MovieChat Forums > Electrick Children (2012) Discussion > Question about Clyde

Question about Clyde

posted 11 years ago by Proper_Slut
7 replies | jump to latest

God, this movie was awesome. The scene that stuck with me the most was the one in which Clyde and Rachel get "married" and are sitting on the dirty, motel floor.

Clyde's reaction got me curious: Why did he smile weirdly like he did, play with her fingers, then walk out the door and climb on the walls? In the scene following that one, he walks in on Rachel taking a shower and he gets this odd, bewildered look on his face.

What brought on those reactions from him?

Suicide is like... the ultimate fück you.

[–] Sitcom_Sally 11 years ago

I thought he had tears in his eyes. When he played with her fingers he drew a wedding ring on her ring finger. Did you notice that? That was after she kissed him.

From the scene later with his father and the moment in his room when he lies down for a moment like he just wants everything to be normal again, I think he's profoundly lonely and an outcast, even among his own group, just like Rachel. I think he's aching for someone to love him and finds Rachel sweet and pure, ironically enough. Didn't Mr. Will say they call the ugly girls at home the ones pure of spirit or something like that? Rachel is both. With her he has a family to love again.

Why did he climb the walls? My guess is it had to do something with the energy he couldn't use by consummating their marriage and she was in his room.

The perfect human being is uninteresting. -Joseph Campbell

{Ignore phone posting errors.}

[–] delft_blue 10 years ago

I seriously want to know if it was in the screenplay for Clyde to climb the wall like that or it's something Rory Culkin suggested they add on one of the takes. Anyways, they live in a band practice space with a communal shower and restroom and he was standing outside the door to make sure no one would go in while she was showering (a la living in an all-female dorm and having a male guest over). He climbed up the wall probably because he was bored and maybe pent-up frustration? They are "married" but he's told her he won't touch her yet. I was just plain impressed he was able to climb up the wall like that, lol!

[–] Amanda_k_bailey 10 years ago

I really loved that scene too. Culkin's performance was incredible. But I am also wondering why he walked in on her in the shower and then just walked out? That's the only scene in the movie that I've thought about and can't figure out.

[–] YoGreve 10 years ago

Of course I don't know wether it's right or wrong, but for me it was because he couldn't help himself, then he walked in and then it him what he just did and he got embarrassed.

God, I love Rory Culkin. He could walk in on me taking a shower any day! Every day actually!

[–] draugwenL 10 years ago

Why did he just walk out? Because he wasn't going to have sex with her. At this point he realized that she truly believes she was impregnated by God, which means she didn't remember or know about getting pregnant. Clyde isn't an idiot and he's not naive. He had already asked Mr Will if her father raped her. At this point he sees Rachel as either of two things: damaged or pure. (He was also seeing her pregnant belly, filled with a baby, which isn't a turn on for a lot of teenagers, but I don't think that was writer's intention). Seeing her naked and pregnant, having accepted she is either a rape victim or new Mary, is quite a lot for him to process. He had promised her to not touch her, not until she is ready, and he is completely faithful to that promise. He completely respects her wishes, so he just walks out.

What would you have expected him to do? Walk up to her, sweep her into his arms and make love to her right there? That's realistic. What would someone really have done in that situation? Walked out an left. This is a really good movie, not a cheap porno.

So he takes out his pent up sexual frustration by literally climbing the walls.

[–] icydayz 10 years ago

I also thought the same.. i wonder about the effect rachel suddenly had on him, it was beautiful but so sudden

[–] migdalia2346 9 years ago

Just like everybody say, it was him proving to her and himself that he could keep his promise. He is just a boy and they just got "married" so I bet his curiosity was riding wild at that moment, that's why I don't blame him for opening the door but congratulate him for closing it again. At that very moment you could tell he actually had grown up and it was important to be show in the film because that person will now become the husband and the father of this new family.
The way he climbs the wall was impressive I think I'm trying that one day.

On Earth, we called it love. I don't know about Mars, though.