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Misplaced, moving to the correct tab. Magnificent Bastard has to go through the thread.


* HateSink: Dan is likely to be one by the time the film's over. He stalked a woman for over a year. Then he had sex with her for over a year while both had other warm partners. Then he refused to really apologize. And then, incredibly, he's unable to forgive his affair partner for having sex with her ex ''once'' to get the divorce papers signed. And then he has the ''gall'' to go to her ex to ask him to "return her," as if ''his own behavior'' isn't what drove her away. [[OverlyLongGag And THEN]], the thought that his own ex had satisfying sex with his affair partner's ex is enough to make him forever distrust her and even hit her. And on top of that, it's implied he's actually a terrible writer, as he's only gotten promoted because his boss died, and his boss died of ''alcohol poisoning'', implying that his paper is hardly a quality institution. A bad writer, a beyond-terrible partner, a coward, a hypocrite, and a man incapable of admitting he's done wrong and really meaning it. Hard to like that one.
* MagnificentBastard: There's a fair argument that Larry is one, as from the second he finds out his wife had an affair he begins putting together gambits to both keep himself from immediately forgiving her and ultimately crafting a plan that makes her lover reject her, causes her to return, and ruins her lover's relationship with the only other person he loved.
--->'''Larry:''' To a towering romantic hero like you, I don't doubt I am somewhat common, but I am ''nevertheless'' what she has chosen, and we ''must respect'' what the woman wants.
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** If your partner has sex with someone else, ''they had sex with someone else''. Larry solicits the details of Anna's adultery specifically because he knows hearing them from her will both remove any doubt in his mind about leaving and prevent him from just ''imagining'' what she did, which is in ways worse.
** Artsy, abstract thinking can just be an excuse for idiocy. Dan derides Larry for treating love "like a diagram," but he's clearly just desperately trying to claw back control in a losing argument.

to:

** If your partner has sex with someone else, ''they had sex with someone else''. else when you expected they wouldn't, ''that is a massive betrayal.'' Larry solicits the details of Anna's adultery specifically precisely because he knows hearing them wants to comprehend the depths of her betrayal instead of shying away from her will both remove any doubt in his mind about leaving it, and prevent him from just ''imagining'' that's ultimately what she did, which is in ways worse.
gives her the courage to leave her.
** Artsy, abstract thinking can just be an excuse a cover for idiocy. Dan derides Larry for treating love "like seems to be a diagram," flowery, "carried-through-the-air" lover, but in the end, he doesn't understand what he's clearly just desperately trying to claw back control in a losing argument. doing or feeling at all, and gets rings run around him by the more cerebral Larry.



* CrossesTheLineTwice: It can be hard not to laugh during the climax as Dan is reduced to ''begging the man he cuckolded'' to return the woman he has since won back, and then, when he realizes that he's lost, to beg once again, ''the man he cuckolded'' for advice for getting his own ex-girlfriend back.

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* CrossesTheLineTwice: It can be hard not to laugh during the climax as Dan is reduced to ''begging the man he cuckolded'' to return the woman he has since won back, "counter-cuckolded," and then, when he realizes that he's lost, to beg once again, ''the man he cuckolded'' for advice for getting his own ex-girlfriend back.



* HateSink: Dan is likely to be one by the time the film's over. He stalked a woman for over a year. Then he had sex with her for over a year while both had other warm partners. Then he refused to really apologize. And then, incredibly, he's unable to forgive his affair partner for having sex with her ex ''once'' to get the divorce papers signed. And then he has the ''gall'' to go to her ex to ask him to "return her," as if ''his own behavior'' isn't what drove her away. [[OverlyLongGag And THEN]], the thought that his own ex had satisfying sex with his affair partner's ex is enough to make him forever distrust her and even hit her. And on top of that, it's implied he's actually a terrible writer, as he's only gotten promoted because his boss died, and his boss died of ''alcohol poisoning'', implying that his paper is hardly a quality institution. A bad writer, a beyond-terrible partner, a coward, and a man incapable of admitting he's done wrong and really meaning it. Hard to like that one.

to:

