Abusers don't wait that long. It happens at the beginning of the relationship.
I'm glad Obama won, but I will not jump on the Pro-Choice bandwagon
I think when she finds out that he hasn't stopped cheating and she starts questioning his authority that's when he get's really pissed. He acts like a child because he can't have his cake and eat it too. As in being married to Slim and sleeping around.
shareI don't buy it.
People who abusive their mates, do not wait five years into the marriage/relationship to do it. IT WAS A MAJOR ERROR!
I'm glad Obama won, but I will not jump on the Pro-Choice bandwagon
Abuse doesn't have to be physical, I am thinking he probably did some mental abuse as well. I think Slim says something like "I am not a doormat" I agree this movie has some major plot holes. It left out a lot, lol.
shareYes, it did, but it's still a guilty pleasure of mine.
I'm guessing the Crew didn't read about Domestic Violence, or chose to ignore it all together.
I'm glad Obama won, but I will not jump on the Pro-Choice bandwagon
I file manipulating Slim into the relationship (which is what he did), as well as cheating on her, under the category of emotional abuse. So, as far as I can see it, he was always abusive. It's just that he didn't become physically abusive until 5 years down the line.
shareI wondered about the 5 years too, but I thought the same as others here: That he didn't beat her 'just to beat her'. I think he was the type of psychopath that only lost it when Slim questioned his authority AND dared to stand up for herself. Slim probably either ignored or 'justified' things Mitch did emotionally from the beginning. Mitch even says at their wedding "Are you going to give me babies?" He didn't say "When are we going to have a baby?" Slim, as perhaps many would, assumes he was just being flip.
Also remember how he completely ignores her when she wants to see the baby? She smiles, yet looks a bit put off, thinking he's just a pleased father.
He had said, after he hit her for the first time, that he thought she understood that since he made the money he was in charge.
Up until then, she probably didn't make many waves. She seemed like a happy yet submissive wife up until then in the brief times we see of them beforehand.
Mitch later says "You don't have the guts [to kill me]." possibly implying that Slim was quiet, obedient and vulnerable throughout their marriage.
"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."
I agree with this post. She was probably dazzled by the job he had, the house he bought for her, the vacations and things that probably kept her busy with the baby up till she started noticing things were off (like when she tried to take a shower with him and he turned her down). In that scene, she sorta had the look like it wasn't the first time he had turned her down in sexual situations.
I have heard of plenty of marriages that start going downhill after the "honeymoon phase" wears off (which can take a few years). I don't think he was a typical abuser. I think he was an angry man who was used to getting what he wanted. It seemed that when everyone agreed with him, he could be very pleasant, but when someone tried to turn him down (like the man who didn't want to sell his house) he would show his true colors. He didn't fit the profile of the classic abuser, because he really wasn't abusive just to be abusive, only to get what he wanted.
I think for a movie that shows a more classic example of an abusive relationship, "Sleeping With the Enemy" would be more along those lines.
Perhaps this wasnt the first time he was physically abusive, in a major way, but it was only shown on film at this point...
She didnt seem shocked or shook up enough, for this to be the first time...
Maybe perhaps he has been treating her badly, as she says 'Im not a door mat; as if this was the last straw, before he even hit her that time....
Think the ending was neither realistic, nor sensible thing to advise women to do against such a violent partner...
"I'm not living with you, we just occupy the same cage, that's all!"
SWTE is great!
Too bad the film claims it's about a woman who's feed up with her abusive partner. The first time he hits, she's shocked, so yes, it was the first time.
I'm glad Obama won, but I will not jump on the Pro-Choice bandwagon
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I wondered about the 5 years too, but I thought the same as others here: That he didn't beat her 'just to beat her'. I think he was the type of psychopath that only lost it when Slim questioned his authority AND dared to stand up for herself. Slim probably either ignored or 'justified' things Mitch did emotionally from the beginning. Mitch even says at their wedding "Are you going to give me babies?" He didn't say "When are we going to have a baby?" Slim, as perhaps many would, assumes he was just being flip.
Also remember how he completely ignores her when she wants to see the baby? She smiles, yet looks a bit put off, thinking he's just a pleased father.
He had said, after he hit her for the first time, that he thought she understood that since he made the money he was in charge.
Up until then, she probably didn't make many waves. She seemed like a happy yet submissive wife up until then in the brief times we see of them beforehand.
Mitch later says "You don't have the guts [to kill me]." possibly implying that Slim was quiet, obedient and vulnerable throughout their marriage.
I agree. Well said.
shareSure someone already answered with this but basically he was abusing her with control. He had a submissive wife who did everything for him and he found himself able to take advantage by being with other women. Once she found out and was not being this quiet person that he was use to controlling he turned it around by using physical abuse to put her back into her place.
Of course she realized that she wasn't going to take that type of abuse and tried to leave making him more agressive.
Poop in his hand ... Poop in his hand
Yes, one of the many major weaknesses in the plot. I was entertained by this movie but it's so implausible for so many reasons!
Even if it means me taking a chubby, I will suck it up! - Tobias Funke
Okay yes the OP original thing is why would it take 5 yrs for him to go off of her eventually like he did. Lets look at this: When he picked her up first in the diner it was part of the scheme him and Robbie did (the guy who he made it look like he was defending against for Slim's honor). So those two guys obviously did these type of things a lot. Fast forward to later in the movie when Robbie asks "Of all the women we pulled that stunt on, why did you choose to marry her?" Mitch answers with "Maybe its love." So obviously those two were sick, controlling--womanizers. I think though Mitch DID LOVE Slim. Now for those 4-5 yrs of marriage he was conflicting between loving her and still sleeping around. So he tried to live both and not get caught...you notice when he wanted the house he kept the threats to that guy quiet so Slim did not hear it and think he was a bad guy, so it looked like he got the house through an honorable way. Eventually she caught him and found out about his bad side and when she stoo up to him he decided to just use his bad all together to keep his way and keep her. There I hope that didnt confuse anyone because my head hurts after coming up with that explanation.
shareOf course it's possible. When my parents first married my dad was great, my mother was happy.
They had me 3 years into their marriage, and they were still happy.
Then probably when I was around 5 my dad started cheating, my mom said she was leaving, they fought, he swore he wouldn't do it again, my mom got pregnant with my sister and then he started cheating again after she was born. And that's when the physical abuse began.
So no, it doesn't ALWAYS happen right away.
you should watch the show Snapped... smh.
shareIt can happen at ANY time in a relationship. There is usually something that sets them off. Just like serial killers!!! It is all about control.
shareMy dad didn't become abusive until my parents had been married for about 4 years. It does happen. They went from being very happy to him cheating and abusing her out of the blue pretty much. She said looking back she really couldn't find any signs he was going to mistreat her.
shareIt took my husband 3 years before he put his hands on me and then it was like flood gates opening....once they do it and you stay it becomes a long cycle until you break it.
"You gave him what he asked for...I gave him what he needed!" ~Legion~