'Beautiful Girls'

[bedhead]

Just saw this excellent movie for the first time in years and as a woman, would like the perspective of guys. The big question...does Willie go back to the city, marry lawyer-girl and become a salesman....or does he keep doing what he loves, and somehow end up with Marti? For some reason last night, it just seemed as if were inevitable for the 2 of them to get together; or maybe since I have seen so many of my friends "settle" for the solid, practical thing I am just being stupidly hopeful. So, flash forward 5-6 years. What is Willie doing, and who is he with? (BTW, Natalie Portman was simply beautiful in the film, and it seemed entirely possible and not even creepy to me that Willie would be in conflict) I'm sorry if this is an old topic, but I've lurked here for a long time and never seen it discussed. I would think it would be among a guy's favorites-kinda like a chick-flick for us!

 

[Hank_Kingsley]

Never thought about it too hard, but I assumed Willie stayed with his lawyer girlfriend. She also wanted him to continue his dream of being a musician.

For as brilliant and charming as Marty was, she's still a 13 year old. Willie was her first crush, not her true love.

 

[HenryGandorf]

also, as hutton points out, portman still has a lot of changing to do. he'll always remember her as perfect at that age, but knows what a crazy ***** she'll likely become.

 

[TyphoonSe7en]

what gandorf said

 

[Hank_Kingsley]

That's a pretty pessimistic way to look at it. I assume she becomes an unbelievable catch(like Uma Thurman's character) that at the moment is too young to know what she really wants.

 

[HenryGandorf]

yeah, i was being a jaded *******. that movie takes a look at a lot of different types of relationships. and hutton is obviously in town to make some sort of decision about life. a life decision if you will. meeting people like portman and uma always remind him of the greener grass, but it's not until tracy comes in town that he realizes what he has.

although in truth, a character like willie in real life will probably never be that happy with what he has. unlike moe, who is the mental patient who doesn't know he's mental. rappaport will end up with jan, probably getting drunk and slapping her around the house. dillon will always cheat on sorvino. kev's moustache will always stay clean.

(spoiler alert)

rosie o'donnell will still be fat and mad about models in magazines.

 

[PFD]

Good movie, great cast.

The storylines, dialogue, and pace remind me of the films that Ed Burns made in the mid-to-late 1990s. Not transcendant, but resonant.

 

[Hank_Kingsley]

Back to what the OP wrote...I also don't think of it as a "settling" issue for the guys in the film. It's about growing up. Mira Sorvino and Annabeth Gish are portrayed as decent, cool women. They aren't girls you settle with, they're girls that you realize are perfect for you once you get your head out of your ***.

Matt DIllon's dream girl is a cheating, worthless piece of hot ***. Hutton's dream girl is a 13 year old. Rappaport is a doofus that dreams of dating super models when he should be grateful to be with his waitress girlfried. The only guy that is truly happy is married with two kids, and his friends think he is a simpleton. Go figure.

On the flip side, the quintessential dream girl(Thurman) is perfectly content with the simple things in life with her boyfriend(reading the Sunday paper in bed, martinis, listening to Van Morrison, etc.). Basically the polar opposite of what the guy characters would think she wants. One of her last lines in the film:

"You know there are fours words I need to hear before I go to sleep. Four little words. "Good night sweet girl." That's all it takes. I'm easy, I know, but a guy who can muster up those four words is a guy I want to stay with. "


I know this is considered a guy's movie, but IMO it's as pro-women as you can get.

 

[j.e.s.-U.S.]

Off topic but related... I rented this movie back in high school and I did not return it on time. Let's just say my mom was a little weirded out when she got the late bill for "Beautiful Girls".

 

[idigTexas]

One of my all-time favorite films, and the soundtrack ain't bad to boot. Hank and Henry have covered all the major points. Portman's jealousy of Gish is one of the subtleties that makes Willie realize what he has. Seeing his love interest through the eyes of a 13 going on 25 rival was very enlightening to Willie. Between this movie and The Professional, Portman had quite the early career.