* HateSink: Dan is likely to be one by the time the film's over. He stalked a woman for over a year. Then he had sex with her for over a year while both had other warm partners. Then he refused to really apologize. And then, incredibly, he's unable to forgive his affair partner for having sex with her ex ''once'' to get the divorce papers signed. And then he has the ''gall'' to go to her ex to ask him to "return her," as if ''his own behavior'' isn't what drove her away. [[OverlyLongGag And THEN]], the thought that his own ex had satisfying sex with his affair partner's ex is enough to make him forever distrust her and even hit her. And on top of that, it's implied he's actually a terrible writer, as he's only gotten promoted because his boss died, and his boss died of ''alcohol poisoning'', implying that his paper is hardly a quality institution. A bad writer, a beyond-terrible partner, a coward, a hypocrite, and a man incapable of admitting he's done wrong and really meaning it. Hard to like that one.



** "Have you ever seen the human heart? It looks like a fist, soaked in blood!"

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** "Have you ever seen ''seen'' the human heart? It looks like a fist, fist soaked in blood!"



* TruthInTelevision: Dan seems to have some sort of personality disorder related to women and love. He demands both Anna and Alice's love incessantly, but the second he learns Anna had sex with her ex Larry to get divorce papers signed, he's overcome with jealousy and betrayal. Then, when he thinks Alice had sex with someone else ''when they weren't even together'', he's overcome with jealousy and betrayal ''again.'' Based on what Larry says about knowing he wakes up at his night crying for his mummy, it's possible that he had a neglectful mother, or one who said she cared about him but then left him. His habitual seduction would then be a coping mechanism to solicit a woman's affection to replace his mother's. And his sense of betrayal at ''one'' indiscretion is because he's deeply afraid that these women will leave him like his mother did.

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* TruthInTelevision: Dan seems to have some sort of personality a reactive attachment disorder. Adults with reactive attachment disorder related to women frequently have trouble with complex emotions like remorse, empathy, and love. He demands both shame and are more likely to have issues trusting people but also a deep need to be loved. In Dan, we have someone who incessantly seeks love from Anna and Alice's love incessantly, Alice, but the second he learns Anna had sex with her ex Larry to get divorce papers signed, he's overcome with jealousy who is incapable of expressing real remorse or feeling empathy, and betrayal. Then, who loses trust in them ''very'' quickly when he thinks Alice had sex with someone else ''when they weren't even together'', he's overcome with jealousy and betrayal ''again.'' Based on what cross a line in his eyes. Considering how Larry says about knowing he Dan wakes up at his in the middle of the night crying "crying for his mummy, mummy," it's quite possible that he Dan had a neglectful mother, or one who said she cared about him but then left him. His habitual seduction would then be a coping mechanism to solicit a woman's affection to replace his mother's. And his sense of betrayal at ''one'' indiscretion is because he's deeply afraid that these women will leave him like his mother did.figure, and his behavior during the story is a result of that.

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** The longer you wait to tell your partner about someone else, the worse the fallout will be for everyone. Larry cheats on Anna but then comes home and tells her immediately, and she's hurt but not devastated. But when Anna and Dan admit they've been cheating for ''over a year'', they blow up their relationships immediately and without question.
** Artsy, abstract thinking can just be an excuse for idiocy. Dan derides Larry for treating love "like a diagram," but saying that is clearly just desperately trying to claw back control in a losing argument.

to:

** The longer you wait to tell your partner about someone else, the worse the fallout will be you make it for everyone.yourself and them. Larry cheats on Anna but then comes home and tells her immediately, and she's hurt but not devastated. But when Anna and Dan admit they've been cheating for ''over a year'', they blow up their relationships immediately and without question.
**If your partner has sex with someone else, ''they had sex with someone else''. Larry solicits the details of Anna's adultery specifically because he knows hearing them from her will both remove any doubt in his mind about leaving and prevent him from just ''imagining'' what she did, which is in ways worse.
** Artsy, abstract thinking can just be an excuse for idiocy. Dan derides Larry for treating love "like a diagram," but saying that is he's clearly just desperately trying to claw back control in a losing argument.



