Why are Miles and Jack even friends?
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sockscats — 12 years ago(June 28, 2013 01:55 AM)
They were both disturbed and flawed men who need each other. Good thread!
I also think that a friendship with somebody before they became famous really matters. Jack was friends with Miles before he became a famous actor so he knows Miles isn't just hanging on for that reason. -
SampanMassacre — 12 years ago(July 01, 2013 01:45 PM)
Opposites attract. And in every movie or book there's always the wild guy and the mellow guy who are friends. One is the base and one is the spark that causes the base to progress and the spark gets burned and the base has to clean up the mess and yet the base progresses from the spark sparking his base. Or something.
Vince V. and Jon F. played the same characters almost in SWINGERS. -
Sparky-string — 12 years ago(July 13, 2013 08:52 PM)
I am not dissimilar to Miles in many ways and I have a friend that seriously reminds me of Jack- we both admire what the other has regarding personality. I know from my life that this situation can work, and it can be as taxing as it seems too.
Also men often find it harder to make friends later in life. It may be easier to hold onto old friends as portrayed in the film. IMO, and I own the book, the movie's telling (college roommates) is more believable according to my experience. -
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?