Andie MacDoweel's poor son - Short Cuts (1993) Discussion

[–] MuchToBeGratefulFor 16 years ago

She jsut didn't want to deal with the repercussions of hitting that poor kid, so he ended up dying because of that...

I think you need to re-watch that scene. She didn't drive off making it a hit-and-run. She stopped to see how he was. She wanted and offered to take him to a hospital, but he declined. And since he could walk and talk and seemed OK, she let him go. Neither of them realized how injured he was.

And to call her a dumb ass for hitting him. . .looked to me like HE ran out in front of her. He was not careful because he was late to school.

You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi

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[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Movie-Jay 16 years ago

I don't think that storyline is meant to assign blame. I think it's about how, despite our best intentions and precautions, sometimes a boy goes running out into the street and doesn't look both ways, and sometimes the boy gets hit, ends up in a coma, and can't be saved.

I don't think Modine is a bad doctor, it's just that there is precisely nothing he can do except hope that the boy wakes up. The boy didn't, and they couldn't revive him. Sometimes with head injuries, that's just the way it goes.

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[–] kenneth-r-close-1 16 years ago

Except for some occasional nudity, whole movie was depressing. And every character, except for the boy, seemed stupid and unlikable. This is not the great movie many people claim it to be. It is tedious, pointless drama.

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[–] Pred3000 16 years ago

I wanted her find out that she HAD killed that sweet little boy.

That's kind of the point of the film. Everyone misunderstands everyone else because nobody finds out the whole story.

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[–] Nevermore81 16 years ago

>Except for some occasional nudity, whole movie was depressing

I thought some parts were sad, funny, happy, endearing, curious, surreal - but i could never label the whole film in just one word like you have. That's part of the point of the film.

> And every character, except for the boy, seemed stupid and unlikable.

Well you'd be surprised at the variety of different kinds of people who walk this earth. There is no simple 'good/intelligent/humble person or bad/stupid/ person' depicted in this film; precisely because there is no-one like this in reality. There are many unanswered questions and 'blanks' within each character's 'stories' as well - and in reality we don't know the daily routine or circumstances that lead up to people's situations in real life - we get a more objective voyeuristic advantage of that in the film, but there are still 'missing gaps'.

The film doesn't even try and force you to make any judgment's - it leaves it up to the audience, which is very respectable and intelligent.

But then, one needs a certain understanding of reality to truly understand and appreciate this film - it took me many years to get to this place myself.

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[–] kenneth-r-close-1 16 years ago

Well you'd be surprised at the variety of different kinds of people who walk this earth.

I know there are plenty of them out there, which is why I do not feel the need to see a movie about them!

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[–] Nevermore81 16 years ago

Different strokes for different blokes i guess. All depends on why you watch movies in the first place.

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[–] kenneth-r-close-1 16 years ago

I watch movies to get my juices flowing, and would guess most audiences seek the same.

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[–] Nevermore81 16 years ago

Indeed - but peoples juices flow for different reasons.

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[–] Scout706 9 years ago

Yessss!

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[–] crazyhellboy 15 years ago

It was Andie McDowall's fault because she put him to sleep. She should have taken him immediately to the hospital as soon as she found out he was hit buy a car.

I remember in high school there was this guy that got thrown from his surfboard and got his head slammed on the sand (I went to school in Hawai'i) He told his Mom he was tired and was going to take a nap. A couple of hours later he was bleeding out of his ears and mouth. He was taken to the hospital and died of massive brain hemorrhage. Sad.

I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine and he shall be my Squishy.

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[–] przgzr 15 years ago

Maybe it wasn't anybody's fault. Even if mother drove the boy to the hospital immediately the doctors wouldn't do anything different. As there were no obvious signs of brain damage when he came, we can say for sure that there were no signs before, so the treatment wouldn't be any different, and therefore the result as well. Sad but true. Small brain damages can't be always recognized even with the best equipment, and sometimes even if recognized they can't be treated.

It is like an injured leg. You can walk after the accident and it seems to be O.K. but it has to be amputated later. However, you can't amputate the head.

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[–] brianwdunphy-1 15 years ago

Yeah I wouldnt assign blame to Andie's character, or Lily's or even the kid. It's a crappy situation without no one to blame. It's not that black and white.

