MovieChat Forums > Home for the Holidays (1995) Discussion > Felt sorry for Joanne

Felt sorry for Joanne

posted 16 years ago by gollygopher
28 replies | jump to latest

In a way I felt sorry for Joanne..It's like her mom called Claudia her smarter older daughter..Tommy was mean to her and picked on her, and Claudia seemed to smirk at her all the time.

I think really Joanne was the black sheep of the family. She had her own demons, yes, but her siblings and even parents didn't do anything to make her feel more welcome or anything. I thought it was mean how Tommy started in on her right when she arrived.

I also thought you can't fight with your siblings husband then go on like nothing happened. So the fact they took a lot of the fighting in stride was kinda strange to me.

[–] dini0519 14 years ago

I did at first, especially when they dumped the turkey grease on her. However, she really wasn't very likable, and did not even try to accept her sister's apology.
Dini

[–] Smush Master 13 years ago

They need to do a Christmas one , and give Joanne a pair of pliers as her gift. So she can pull the bug she has up her ass.
That was one cold fish.

[–] ctp1222 13 years ago

I thought Joanne was a dick. She was so jealous of her sibs happiness...it was killing her. She was always up her parents' butts trying to act like the perfect daughter. Reminds me of one of my sisters. Still, that turkey scene was priceless!!!

[–] kaskait 13 years ago

I think there was a lot more family history than was revealed in the film.

It looked as if the children were closer when they were young as shown in the family home movies. So there were a lot of changes we, the audience, weren't privy too.

So it could be that Joanne had very valid reasons to be angry at her eldest sister and youngest brother. However I really think she went out of her way to be as hurtful as possible. Revealing her brother's wedding in such a nasty way and telling her sister that she wasn't worth knowing is really horrible. It looked as if she did regret saying all those things but was too prideful to apologize.

[–] suzy8track 13 years ago

I didn't feel sorry for Joanne, she brought her misery on herself. She definitely had a mean streak in her and lashed out at her siblings in the film. I couldn't have any sympathy when she complained about Tommy's wedding saying that she had friends in Boston. It was his day and she was totally selfish and uncaring with her comments. Perhaps if she didn't take Tommy so seriously when he was goofing around, and have a sense of humor about it, he wouldn't have been so hard on her. When Claudia went to her house to try to smooth things over, Joanne basically said to her that if she just met her on the street, she would throw away her phone number. Such cold words for someone to use when referring to their own family! Joanne was basically jealous and felt that she was missing out on life by being stuck in the same town where they grew up. Tommy and Claudia managed to leave and perhaps she feels abandoned? jealous? resentful? She uses the excuse of being the only one there to take care of the parents, but they seem to be doing just fine without her. Perhaps that is the role she has created for herself...the family caregiver, and is the only one that makes her feel important.

[–] pypsqweek 9 years ago

I never liked Joanne. She was rude and her kids were rude, especially the daughter. The problem with her was that she never tried to connect with any of her family. That was apparent with her sister, brother, family and neice. Sorry I found it odd that shes in the kitchen, her neice calls and Joanne reminds she trying to talk to her daughter and she tells her to go into another room. She never asked about Kitt or even attempted to say hey on the phone. Her grandmother did. In fact, Her husband asked about Claudia in a roundabout way. Joanne was too self absorbed with how much she felt like the outsider and making her family out to be the bad guys. Really, her family had their own ways of dealing with each other, including Tommy. Plus Joanne never showed much respect to her family. For instance, twice her daughter was rude at the dinner table and when Claudia tried to get her talk to her sister. She never stood up for her family. So for me, Joanne I didn't like her at all, especially after what she told her sister in the basement.

