Why are Miles and Jack even friends?
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Jelly-4 — 12 years ago(July 14, 2013 09:16 AM)
What everyone else said
You tend to hold on to the folks who knew you before you had a job and became an adult.
Also, neither had successful marriages and families so they were sort of like family to one another. And we find out that Miles' own family was dysfunctional, so all the more likely that he'd hang onto his college roommate, even if they are so different. -
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vladchan — 12 years ago(August 08, 2013 10:12 PM)
Having someone slovenly like Miles around made Jack look cooler, more handsome and in better shape in comparison. Being around a popular guy like Jack gave Miles some reflected cachet I suppose.
Mothershytter Son of an ass!! -
chas437 — 12 years ago(August 10, 2013 11:00 AM)
Well said. Now that I'm 50, I can see exactly how true this is.
A lot of truth in this film, as in all Alexander Payne films). I'm pretty sure the Thomas Hayden Church character will be completely alone and miserable by his mid-50s. There is really nothing more pathetic than an aging lothario. Payne shows this nicely,
"For dark is the suede that mows like a harvest" -
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jophassa — 11 years ago(May 11, 2014 03:17 AM)
I think Miles really owes Jack a lot, to be honest - if he hadn't opened his eyes up to the possibility of a relationship with someone like Maya he would never have this great person in his life in a romantic capacityin many ways Jack brought Miles out of his depressed mid-life crisis (assuming all went well after Miles knocked on the door at the end)
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lanis_cupus — 11 years ago(May 26, 2014 08:02 PM)
Well, sort of, but we can never trust Jack's motives because he's constantly manipulating things toward his own ends. If Jack thought that Miles and Maya getting together would have hampered his chances with Stephanie, he would've steered Miles in another direction.
Regardless of the fringe benefits to Miles, I really don't think Jack's a good friend to have.
That's the most you'll ever get out of me Wordman. Ever.
-Eddie Wilson -
jophassa — 11 years ago(June 25, 2014 07:42 AM)
Hmmmm, I may have to reluctantly agreepartially
One thing that sticks in my mind is Jack encouraging Miles to go with Mayait may have been so they could network in the area and find someone for Jack, but I think Jack did seriously want to shake Miles out of his post-divorce blues, which were clearly ruining his life.
Anyway, who knows what Jack do?
Have asked myself that at times - WWJD? - may not be the best approach to life, though -
blastergv — 11 years ago(September 30, 2014 08:48 AM)
They are more than friends, they are brothers (figuratively). College roommates go through new life experiences together that can bring people close no matter how different they are. You don't have any friends who are barely like you at all?
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MrBlondee — 11 years ago(October 06, 2014 12:43 AM)
People who are very similar don't usually work, because they can't ad new dimensions to their lives.
Miles and Jack are incredibly good friends, more like brothers as you say. Nothing will ever break their friendship apart (as seen at the end of the movie where Miles doesn't tell on Jack). They went trough very important life stages together, they grew together and have even shaped each other. And Miles has changed after his divorced while I think Jack is still the immature teenager he was in college. -
IMDB_Vits — 11 years ago(January 25, 2015 07:42 PM)
They care about each other. Simple as that.
JACK
could've easily traveled alone and sleep around all he wanted, but he wanted to be with his best friend. And he's constantly trying to get him out of his misery. Sometimes he uses tough love (insulting him), other times he pushes him to do what he doesn't dare to do (asking
MAYA
out), and other times he simply gives him a shoulder (the conversation after finding out the novel won't get published).
MILES
is too busy with his own misery, but when he has time, he also tries to help
JACK
one way or the other. His biggest challenge was keeping his wedding a secret from
MAYA
. -
kentor404 — 10 years ago(August 02, 2015 12:49 PM)
There are different types of relationships for different reasons, and not all are driven by having a lot of obvious things in common. For example, there are relationships where part of that person irritates you, perhaps for reasons you don't fully understand or are willing to admit (for example, projection), but you each see in the other something you admire or wish you could be in some way. In the end, all relationships that "work" are about both giving something that the other needs and values. Sometimes that "thing" is a different point of view or perspective that helps expand your horizons.
That being said, I think Jack and Miles are alike in ways that may not be obvious at first glance. They're like two adolescents who never completely grew up. -
MoDo12 — 9 years ago(May 16, 2016 06:28 PM)
You'd be surprised how many old high school or even college friends still hang out with each other later in life, even when they have absolutely NOTHING in common anymore, such as the two in the film.
I know two guys that have know each other since they were probably 10 years old. One is now a city dwelling computer type while the other lives in the woods still and does manual labor. They have not a thing in common, fight all the time, make fun of each other behind their backs - when I say they have nothing in common, I mean it. Yet they go on family vacations together - drive hours to spend weekends together.
I think its due to not finding any new friends as you get older and change.