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[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Stanley Spector]]
!!Stanley Spector
->'''Played By''': Creator/JeremyBlackman

* AlliterativeName: '''S'''tanley '''S'''pector.
* {{Bookworm}}: He spends most of his time reading and carries a large numbers of books and encyclopedias to school
* ButtMonkey: Poor Stanley doesn't get a break once during the movie.
%%* BreakTheCutie: No thanks in part to his father.
* ChildProdigy: The deconstruction of this trope is arguably the defining aspect of his character.
* PromotionToParent: Stanley, hurrying to get ready for school, reminds his father they're out of dog food: promptly -- and almost imperceptibly -- establishing which member of the Spector household is fully-engaged and responsible. In the green room -- after the on-air meltdown of the show's host, and its brightest contestant -- Daddy throws a tantrum (and a chair). Role reversal complete: as a parent, Rick has been [[DisappearedDad invisible]].
%%* PottyFailure: [[spoiler:On live TV, no less.]]
%%* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Beyond being on a game show.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Frank T.J. Mackey]]
!!Frank T.J. Mackey
->'''Played By''': Creator/TomCruise

* AntagonisticOffspring: Does not have a positive opinion of his father and doesn't hesitate to tell him as much on his deathbed. Given what he did, it's hard to blame Frank for his behavior.
* BerserkButton: Bringing up his late mother really angers him.
* TheCharmer: He's very charismatic. A given considering [[Creator/TomCruise who he's played by.]]
%%* CountryMatters: "Respect the cock! Tame the Cunt!"
* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Invoked in his interview where he claims that, despite his ideology, he's still close with his mother. [[spoiler: This may be a straight example as Frank did genuinely love his mother and see her die while his father did nothing had a serious effect on him]].
* FreudianExcuse: [[spoiler:His father's abandonment, and the death of his mother molded him into the character we see in the film.]]
%%* HeManWomanHater: [[spoiler:Subverted.]]
%%* {{Jerkass}}: The persona he's built around himself.
* MrFanservice: Gets a brief scene in his underwear to show off his ripped physique.
%%* ParentalAbandonment: [[spoiler:By Earl.]]
%%* SenseiForScoundrels: See CountryMatters above.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Jimmy Gator]]
!!Jimmy Gator
->'''Played By''': Creator/PhilipBakerHall & Creator/ThomasJane

* ButForMeItWasTuesday: Can't actually recall whether he [[spoiler:sexually abused his daughter]], which (if so) altered her life from that point forward.
* [[DepravedKidsShowHost Depraved Family Game Show Host]]: Alcoholic, unfaithful, [[spoiler:and may have molested his daughter]].
* InterruptedSuicide: [[spoiler:Attempts to take his own life after his wife finds out that he quite possibly molested their daughter. However, the rain of frogs that occurs during the end of the film causes him to misfire his gun.]]
%%* ParentalIncest: [[spoiler:With Claudia, though he's not 100% sure about it.]]
* SecretlyDying: He has the [[spoiler: same cancer Earl does.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Phil Parma]]
!!Phil Parma
->'''Played By''': Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman

* CaretakingIsFeminine: Phil is Earl Partridge's registered nurse and full-time caretaker. While Phil is male, he's also the most sensitive character in the film and is instrumental in trying to fix the relationship between Earl and his son before Earl dies. His demeanor and mannerisms are quite androgynous (bordering on effeminate).
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: He's blonde and one of the nicest people in the film.
* NiceGuy: One of the few normal, well-adjusted people in the entire movie.
* OnlySaneMan: Has to deal with caring for a dying man, the erratic mood of said man's wife, and tracking down the man's long-lost son. In spite of this, he keeps it together.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Donnie Smith]]
!!Donnie Smith
->'''Played By''': Creator/WilliamHMacy

%%* AbusiveParents: Financially abusive.
%%* ButtMonkey: With William H. Macy, this could only go this route.
* DesperatelyCravesAffection: His unrequited crush on Brad the Bartender is indicative of how lonely he is.
* IneffectualLoner: He tries to impress Brad the Bartender, to no avail.
* FormerChildStar: A former Child Prodigy on a TV quiz show who developed into a ManChild and fell on hard times.
%%* StraightGay
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Linda Partridge]]
!!Linda Partridge
->'''Played By''': Creator/JulianneMoore

