To a certain extent I felt her character was overly dramatic and obviously mentally unhealthy on a certain organic level
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Hustler
Punisher55 — 14 years ago(April 01, 2012 02:59 PM)
To a certain extent I felt her character was overly dramatic and obviously mentally unhealthy on a certain organic level in a way that didn't add much to the film's main ambitions. And while Eddie didn't exactly treat her like a queen, I felt her character's emotional breakdowns somehow dragged the film and added an emotional layer that wasn't needed. It dragged Eddie's character away from the action, the real conflict, and his goals. I guess her character and her tragic fate was designed to give Eddie an emotional and ethical awakening in being more than a crook, but still. It was a terrific performance all around, I would have just like to see more zest with her character. She was just a mess. Why was Eddie looking to complicate his life more?
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carlsez_1 — 13 years ago(July 10, 2012 05:51 AM)
Eddie had a reckless streak, overly cocky at the wrong time and in the wrong places. Getting involved with an emotionally questionable woman would fit his personality.
Auto-Tune is not a genre, please stop treating it as such. -
unapologetic_mocker — 11 years ago(December 31, 2014 06:48 PM)
It dragged Eddie's character away from the action, the real conflict, and his goals.
byPunisher55 Sun Apr 1 2012 14:59:43
It's been awhile, but for me Sarah has always been an integral part of the 'real conflict' and crux of the film. I don't know how I'd feel about it without her. Unfavourable I think. -
mgsullivan-50452 — 9 years ago(July 22, 2016 10:24 PM)
i am currently with a girl, who is kinda a mess like her, yet I still love her. she helps me with a part of me just being who she is. loving, yet complicated in her own way. The movie character is clearly an alcoholic with many problems, but sees when Eddie truly loves her, she can only want to help him in her own messed up way.
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super-joey — 9 years ago(December 01, 2016 01:34 PM)
I liked that, throughout the movie, she seems at her happiest when she's taking care of Eddie. She even eludes to this when he suggests she seek treatment and she says, "I'm getting treatment right here." Having a "fella" to buy groceries for and to take care of seems to make her happy. Look at the scenes where she's bright eyed. It's usually when she's trying to be "wifely" to Eddie. When he doesn't let her, she reverts back to the bottle. She even seems a little disappointed when he gets the casts off. Watch her face. Part of her liked that he was depending on her. It gave her purpose. Anyway, I find their relationship one of the things that gets better with each viewing. I notice something new every time. It DOES add depth and elevates the movie to a solid 10/10 status for me.
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afredfan — 9 years ago(January 23, 2017 09:09 AM)
The relationship is needed for Eddie to hit rock bottom so he can become a real person. Otherwise, he could never beat Fats.
Fats beat him with character. Eddie needed a Sarah to understand the he was missing a vital component in his life: caring about something other than himself. Upto that point all Eddie cared about was himself and pool. In order for his character to progress, something had to be introduced to cause change, so the writer put a woman in there. She was so messed up, Eddie felt superior to her. But in the end, he was humbled by the entire episode and realized how insignificant his pool dreams were. He was able to develop outcome independence-not caring about the ultimate outcome of his game- and used that to beat Fats.
Before, his whole identity was wrapped up in the game. The second time the game was not significant to his psyche, he played a cold, calculating game that Fats could not hold up on.
Sarah's role was to push Eddie's character into a new dimension. This movie was not about pool; it was a morality play as all great stories are. -
the_departed94 — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 10:41 AM)
he was so messed up, Eddie felt superior to her
Good analysis overall but I didn't get this from watching it. If anything Eddie thought Sarah was too good for
him
(if she cleaned up her act). Eddie tells her that she'll settle down with someone more suited eventually. -
afredfan — 9 years ago(January 29, 2017 02:50 PM)
Kindred spirit maybe. but an easy lay, nonetheless, at a time when casual sex wasn't a thing yet.
Sarah got under his skin eventually, as he recognized her as another broken person, like he was. The best medicine for feeling sorry for ones self is to help or feel compassion for another. Eddie ended up using her, as badly as as anyone, and the realization completely changed his life.
Something had to change for Eddie for the movie to continue. In some ways, the story is really about Eddie growing up and maturing.