* CrossesTheLineTwice: It can be hard not to laugh during the climax as Dan is reduced to ''begging the man he cuckolded'' to return the woman he has since won back, and then, when he realizes that he's lost, to beg the man he cuckolded for advice about what to do next.

to:

* CrossesTheLineTwice: It can be hard not to laugh during the climax as Dan is reduced to ''begging the man he cuckolded'' to return the woman he has since won back, and then, when he realizes that he's lost, to beg the once again, ''the man he cuckolded cuckolded'' for advice about what to do next.for getting his own ex-girlfriend back.



--->'''Larry:''' [utterly unperturbed] ''Yeah. Thanks!''

to:

--->'''Larry:''' [utterly unperturbed] ''Yeah. Thanks!''Yeah. ''Thanks!''
*HateSink: Dan is likely to be one by the time the film's over. He stalked a woman for over a year. Then he had sex with her for over a year while both had other warm partners. Then he refused to really apologize. And then, incredibly, he's unable to forgive his affair partner for having sex with her ex ''once'' to get the divorce papers signed. And then he has the ''gall'' to go to her ex to ask him to "return her," as if ''his own behavior'' isn't what drove her away. [[OverlyLongGag And THEN]], the thought that his own ex had satisfying sex with his affair partner's ex is enough to make him forever distrust her and even hit her. And on top of that, it's implied he's actually a terrible writer, as he's only gotten promoted because his boss died, and his boss died of ''alcohol poisoning'', implying that his paper is hardly a quality institution. A bad writer, a beyond-terrible partner, a coward, and a man incapable of admitting he's done wrong and really meaning it. Hard to like that one.


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*TruthInTelevision: Dan seems to have some sort of personality disorder related to women and love. He demands both Anna and Alice's love incessantly, but the second he learns Anna had sex with her ex Larry to get divorce papers signed, he's overcome with jealousy and betrayal. Then, when he thinks Alice had sex with someone else ''when they weren't even together'', he's overcome with jealousy and betrayal ''again.'' Based on what Larry says about knowing he wakes up at his night crying for his mummy, it's possible that he had a neglectful mother, or one who said she cared about him but then left him. His habitual seduction would then be a coping mechanism to solicit a woman's affection to replace his mother's. And his sense of betrayal at ''one'' indiscretion is because he's deeply afraid that these women will leave him like his mother did.

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** Share how you feel. Anna and Dan never share how they feel and end up nearly destroying their lives and the lives of their loved ones, Dan ending up totally alone. Larry, in contrast, is never shy about how he feels, and ends up getting back everything he cares about because people can't help but be compelled by it.
** Complex thinking CAN be more worthwhile than artsy thinking, an unusual message from the arts! Dan seems to think love is just a feeling, but Larry insists that it's complicated and messy and violent by necessity, and reducing it to just a feeling is exactly why Dan is losing.
** Have sympathy for those who hate themselves. Larry says he's going to [[spoiler: forgive Anna and take her back]], and it ultimately seems to be because he thinks she did what she did because she hates herself, and he thinks their relationship is more than what one of them might do because of their worst impulses.
* AtLeastIAdmitIt: Everyone in the story sucks, but viewers are likely to come away liking Larry more, if only because he's always honest about what he wants and never hides it, even when it's uncomfortable or involves being vulnerable.

to:

** Share **Self-knowledge - the ability to examine how you feel. feel, WHY you feel that way, and what you really want - is a very valuable tool. Anna and Dan never share how can't even seem to put into words what they feel want or why they do what they do, and end up nearly destroying their lives and the lives of their loved ones, Dan ending up totally alone. Larry, in contrast, is never shy about how helpless before their partners. But Larry DOES know what he feels, wants and ends up getting back everything what he cares about because people can't help but be compelled by it.and where his lines are, and so is able to pursue what he wants with vision and clarity.
** Complex thinking CAN be more worthwhile than artsy thinking, an unusual message from The longer you wait to tell your partner about someone else, the arts! Dan seems to think love is just a feeling, but worse the fallout will be for everyone. Larry insists that it's complicated cheats on Anna but then comes home and messy tells her immediately, and violent by necessity, she's hurt but not devastated. But when Anna and reducing it to just a feeling is exactly why Dan is losing.admit they've been cheating for ''over a year'', they blow up their relationships immediately and without question.
** Artsy, abstract thinking can just be an excuse for idiocy. Dan derides Larry for treating love "like a diagram," but saying that is clearly just desperately trying to claw back control in a losing argument.
** Have sympathy for those who hate themselves. Larry says he's going to [[spoiler: forgive Anna and take her back]], and it ultimately seems to be because he thinks she did what she did because she hates herself, and he thinks their relationship is more than what one of them might do because of their worst impulses.self-destructive tendencies.
* AtLeastIAdmitIt: Everyone in the story sucks, but viewers are likely to come away liking Larry more, if only because he's always honest about what he wants and never hides it, even when it's uncomfortable or involves being vulnerable.personally risky.

