MovieChat Forums > The Terminal (2004) Discussion > Why was virtually everyone portrayed as ...

Why was virtually everyone portrayed as cold and needlessly mean?


I understand that Viktor arrived in New York, which isn't always a friendly place, but it felt very exaggerated that everyone he meets is so cruel to him and even use him, especially people who would end up being his friends. For example, when he is looking for work in the airport, the people would laugh at him or give him false hope about getting a job (i.e. Discovery Store manager) rather than try to tell him what he could do to try to earn money. I know it's played for humor but it just makes me annoyed since these people are later shown to be his allies.

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Although exaggerated, this is probably a fairly accurate characterization of the way airports are...how the people are all hurrying from one place to another, tired, stressed out, and cranky from going through the whole ordeal. People are generally self-centered, and an airport is a congregation of people from all walks of life who can't really relate to each other. It isn't really a community setting. Hope this helps.

Appearances can be...deceptive.

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You go try to get a job and not have an address, phone number or Social Security Number and see how you are treated.

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Indeed

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Uh.

Why couldn't they just explain that to him then? They were so condescending and rude to him about it, not unlike this comment...

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What's wrong with Ken's comment? That's the way things are. Welcome to this world! And as to why these people don't help him: they're small business people, they run a business, they don't want to take the role of social workers.

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Rome! By all means, Rome.

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That's the way things are. Welcome to this world!


Yes, so that means we should never call out people for being d-bags and just treat everyone with no respect. Hm?

And as to why these people don't help him: they're small business people, they run a business, they don't want to take the role of social workers.


It's not about being a social worker. It's about being a decent human being. On top of that, why not explain that he needs specific information to able to apply? Why let him run around the airport, applying for jobs he has no hope in getting?

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Yes, so that means we should never call out people for being d-bags and just treat everyone with no respect. Hm?


That's not what I said. I said that's the way things are, I never said I thought that's how things should be, or that I am happy with this, for that matter. My life motto is "Be kind", but from what I see around me I realize not everybody feels the same way.

HANWE!

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Rome! By all means, Rome.

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I agree about the Discovery Store manager. He was a jerk for misleading him. Those other people at least had a decency to laugh in his face.

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