[–] movieliker1 9 years ago

I never liked Claudia. She was rude and her kids were rude, especially the daughter. The problem with her was that she never tried to connect with any of her family. That was apparent with her sister, brother, family and neice. Sorry I found it odd that shes in the kitchen, her neice calls and Joanne reminds she trying to talk to her daughter and she tells her to go into another room. She never asked about Kitt or even attempted to say hey on the phone. Her grandmother did. In fact, Her husband asked about Joanne in a roundabout way. Claudia was too self absorbed with how much she felt like the outsider and making her family out to be the bad guys. Really, her family had their own ways of dealing with each other, including Tommy Plus Claudia never showed much respect to her family. For instance, twice her daughter was rude at the dinner table and when Joanne tried to get her talk to her sister. She never stood up for her family. So for me, Claudia I didn't like her at all, especially after what she told her sister in the basement.

You keep saying Claudia pypsqweek. But I think you mean Joanne. Claudia was the Holly Hunter character. Joanne was the bitchy sister with the husband and kids.

[–] pypsqweek 9 years ago

Yeah. Sorry. I meant Joanne.

[–] movieliker1 9 years ago

Hey, no problem.

[–] OldFriendOfTheChristys 9 years ago

As much as I enjoy the film, the treatment - or rather, mistreatment - of Joanne is a hard pill to swallow. Toward the end of the film, when an emotionally exhausted Joanne tells Claudia to leave her to her workout as it's the only thing that gives her pleasure, I want to cry for her. Now, I'm not saying she's perfect, but she's obviously a person in pain, and it's difficult not to react.

[–] movieliker1 9 years ago

As much as I enjoy the film, the treatment - or rather, mistreatment - of Joanne is a hard pill to swallow. Toward the end of the film, when an emotionally exhausted Joanne tells Claudia to leave her to her workout as it's the only thing that gives her pleasure, I want to cry for her. Now, I'm not saying she's perfect, but she's obviously a person in pain, and it's difficult not to react.

I think your reaction is very mature OldFriendOfTheChristys. I understand all the hate for Joanne. But, that comes from a position of victim --- someone who can't deal with Joanne.

I felt sorry for her also. Although that wouldn't excuse her behavior. Tommy's immediate assault on Joanne is the same. He wasn't able to do any better. He wasn't mature (or secure enough). It may be understandable that everyone won't have the ability --- depending on age and history --- to handle someone like Joanne more maturely. But relatively speaking, I think it is more mature to feel sorry for the Joanne character.

(I would have replied to the OP the same way but I see he/she is no longer active.)

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] KatrinaW (44) 6 years ago

I can't bring myself to feel sorry for her, at all. First of all, she's a homophobe, and said terrible things to her brother about his marriage. I know, it was the 90's, and things are better today (although there are still horribly homophobic people), but that's still no excuse. That's the main reason I don't like her.

Secondly, for all we know, she could be the instigator. We don't know the full dynamic between her and Tommy; we just get to see one day. She could be the one who starts everything. Sure, he tends to pick on her, but damn, she doesn't seem to have an ounce of humor or fun in her. Those types of people are easy targets. And, given her homophobic comments, she could have treated her brother like that for quite a while, and he's just giving it right back to her.

And as for Claudia's smirk, that's really just the shape of Holly Hunter's mouth.

Joanne is one of those martyr types who is deep-down jealous of her siblings because they left and she didn't, so she has to lash out. She's stuck in her life, and hates it. She said the only part of her day she actually likes is when she's on her exercise machine. How sad is that?! The 'only part' of her day! She has a husband, kids, and a house, and she hates everything but her stair-stepper. She's chosen her life, but she could really make changes if she wanted to. She just doesn't want to. She wants to play the 'poor me' card. Damn, girl, get down off that cross. Someone needs the wood!

[–] carjones51 (205) 6 years ago

I agree. I think Joanne is just upset b/c her siblings moved away, and she feels like she was left to take care of their parents. She is a very unhappy person and doesn't know how to fix situation so she lashes out at others. What she said to her sister was horrible, but at least, Claudia now knows how she feels and doesn't have to waste time reaching out to her again. Let her wallow in her miserable life.

[–] Megan254 (304) 7 days ago

I just rewatched this film last night after not seeing it in years, and Joanne, Walter, and their kids were my least favorite characters. I pretty much liked everybody else.