MovieChat Forums > That Thing You Do! (1996) Discussion > Jimmy Had Every Right to be Annoyed

Jimmy Had Every Right to be Annoyed


Someone just out of nowhere said, "He's engaged!" when he never had anything to do with it? In the middle of a performance!? I'd be pissed too. And then Faye gives this stupid speech about all the kisses blah blah blah. Like WTF!?

She's 'sorta' my girlfriend. He never led her on or indicated he was going to marry her. And totally agreed with him... he's like 18 and trying to build a music career (that JUST started).. the last thing he wants is some stupid broad weighing him down. She brought nothing to the table.

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What makes you think he's 18?

They are in their 20s.

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Sure, he had a right to be annoyed. He didn't have a right to be a total jerk about it.

The way he said "sorta my girlfriend" explained it all. He never really saw her as someone he was going to spend his life with. I don't think he ever really liked her alone loved her. They probably dated for a while and stayed together while he wrote songs for her, but it was an illusion. He played the romantic part perfectly because he was a song writer. He lived for ballads and sentimental songs, but deep inside he was all about getting ahead and making it big. "Jimmy and the Heardsman.". Jimmy was all about Jimmy.

He should have broken up with her back in Pittsburg, but was probably too much of a coward to do it. He could have handled seeing the "careful girls he's engaged" font much better. He could have broken up with her and told her the truth instead of acting like she was a nuisance.

I actually like Faye's speech at the end. It used to annoy me, but now I find it unique. She did have her eyes shut too tightly.

-Di

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They probably dated for a while and stayed together while he wrote songs for her, but it was an illusion.


I'd go one step farther.. Although it was never expressly said, I always though that Jimmy and Faye lived together, quite a thing for the times. Even White derisively sneered that if Jimmy wanted her on tour (concubine?), she would be his "costume mistress".

If they were just dating, would he have taken her on a tour? You're right; the "sorta my girlfriend" proves he meant more to her than she did to him.

Jimmy was indeed a jerk and the actor pulled that off beautifully.

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He was out of line to be mad at FAYE. She was not the one responsible for the message on the screen, but at least she finally got to see the real Jimmy and get out.

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The point was not his irritation at being labeled engaged. It was the way he talked to and about Fay while he was going off about the "he's engaged" note. She had nothing to do with it and he treated her like crap...which he often did. He was focused only on himself, as the center of the universe. It was shown more than once. Hence, her taking off on him when he went too far and she had finally had enough.

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