Terms of Endearment: A Review
Upon viewing the film Terms of Endearment, esteemed critic Roger Ebert (1983) wrote that “there isn't a thing that [he] would change, and [he] was exhilarated by the freedom it gives itself to move from the high comedy of Nicholson's best moments to the acting of Debra Winger in the closing scenes.” I watched the film both in class, among peers, and alone in my room, on Netflix. After careful consideration, I have determined that I do not share Mr. Ebert’s views and, in fact did not like the film. I believe that I did not like the film because it was too real in the sense that each character had flaws that would prevent me from liking them in real life. Despite my distaste for the characters, I recognize and
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I am ethically and personally opposed to and appalled by cheating, and there were many instances of infidelity throughout Terms: Emma cheated on her husband with a man named Sam, who was also married. Emma’s husband, Flap, had an affair with a graduate student named Janice. The actions of these characters did not quite endear them to me, as I find unfaithfulness on any scale a deplorable act, and thus, I was not fond of them. Other characters had less detestable, but still significant, personality flaws. Aurora is vain and cares too much for her appearance. Garrett seemingly lacks the capacity to interact meaningfully without the promise of carnal satisfaction. Patsy is self-absorbed and shallow. Tommy is disrespectful to his parents, especially his mother, and does not stop even when she is on her deathbed (granted, there were extenuating circumstances, but his insolence was rampant throughout the film). My reasons may seem petty to some, but I stand by my reaction and my disappointment at the lack of a perfect character; with no one righteous character, I was not emotionally invested in the film and thus was unfazed when tragedy befell the