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** Have sympathy for those who hate themselves. Larry says he's going to [[spoiler: forgive Anna and take her back]], and it ultimately seems to be because he thinks she did what she did
because she hates herself, and he thinks their relationship is more than her worst perception of herself.

to:

** Have sympathy for those who hate themselves. Larry says he's going to [[spoiler: forgive Anna and take her back]], and it ultimately seems to be because he thinks she did what she did
did because she hates herself, and he thinks their relationship is more than her what one of them might do because of their worst perception of herself.impulses.



*CrossesTheLineTwice: It can be hard not to laugh during the climax as Dan is reduced to ''begging the man he cuckolded'' to return the woman he has since won back, and then, when he realizes that he's lost, to beg the man he cuckolded for advice about what to do next.



** The cybersex scene between Dan and an unwitting Larry. Particularly Larry, a ''doctor'', blatantly ignoring phone calls to continue the conversation. Though tobe fair he is a dermatologist, so they're probably not life or death calls, but we don't yet know this at the time.

to:

** The cybersex scene between Dan and an unwitting Larry. Particularly Larry, a ''doctor'', blatantly ignoring phone calls to continue the conversation. Though tobe to be fair he is a dermatologist, so they're probably not life or death calls, but we don't yet know this at the time.



**The climactic argument between Larry and Dan is full of awkward comedy as Larry deflects every single desperate statement Dan makes.
--->'''Dan:''' You only met her because of me!
--->'''Larry:''' [utterly unperturbed] ''Yeah. Thanks!''
*MagnificentBastard: There's a fair argument that Larry is one, as from the second he finds out his wife had an affair he begins putting together gambits to both keep himself from immediately forgiving her and ultimately crafting a plan that makes her lover reject her, causes her to return, and ruins her lover's relationship with the only other person he loved.
--->'''Larry:''' To a towering romantic hero like you, I don't doubt I am somewhat common, but I am ''nevertheless'' what she has chosen, and we ''must respect'' what the woman wants.



** "Have you ever seen the human heart? It looks like a fist, soaked in blood."

to:

** "Have you ever seen the human heart? It looks like a fist, soaked in blood."blood!"
** "He tastes like you, only sweeter!"


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** The scene where Anna admits she's been having an affair and Larry insists on her describing every detail, both for its ''very'' explicit descriptions - surprising especially coming from America's sweetheart Creator/JuliaRoberts - and in its emotional rawness. There's a reason a thousand emo songs were spawned by it.

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*AnAesop:
**LoveCannotOvercome: No matter how much "love" you have for someone, you need to have loyalty and respect and fidelity too. Otherwise it's just a feeling, not a fact.
**Share how you feel. Anna and Dan never share how they feel and end up nearly destroying their lives and the lives of their loved ones, Dan ending up totally alone. Larry, in contrast, is never shy about how he feels, and ends up getting back everything he cares about because people can't help but be compelled by it.
**Complex thinking CAN be more worthwhile than artsy thinking, an unusual message from the arts! Dan seems to think love is just a feeling, but Larry insists that it's complicated and messy and violent by necessity, and reducing it to just a feeling is exactly why Dan is losing.
**Have sympathy for those who hate themselves. Larry says he's going to [[spoiler: forgive Anna and take her back]], and it ultimately seems to be because he thinks she did what she did
because she hates herself, and he thinks their relationship is more than her worst perception of herself.



** Why did Dan feel the need to stalk Jane? And why did Jane eventually feel compelled to take him up on his offer? The reasons for this are rooted in things we never learn about.