-The kid ran out on the street without looking, and didnt use a crosswalk. Who hasnt? Dumb mistake yeah, but should he have died for it?

-Lily Tomlin was probably going too fast- but who hasnt sped? I see people speeding everyday, and rarely do people get hit.

-Andie MacDowell's character really didnt know any better. She let her son sleep because he felt tired. Like any mother would do. And if you want to assign blame to a mother or father who does that, well go right ahead. Cause you're blame wont and cant compare to the inner guilt she, and any other parent, would feel.

People need to blame SOMEONE for EVERY tragedy, big or small. And sometimes its valid. But maybe sometimes it isnt. It doesnt bring the person, or people, back. And it doesnt solve anything. The Sweet Hereafter is a movie that touches on those themes- that for every tragedy or death, someone, anyone, needs to be blamed.

Are you feeling stupid cause I know I am! -Homer

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[–] rascal67 12 years ago

When the boy got home he exclaimed to his mother that 'She was nice!, referring to the lady that hit him. His mother could have been a little more diligent though with her son by not allowing him to sleep and taken him to a hospital earlier. Tomlin's character could also have followed the boy home if he didn't want to ride with her when he walked off. This would have probably been the most responsible thing to do and at least would have given her a little more peace of mind. However, imagine the hurt and guilt she would have felt when she found out he had died—the narrative spared her from this.

What I like about this film is that it does raise questions with out judging the characters or situations and allows the viewer to make their own observations.

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[–] claudja777 11 years ago

its great cause i think that a child that little should be driven school .a lot of other things could have happened to him.

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[–] rascal67 11 years ago

its great cause i think that a child that little should be driven school .a lot of other things could have happened to him.

_________________

'Great', because he got run over and died. Or 'Great', because it taught the parents a lesson for not driving him to school; because something else could have happened to him? What exactly do you mean by using the adjective 'Great'?

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[–] claudja777 11 years ago

It s great you all argue about tomlin or macdoweel("she hit him,that bitch" or "but mum Put him to sleep!) but noone undrlines the fact a little kid should be driven to school.so,to me,it s most definetely md fault.

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[–] rascal67 11 years ago

It s great you all argue about tomlin or macdoweel("she hit him,that bitch" or "but mum Put him to sleep!) but noone undrlines the fact a little kid should be driven to school.so,to me,it s most definetely md fault.
________

I am not certain if English is your first language, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt, with the manner of your responses. As for your statement, that a little kid—like the one portrayed here—should be driven to school; you have made a somewhat valid point. However, I don't think that was the point of this post or film. He could have just been as easily been involved in a car crash and have something similar happen to him.

This film is over 20years old now and I am not sure about what the PC standards were, for parents with young kids travelling to school in the early 90's as opposed to today; but I used to always walk to school when I was young in the late 70's. We can tend to be too overprotective or treat children like their martyrs at times.

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[–] claudja777 11 years ago

I am italian.

I don t think it s over protective given the fact that andie's carachter was completely free so was not in a rush to go or do anything

i don t understand what you mean with "i ll give you the benefit of the doubt" like if Im hiding something.

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[–] rascal67 11 years ago

i don t understand what you mean with "i ll give you the benefit of the doubt" like if Im hiding something.

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That is just me being flippant. I was a little confused by your terse statement and did not comprehend properly about what you meant. It also sounded a tad curt, as though, I have spoken and this is the way it is!

I don t think it s over protective given the fact that andie's carachter was completely free so was not in a rush to go or do anything

_________________

I understand what you are conveying. This is a good point. However, I don't feel it is all just this or that.......not in this film anyway. A major theme in this thought provoking film, is about doing the right thing and there are many layers to our actions and behavior and the consequences that they bring about. I had mentioned about Tomlin's character, just driving off and not following the boy home. To my mind, that was a mistake she made and needed to make sure he got home safely. That is not to judge her harshly though. She was tired from working all night and wanted to get home and didn't think with enough clarity about doing the right thing.

