MovieChat Forums > Jacob's Ladder (1990) Discussion > Why was he dating that brat?

Why was he dating that brat?

posted 13 years ago by eched
31 replies | jump to latest

Yes, it was all in his head, or was a quest through hell, or what have you, but that girl he was with was the biggest brat ever in film. Why would anyone date her!

She burned his old pics of his kid, covered him in ice to cure him from being sick?(how does that even work), told him to get up and do something when he was dealing with horrible nightmares and didn't know how to go on. She only cared about herself and how his behavior made her look. She was horrid!

You just... I just... We just: Niggle Bearabell, Black, Black Eyes at Lulu.com

[–] CranberryNoVodka 11 years ago

Keep in mind that she wasn't supposed to be a "good" character. Her name,after all, was Jezzie...like Jezebel(if you're familiar with that term and the historical background of that person).

Hate to sound sleazy,but tease me. I don't want it if it's that easy.

[–] DarleneHamilton 11 years ago

Amen to THAT! she was an utter cnut

Someone oughta teach you some manners Vernon

Well it ain't gonna be you prag

[–] daughterofolaf 10 years ago

Aside from the ice water she was awful!! I came on here specifically to see if anyone else thought she was as much of an immature, selfish c v n tbag as I did.

It wasn't me who was murdered, was it?

[–] daughterofolaf 10 years ago

Ah, well after finishing the movie I see what was going on.

It wasn't me who was murdered, was it?

[–] HashishinSonGokiTengu 10 years ago

Ok theres a few possible theories as this movie is pretty open ended and most things have a purpose or a meaning.

Jezebel was an angel trying to help Jacob let go of his earthly life. But, because he kept clinging to his life he he viewed her as a demon, and so the movie reflected this. She seemed like a bitch when she was actually helping out because, thats how Jacob viewed her. She seemed like a demon to Jacob because he wanted to wasn't ready to let go of life, and he felt like she was trying to tear it away from him. The name Jezebel could be considered a misdirection if you look at her based on the meaning of the word.

She could also be a representation of himself, all his earthly desires, his lust....and other things. of course this idea comes from a deleted scene, which to me is like interpreting a book based on the authors notes or things edited out, or things that didn't make it into the painting....the scene was deleted which makes it no longer part of the film...and would technically hold no meaning...but, even without the scene the idea that she is apart of him, or a manifestation of something relating to him is still there possible.....

Personally, i think the Eckhart quote is a clue to why things are the way they are in the film.

Lets consider the idea that Jacob is dead. and that what Jacob is experiencing is like purgatory or like a death dream with a mix of life flashing before his mind. The BZ gas or "The Ladder" that Jacob was exposed to is also possible another attempt on this film to misdirect you, but maybe what Jacob did or experienced under the drugs effects also influence what he is seeing or how his mind is interpreting his experience after death. Is he in purgatory? Hell? lets go with hell. Lets think that what Jacob was experiencing was going by slower than, what was happening in vietnam after death....like some kind of distortion in time was going on.

Jacob was experiencing hell because of the memories and attachments in his life that he was refusing to let go of. The picture represented the memories the Jacob was trying to hold on to. Jezebel ripped them as an attempt to force him to let go, she didn't remember his kids name in hopes that he would forget maybe. So, Jacob who was scared of letting go of his attatchments, saw her as a demon trying to tear his life away......

either way she serves an important purpose in the film bitch or not.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] kodax2 10 years ago

Just watched this movie. I think there were 2 things happening. Firstly, Singer is wounded and dying. Secondly, there is a spiritual struggle for his soul. The narrative for the first is pretty clear in the nam sequences. The camp gets attacked, a number of guys get killed, Singer runs off into the jungle, he gets stabbed, he gets rushed off to a field hospital, and then dies.

On his spiritual struggle, he can exist in purgatory or let go and go "upstairs". Louis and Jezebel want him to stay. They are the only real third parties outside of nam with everyone else being in Singer's mind (until the end). Singer wants to move on but is holding onto life by creating that ideal world...but his memories of his actual life keep intruding. In the end, Gabe appears for real and takes him upstairs. That is not to say Louis and Jeez are evil characters. They are actually sympathetic characters and do what they can to make Singer comfortable. I dont think they detracted from his struggle to live. Singer was starting to relapse more and more anyway.

My theory on the shaky head guys is that those are guys who have died so Singer cannot see their faces. The shakey heads in the nam camp were probably the guys who were initially killed in an attack. He seems them again from time to time but usually right before he relapses back to nam.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] chilone 9 years ago

Why was he dating that brat?

Epic boobehz!!

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

[–] walkerus 8 years ago

He was a dying soldier, even in a dream how many men would not have been seduced by 'That brat' as you call her?....... give me a break, she was very sexy.

[–] mtRoom 9 years ago

To be honest, I was thinking the exact opposite when I was watching this. That he was lucky to have her and never seemed to show any appreciation. She was supportive the entire film yet he barely even registers it. It was only when he went bonkers at her that she had enough. Which is pretty fair. Then she came back soon after anyway. I think she got angry, what, twice in the whole film? The rest of the time she was loving and supportive. I was actually wishing I had someone like her in my life when I'm at my worst.

[–] daverindone 9 years ago

If you ignore the supernatural aspects, I'd say he was seeing her because she was the polar opposite of his previous wife. I've know so many people that ended long term relationship (20+ years) to end up with someone who was so wildly different than the last that it's almost funny. Girl A breaks up with a straight laced bookwork and marries a fireman that loves to hunt, etc.

[–] business_nunya 8 years ago

I'd say he was seeing her because she was the polar opposite of his previous wife.

This. Plus when he briefly wakes up next to Sarah, he says something to the effect of her being a woman who works at the same place as he does. It's pretty common in dreams for people to bear a great amount of significance more while asleep than they do when when the dreamer is awake. I always figured she was just a coworker that he thought was hot that he barely talked to in reality but given her name he kind of plucked her out to represent the part she did.

Please, go...Stop smiling, it's not a joke. Please leave...The party's over. Get out.