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** Why did Dan feel the need to stalk Jane? And why did Jane eventually feel compelled to take him up on his offer? The reasons for this behavior are ultimately rooted in things we never learn about.definitively get an explanation for.



** Larry's monologue to Dan about love.

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** Larry's monologue to Dan Larry and Dan's climactic argument about love.love and Anna.
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*AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Designed for this, and has it in spades.
**Dan. Why did he feel the need to stalk Jane? And then carry on an affair with her for over a year? What kind of person is he? Where did he get his ideas about love and sex and relationships? Is he attracted to - in the movie at least - slightly older women? Does he like the rush of doing something so wrong? Did he have an absent mother that leads him to compulsively seduce in an attempt to gain the confidence that he'll always have a woman? The fact that Anna apparently knows that he [[spoiler: wakes up in the night crying for his mother]] suggests the last might be true, but the conclusions are up to the audience.
**Anna. Is she a divorced wife trying to recreate the circumstances of her divorce but with her in control this time? Is she a self-hating woman trying to sabotage her life and drive someone who loves her - Larry - away? Is she actually fed up with Larry's horniness and roughness and just want someone who'll be more gentle with her? Is she living an absurd fantasy with someone just as stupid or more stupid than her? It's unclear.
**Larry. Is he a brute who doesn't deserve Anna's love? Is he a horny idiot just being territorial about someone he considers to be "his"? Does he truly even love Anna, or just her body? Is he an abusive partner who just treats her like an object and is ignoring her desire to not be treated that way? Is he a MagnificentBastard running circles around Dan? Does he even know what love is? It's unclear.
*AtLeastIAdmitIt: Everyone in the story sucks, but viewers are likely to come away liking Larry more, if only because he's always honest about what he wants and never hides it, even when it's uncomfortable or involves being vulnerable.


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*SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments:
**Fans will find it hard not to cheer when Larry successfully tricks Dan into first rejecting Anna so she'll return to him. And then tricking him into rejecting Alice so he loses her too.
**Larry's speech to him in general is also satisfying after watching people be absolutely clueless about love and relationships for the whole film. Larry may be an asshole, but he at least has a little self-knowledge and can admit what he wants or doesn't want and why.
--->'''Larry:''' You don't know the first thing about love. Because you don't understand compromise.


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*RiddleForTheAges:
**Why did Dan feel the need to stalk Jane? And why did Jane eventually feel compelled to take him up on his offer? The reasons for this are rooted in things we never learn about.

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** The cybersex scene between Dan and an unwitting Larry. Particularly Larry, a ''doctor'', blatantly ignoring phone calls to continue the conversation.

to:

** The cybersex scene between Dan and an unwitting Larry. Particularly Larry, a ''doctor'', blatantly ignoring phone calls to continue the conversation. Though tobe fair he is a dermatologist, so they're probably not life or death calls, but we don't yet know this at the time.


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** "BECAUSE I'M A FUCKING CAVEMAN!"
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** "Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes... but it's better if you do".

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** "Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes...clothes off... but it's better if you do".
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** The cybersex scene between Dan and an unwitting Larry. Particularly Larry,. ''doctor'', blatantly ignoring phone calls to continue the conversation.

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** The cybersex scene between Dan and an unwitting Larry. Particularly Larry,. Larry, a ''doctor'', blatantly ignoring phone calls to continue the conversation.
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* AwardSnub: Neither Creator/NataliePortman nor Creator/CliveOwen winning the Best Supporting Oscar in their respective categories. A bit of a surprise, given that they each nailed the Golden Globe and the Globes tend to be a preview of the UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s.

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* AwardSnub: Neither Creator/NataliePortman nor Creator/CliveOwen winning the Best Supporting Oscar in their respective categories. A bit of a surprise, given that they each nailed the Golden Globe and the Globes tend to be a preview [[https://www.vulture.com/2021/03/how-likely-are-golden-globe-winners-to-win-oscars-anyway.html are sometimes]] predictive of the UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s.Award}} wins.
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** The cybersex scene between Dan and an unwitting Larry.

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** The cybersex scene between Dan and an unwitting Larry. Particularly Larry,. ''doctor'', blatantly ignoring phone calls to continue the conversation.

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