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[–] claudja777 11 years ago

First time I saw the movie, I tought tomlin charachter really had not that much fault,I mean,she was definetely "the one that hit the baby" but she didn t really...hit and run...the kid seemed all right,didn t spill blood, and ,as a matter of fact,he got home ok.Sure it s crazy she didn t even insisted on driving him,but would that kid have ever accepted?going in a car with a stranger?that Hit him? it s a dog biting his tail.
The theme of this movie is to me " stress consequences"
but in a very dark way..we can say that the consequence of tomlin hitting the baby is ,as you said, her stressfull situation at home...
so is chris penn violent acting (sure its his own fault,but comes from the stress he suffers from listening to his wife doing phone porn all day), and so on,for everyone..its the usual dark (very dark) comedy of altman.This movie it s o good and has a major cast.My favourite ones are lily taylor and downey jr.I like their storyline and their chemistry.but i loved the robbins stowe story too...great cast.You just don t see cast like that anymore...most of those actors are still relevant to this day.And dialogues are very good
But I am both a fan of altman and of carver,so I don t think I am that objective

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[–] rascal67 11 years ago

It has been years since I have seen this film. It knocked me for a six and I saw it twice at the cinema, when it was first released in 93'. Altman was hit and miss for me; but I have only seen about 10 of his films. My favorite being '3 WOMEN'. Have you seen?

SHORT CUTS, I even prefer to NASHVILLE. There are many themes running through this tapestry and I recall being very impressed with Julianne Moore. I was thinking— who is this actress, she is terrific!! If I recall correctly, I think Tomlin did offer the boy a ride home; but he refused, thinking that was the right thing to do. I have just recalled about the baker, who kept harassing MacDowell about the forgotten b\day cake order over the phone. Another theme, about how we can be cruel when self absorbed; when we only think about one side of the picture and assume it's all about us.

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[–] claudja777 11 years ago

I ve seen 3 woman only recently .a masterpiece. Altman did his fair Share of dud but boy,did he gave us some incredible movies!Sometimes He hits such a high point (nashville for example) is not even easy to judge all his other "good" or "ok" movies.take mash.that movie it s so unbelievably good (imo) that somehow hurt his otherwise good career.is never good to start with such a oeuvre.i think mash is one of the most impeachable movie ever done.anyway altman had something that people like scorsese can just dream about.he can put comic bits in an effortless way .he doesn t need that much.take the frances mac dorman son scene in sc when he is blabbering about that cartoon where the bad boy "hates the environment" or when matthew modin says "and by the way,marion there is not such thing as "beyond the natural Color"

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[–] rascal67 11 years ago

Believe it or not, I have not watched M*A*S*H! I started too, for about 20mins and then gave up. I wasn't in the mood and I was never a fan of the t.v. series. I have also watched about 30mins of THE WEDDING and then gave up. I have seen 10 in their entirety. I am certain there are likely to be some hidden gems, amongst the rest. IMAGES, is one that I am most keen on viewing and I would like to track down THAT COLD DAY IN THE PARK. The story was changed apparently, from one with a homosexual obsession theme. I will also have to revisit some of those already seen, as I may get to appreciate them more.

If I did a list of top 20 dramatic films, 3 WOMEN would rate quite highly.

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[–] claudja777 11 years ago

I ve never seen the tv show cause well in italy has probably been broadcasted only in local tv,if ever.a wedding is quite...le t say that it s a bit weak.doesn t help that everyone wrote a bit of the script,including lauren hutton personal cinematographer (!!)i like images a lot.susannah york was so magnetic.

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[–] GirlwonderReturns 9 years ago

I think you're laying too much blame on Tomlin's character. First of all, it was an accident; the kid clearly ran out pretty much right in front of her car. Secondly, she tried to help; he had been taught (as most of us are as children) not to talk to or get into a car with strangers, so other than abducting him into her car against his will, she wasn't left with much choice when he refused to go. Add to that the fact that he seemed to be OK, and I find it hard to wag a finger at her too much.

I actually think the whole point of the story is that misunderstandings and miscommunications happen. Howard and Ann must have been thinking about how horrible a person must be to hit a child and leave, but they didn't know the whole story. Casey told his mother the lady who hit him was "nice", but we didn't hear him say she tried to help him or take him home. Meanwhile, Doreen kept thinking "wow, that was so close" with no idea that the kid was any more than just shaken up. Had both parties known all the facts, I think Howard and Ann would have felt a bit better, and Doreen would certainly have felt a whole lot worse. But again, ultimately it was just an accident. It wasn't anybody's fault.

The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it.

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