* TheAtoner: She feels immense guilt over marrying Earl for his money, even trying to get herself taken out of his will as a sort of punishment.
* BecomingTheMask: [[spoiler:She originally intended to marry Earl Patridge [[GoldDigger in order to gain his fortune after he died]], but she eventually fell in love with him genuinely.]]
%%* ClusterFBomb: In the pharmacy.
%%* DrivenToSuicide: Out of guilt over her infidelity.
* GoldDigger: [[spoiler:Subverted. She initially married Earl for his money, but then she genuinely fell in love with him, to the extent that, out of guilt, she even tried to have his will changed so that she would no longer be his heir.]]
* MalMariee: She mentions that she slept with many men while being married to Earl.
%%* MayDecemberRomance: [[spoiler:With Earl.]]
* PrettyInMink: She appears in one in her first scene with the family lawyer.
%%* SirSwearsALot: Like most other characters in this movie.
* UglyGuyHotWife: An elderly and rather withered movie executive dying of cancer married to a gorgeous trophy wife several decades younger than him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Officer Jim Kurring]]
!!Off. Jim Kurring
->'''Played By''': Creator/JohnCReilly

%%* HopeBringer: [[spoiler:May be one for Claudia.]]
* NiceGuy: Arguably the kindest character in the film.
* RealMenLoveJesus: He's a Christian, even having a cross over his bed, and is seen praying in his opening scene.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Earl Partridge]]
!!Earl Partridge
->'''Played By''': Creator/JasonRobards

* TheAtoner: He deeply regrets abandoning his wife and son and wants to try and make things right before he dies.
* DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou: [[spoiler:Subverted. He didn't had a good reason to abandon Frank and his mother.]]
%%* MayDecemberRomance: With Linda.
* ScrewPolitenessImASenior: He isn't going to waste any of his few remaining days on good manners.
* SirSwearsALot: He seems determined to use his remaining time on earth to spout as many obscenities as possible.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Claudia Wilson Gator]]
!!Claudia Wilson Gator
->'''Played By''': Creator/MeloraWalters

%%* AbusiveParents: [[spoiler:Jimmy. Maybe.]]
%%* BrokenBird: Poor Claudia has not had an easy life.
%%* FunctionalAddict: Well, barely functional.
%%* ParentalIncest: [[spoiler:At the hands of Jimmy. Possibly.]]
%%* RapeAsBackstory: Her possible backstory.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rose Gator]]
!!Rose Gator
->'''Played By''': Creator/MelindaDillon

* AdvertisedExtra: Even though she introduces herself in one of the trailers like the rest of the characters, she has a more peripheral role, on part with Solomon Solomon.
%%* SpearCarrier

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rick Spector]]
!!Rick Spector
->'''Played By''': Creator/MichaelBowen

* AbusiveDad: He just doesn't let up on poor Stanley.
* CardCarryingVillain: Downplayed but it seems that Rick knows he's abusive, even describing his actions as such to other parents, and doesn't seem at all bothered by that fact, even trading tips with them on how to treat their kids in the same way.
%%* EducationMama: An unscrupulous example.
%%* {{Greed}}: His whole arc is dedicated to this.
* HateSink: Most of the characters are too sympathetic or messed up to hate or have some redeeming traits. But Rick is just a selfish, abusive, reprehensible asshole the whole way through.
* ItsAllAboutMe: He doesn't give a shit about Stanley beyond his own benefit and makes little to no effort to make him think otherwise.
%%* {{Jerkass}}:
%%* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Disgustingly so.
* {{Slimeball}}: He's not exactly the most sophisticated manipulator around the block.
* StageMom: He's pretty blatantly using Stanley for his own ends and barely even tries to cover that fact.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Gwenovier]]
!!Gwenovier
->'''Played By''': Creator/AprilGrace

%%* ArmorPiercingQuestion: She has a fondness for these.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Thurston Howell]]
!!Thurston Howell
->'''Played By''': Creator/HenryGibson

* {{Foil}}: To Donny. Whereas Donny is a StraightGay, naive, has an idealistic perspective on love, and a genuine crush on Brad the Bartener, Thurston is a somewhat CampGay cynic who uses money to get Brad's attention and sees the bartender as little more than a boy toy.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Solomon Solomon]]
!!Solomon Solomon
->'''Played By''': Creator/AlfredMolina

%%* {{Jerkass}}: Solomon doesn't seem like the most pleasant boss.
* JerkassHasAPoint: While he isn't remotely kind in his criticism of Donnie, he doesn't have much reason to hold onto an employee who's regularly late and can't make his sales quota.
* LargeHam: Alfred Molina was clearly determined to chew as much scenery as he could in his limited screentime.
* RepetitiveName: His name is "Solomon" twice.
[[/folder]]
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