I think the women would have made better lovers to each other, seriously, I watched this movie last night and I did enjoy it but the whole time I kept thinking that they (the women) were kind of like "in love" with each other in a very platonic way and maybe becoming the other one´s son lovers would just keep them closer to each other.
The scenes between the women were the best!
I think that was a huge aspect of the film - the women's relationship is SO close, it's almost suffocating. But the two aren't lesbians, so the only way they can "have sex" with each other is by proxy, via their sons. It's creepy and Freudian and messed up in so many ways, and I think a lot of it has to do with the women's TOO close friendship. They're forming a sexual bond with each other's flesh and blood, and, by extension, each other. The psychosexual dynamics of that little group were off the charts unhealthy, and they all stem from the women's friendship.
I agree with you that their scenes together were fantastic.
I think this is important: The two women are the ones who want to be together; Roz breaks with Ian because Tom is breaking with Lil. Everything together and in line. Lil's husband's early death upset the symmetry of their lives and, in many ways, by responding to Ian, Roz tries to rebalance the symmetry. In fact Ian's desire for Roz might be complicated feelings he has ingested from his mother.
In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summershare
I agree with everyone here ... I think the relationship between the women is the very core of the story.
shareSurprised not much more people see it in a different way..
Thought both relationships grew organically and completely separate from the other and enough time passed to be somewhat matured; by which mean first innocent caring, tentitive love, uncomfortable taboo, probing action and getting pass the one line that would be crossed....
All of this BEFORE THE affairs were discovered. Because, didn't it seem like both mothers were shocked to hear exactly what was happening? The scenes skip forward so we don't see the reconciliation for a lot of the turbulent events but still..
Because honestly, does anyone think both relationships were the same?
Another thing, why would the viewer see them being lesbians even after the scene dismissing a possible 'lesbo' relationship and bringing it back when brushing/laughing off the guys advances if the intent
interesting take...
I think interviews with the director and cast that the only "real" relationship was between Lil and Roz. Robin Wright commented on how Ian (because of being mentally unstable) used to Roz to replace his father and it turned sexually. So in turn losing Roz equated to losing his father again. Because of Roz's strong motherly instincts she accepts Ian's advances to care for him and it also brought excitement ant titillation to her life which she had always lived in such a proper manner. So this is really not a "real relationship" but a co-dependency.
Tom who is the ultimate Peter Pan and never grows up first uses Lil to punish his Mother and Ian for having sex. This sets in motion years of decisions he makes that only serve him and his pleasures, etc. He enjoys being turned into a "boy toy" by the beautiful Lil and there is nothing expected from him by anyone. (what a life)...it's only when his father who is actually concerned about his future gets him a job outside of the "incest" bubble and he is able to connect with the outside world and falls in love with Mary. But Tom is truly selfish to the core....I love the scene where Lil is starring in the mirror knowing Tom is having sex and falling for Mary and at the same time Tom is starring at Mary on stage and falling for her. Upon returning home Tom surprises Lil on the dock and gets back into her good gracious by tricking her with the opening line "you are so beautiful"...the VERY words Lil was dying to hear. He is good at working people...
Lil on the other hand is as Naomi Watts puts it "addicted to the sex with Tom". She has a partner in Roz buts needs the sex and romance from Tom to keep her young, etc. Just like an alcoholic or drug addict she proclaims "I think I might suffocate if I don't get it" Her two tearful scenes with Roz are awesome. its like she is going through withdraws like a person quitting drugs. great scenes... she even lies and cheats like and addict to get her "drug"..love the scene where she reads to the grandchildren kisses them (even Mary's child) then tells everyone she is headed home early (a signal to Tom to meet her)then kisses and hugs Mary knowing shortly that Tom will be inside of her. In a sense over the years she has become a "functioning addict" who is able to interact normally in life and long as she secretly gets her fix.
So in a sense neither is a real relationship where two people are together for each other...Only Lil and Roz have the real relationship that actually works closer that most married couples.
I'm sorry...forgot to say I agree with you that the two "relationships" were different... but I think they were together with each other because of different dysfunctional reasons (addiction, motherly instincts, dependency, shellfish needs)
shareChrist, I thought surely to God the mothers will finally get it on with one another sometime into this movie. I'm sure it's what everyone was waiting for amongst all the other debauchery.
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