got those 500-plus women pregnant, it was the CLINIC, doing its job in responding to requests from women! Could someone explain to me why the media (with its tabloid headlines) and the public in this film were so outraged at HIM?

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There are several reasons that there was so much anger directed towards Starbuck. I don't agree with these reasons, mind you, I'm just stating my opinion based on context and my understanding of the movie and society.

1. Some people feel that masturbation is a sin. Regardless of why you are doing it. So by donating sperm he is not only committing a sin, he's also a component in the institution that fosters said sin.

2. Even those who think masturbation is natural, or at the very least are just okay with it, think that a person who donates 500+ times must have something wrong with them mentally. They might see it as sick, or perverted. In their minds he might as well be as bad as a pedophile.

3. There are many people who disagree with in vitro fertilization and sperm banks in general. They might see it as devaluing their country's morals, or as an attack against the 'traditional' home. The religious aspect of this is the belief that a child conceived in a cup is soul-less or born against the will of god. Some might think it promotes homosexuality. Some might think that it helps create more single mothers for the taxpayer's to support.

What I do find interesting is the fact that it's never mentioned in the movie what Starbuck did with his 24k he earned for donating. My theory, he used that money to purchase the two week vacation for his entire family to Spain. (was it Spain?) If you remember, when David takes Valerie home to meet his family, his father tells her the story of how he surprised them with this trip before his mother got sick and died.

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The trip was in Italy (Venice). I'm assuming this is the "secret" he didn't want to tell Valérie when she asked him how he got the money.

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VALERIE said to him "Masturbating for money is prostitution by definition". I'm guessing everyone else thought this way?

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