MovieChat Forums > Ray Donovan (2013) Discussion > Do we know why Ray despises Mick so much...

Do we know why Ray despises Mick so much?

posted 7 years ago by Mister Babadook (2624)
7 replies | jump to latest

I know he neglected Ray's mother when she was sick and slept around with other women and wasn't a great dad, but there just seems more to it than that. He never gives a straight answer when the question is brought up to him. Like Daryl said he acts as if Mick burnt him with cigarettes and tortured him.

But in his old age he seems harmless, he loves his family, would do anything for his sons, and he just wants to live the rest of his life with his boys and grand children. Yet Ray seems determined to see him suffer and put away for life.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 7 years ago

Harmless? Really? How? Like an assault rifle is harmless? Mickey is toxicity on two feet, who corrupts everything he touches. He lies to himself that he loves his family, but he really only loves himself. Wait. Scratch that, because he does not know what love is. This season, Darryl had a talk with Mick about how Mick's attraction to black women is racist. Mick, of course, denied it, saying, "I loved them." Darryl replied, "You just wanted to have sex with them," and Mick answered, "Same thing." Very telling.

This season alone, and this is just off the top of my head: Dumped two corpses in the ocean, in both cases to avoid criminal charges. Physically assaulted a movie studio reader for not liking his crappy movie script. Created a crime where one need not exist by convincing Jay White not to call the police after he accidentally killed his sensei while sparring with him; the cops would clearly have ruled the death accidental. BLACKMAILED Jay White by threatening to release evidence of what was NOW a crime unless Jay made his crappy movie. Remained arrogant and intractable to a psychotic degree to every studio request to compromise on the movie, thereby also threatening the future career that Darryl, the son whom Mick allegedly loves, wanted so much. Lied to the cops about all the crimes Ray allegedly committed to save his own wrinkled ass.

Remember what the DA said when Jay came clean about the accidental slaying and mentioned Mickey's name: "I've been trying to get this guy for years." DAs don't try for years to "get" lovable, warm, charming geezers.

In previous seasons, Mickey has murdered, lied, used hookers to sell dope, exposed his grandson to the hookers, robbed and gotten Bunchy arrested. He also put himself out of reach to his family by taking a 20-year vacation at Walpole State Prison. Not a nice, fuzzy, jolly guy.

[–] Mister Babadook (2624) 7 years ago

Yeah and Ray doesn't murder people and commit crimes every day of his life practically? Ray acts as if he's up on this pedestal and Mickey is this slime he's so much better than. If Mickey belongs in prison so does Ray.

What i was saying was he harmless in terms of to his family, he would never deliberately hurt any of them, all he wanted was to be with them, yet Ray acted as if he was a threat to them. Sure he was an old crook who has committed crimes his whole life, but whenever he was with his family he was a great guy most of the time.

And those two corpses Mickey dumped in the ocean was him doing the same thing Ray does, he was cleaning up other peoples messes. Mickey didn't kill either of them and was helping his son for one of them avoid life in prison.

I'm not claiming Mick is a saint, i'm just saying he's no different than Ray, infact he's a much nicer guy than Ray who goes around 24/7 with a frown on his face brooding.

[–] ChuckFindlay (392) 7 years ago

I dint think you watch this show. You couldn’t miss as much as you have if you did. Mick is all about number 1. Ray is all about control. Ray sees mick for what he is and everyone else just kinda goes with it in much the way you are. Ray does horrible things for horrible people to benefit is family, bu he’s a severely damaged person who does stupid things because he’s self destructive as he blames himself for the things that have happened to him, like being raped as a boy. He hurts those around him because he is in pain and subconsciously hates himself. Mick hurts those around him because he doesn’t care about the consequences of actions. All he cares about is getting what he wants.

Mick hinted that his father was abusive, which goes someway to explaining why he is the way he is. In the end they both damaged, and even if you think one is no better than the other, they don’t see it that way. Who ever sees themselves as the villain of their own story?

[–] R_Kane (15828) 7 years ago

I agree that both Ray and Mick are reprehensible. I do not agree that Mickey is a boon to the Donovan family. Mickey is a career criminal and thug who only thinks (notice that I did not use the word "cares," because he does not and cannot care about anyone or anything) about himself. Mickey is a piece of shit.

Ray's complete rationale for his feelings about his asshole, absent, criminal, emotionally abusive father may not be completely in evidence yet. Granted. The evidence that Mickey is severely damaged and toxic human being, who is of no value to his family whatsoever, is overwhelming.

[–] jriley555 (7067) 6 years ago

everyone is pretty much on to mick. thing is, he's a funny bastard, kind of charming, occasionally does something nice, as long as it doesn't put him out.

example - he was a good care-taker for the hooker's daughter, got her to the audition. see?

he makes the show roll.

[–] filmtenk (765) 6 years ago

Great summation of Nick. He’s funny and a bastard. Shows better with him in it. Jon Voight is pushing 80 hope he can keep up the role.

[–] bigbadwolf666 (4707) 6 years ago

I think it has to do with several things.

He's so slick and able to out manuever Ray so much that it must get to him. He is also bullet proof in the sense that even though he hates so much he cant kill him because it is his father. So no matter how much he tries to abuse him he cant kill him off like any other character and if he ever actually did he'd be much lower than Mick. So its impossible for him.

Theres also that believe it or not Ray puts him in a pedestal. He hates so much but thats because he loves him so much. Whatever actions Mick takes its disappointing because he obviously has the potential to be so much more but he fails to do so. Thus creating a huge resentment for Ray including that it is his Father after all. It keeps Ray on check on what not to do to fail as father learning from his Father. The resentment deeply seeded makes him hate him so much but there IS some love hidden deep inside there somewhere. Though very disappointed.