MovieChat Forums > Hero (1992) Discussion > Did anyone else feel sorry for Bernie?

Did anyone else feel sorry for Bernie?

posted 17 years ago by guyfromjerzee
8 replies | jump to latest

One of the things I love about the film is that it presents a fascinating question regarding morality: What is the reward of doing a good, selfless deed? Bernie is not a selfless person in general, but he does something good for humanity for once in his life and what does he get in return? Absolutely nothing. I think it was great that Dustin Hoffman was casted in the role, because he brings quite a bit of sympathy to an otherwise unsympathetic character. Sure, he's a thief and a lowlife, but you really do believe that he loves his son, probably even more than Joan Cusack's character.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] chriscc-3 17 years ago

Good post, but the whole thing was like three run-on sentences

[?]

[–] Knoxvicious 15 years ago

I felt totally bad for the character. His wife acted like the biggest bitch to him when he came home and she was yelling at him about how he didn't take their son to the movies,not even willing to listen to where he was. He was covered in mud. I think he might have had a good enough explaination.
But he did act like an *beep* off and on again.

www.simplydustinhoffman.com
-#1 site for Dustin Hoffman fans-

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cjchamp2000 12 years ago

and her new bf, the fireman, was the biggest douche of them all. Talk about being completely full of yourself. Nice taste lady

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] karsultimate 12 years ago

Yep, you've got to be ruthless. The mother of his kid was setting the kid up for failure.

[–] MrSiegal 12 years ago

No, I didn't feel sorry for Bernie. He was generally getting what he deserved from life because of how he acted. But I'm not suggesting he had no value as a human being. He clearly did by going into a burning plane to save Fletcher. And he's obviously devoted to his son. As his wife said, it just takes a crisis to make him act like a human being. Also, he didn't get nothing in return. He gets his legal debt cleared, a "consulting fee" and his son gets a free college education.

How do the angels get to sleep when the Devil leaves his porch light on?