MovieChat Forums > Match Point (2006) Discussion > I Felt Bad for Nola

I Felt Bad for Nola

posted 10 years ago by TooPrettyInPink
24 replies | jump to latest

Thinking back on the movie, did anyone else feel bad for Nola's life in London, especially after Tom broke up with her? Her character seemed exciting, gorgeous, and living a great life at first glance, but if you think about it, it was kind of sad, empty, and going nowhere. She was a grown woman who was barely making any money (struggling actress working at a boutique shop, which couldn't have paid much) and living alone in a foreign country without any friends or family (from what the film showed us). She didn't seem to have any substantial hobbies or social life, and her job was boring/menial. She had her looks going for her, but in the grand scheme of things those can only take you so far; other than that her life prospects were super bleak. And living by herself must have been lonely as hell, too. Lonely, aimless, lower class, with little hope for upward mobility... that's a pretty sad life to lead as an adult, to be honest.

In this context, I'm not surprised she went off the deep end when Chris started lying to her. She was probably desperate and didn't want to lose him, since he was basically all she had going for her. It's kind of weird that her character seemed to exist in a vacuum... this was probably done intentionally to emphasize her constant objectification at the hands of other characters, but did anyone else just really pity her? I can't shake the feeling that despite her fiery demeanor, Nola was probably actually super aimless and downtrodden, and that's why she went crazy.

[–] j-curl 10 years ago

It explains why she got so desperate when it came to Chris. Imagine living in a foreign country with no family and friends in sight. I wonder she completely left America to start an acting career. Why not go to NYC or L.A.?

[–] luvie2003 8 years ago

Hey, I left America to start an acting career. NYC and LA is not for everyone, neither is America. London is one of the best places for actors.

Anyway, I did not feel bad for Nola, because she used her looks to manipulate people, ans as someone else has stated, she did not care who she hurt to get what she wanted.

Always look for the positive in every situation.

[–] Mehki_Girl 10 years ago

Well in the end, beautiful or not, she just became an annoying nag, something men hate. She just became ordinary, so he would have dumped her anyway.

http://www.auplod.com/u/dalpuo430da.png

[–] stevenackerman69 10 years ago

I think the reason she came back to London was she had a plan. She knew that Chris loved her and wanted her and now that Tom dumped her due to his *beep* mother sort of forcing him to do that, she thought of a way to get back at that family. She figured to be Chris' mistress and hopefully run away with him, therefore hurting Tom and that family, but that didn't happen. I think she just said she was pregnant to try to speed it up a bit, but it backfired when Chris killed her.

[–] Quicksilver1900 9 years ago

I didn't feel the least bit sympathetic toward Nola, despite her being needy and desperate. She used her looks and sexuality to entice and entrap men. She didn't care who she hurt. She was young, healthy and attractive. It was unclear how she could remain in the UK legally once Tom ended their engagement, but she could have built a decent life had she chosen to do so.

She was a female counterpart of Chris; both from un-privileged backgrounds determined to use their resources to upgrade themselves. Unfortunately for Nola, she made an enemy in Tom and Chloe's mother, whereas Chris made himself beloved.

The one I felt sorry for was Chloe; she deserved a husband who treasured her.

[–] stevenackerman69 9 years ago

That is a good way to look at it. However, I don't think Tom broke up with her because he didn't love her, it had to do with the fact that his mother forced him to, because she wasn't like Chris, willing to work at a decent job. Chris had no problem working in his father in law's business, so maybe that was why the family liked him and accepted him, although he was also an un-privileged background. Nola was trying to be an actress, which the mother frowned upon. And I guess Tom didn't want to upset his mother or be forced out of the family by staying with Nola so he had to make a choice.

[–] GoodRed 8 years ago

However, I don't think Tom broke up with her because he didn't love her, it had to do with the fact that his mother forced him to, because she wasn't like Chris, willing to work at a decent job.

Really? I thought it was very clearly explained that Tom broke up with her because he had gotten another girl pregnant, whom he marries to prevent trouble later. His wife even says "Just in time...I was starting to show" during the wedding. He kicked Nola to the curb to save his reputation.

Both Tom and Chris fell in the same problem and "solved" it in different ways.

[–] Quicksilver1900 8 years ago

Tom said 'My mother has rather poisoned the well on that one' (paraphrasing), meaning his mother had turned him against Nola.

He met someone else, but it is not clear whether he met his wife while he was still with Nola or after he broke up with her. It's true that they married quickly after she became pregnant, but if they didn't love each other, they could have chosen to terminate the pregnancy. Tom doesn't seem to believe in safe sex; he had made Nola pregnant as well.

Perhaps Nola got the idea of inducing Chris to marry her from seeing how quickly Tom married his wife after she became pregnant. (She would have seen how soon their child was born after they married.)

[–] stevenackerman69 8 years ago

I don't recall that part. I'd have to see the film again.

[–] ilahilda 8 years ago

I just saw the film yesterday, I felt bad for her as well. Both guys she cared for, kicked her to the curb. Maybe if she had lived, she might have made something of her life. Maybe she would have attended college or something, or got a promotion at the boutique.

[–] koffeenkreame41-1 8 years ago

Really? I thought it was very clearly explained that Tom broke up with her because he had gotten another girl pregnant, whom he marries to prevent trouble later. His wife even says "Just in time...I was starting to show" during the wedding. He kicked Nola to the curb to save his reputation.

Both Tom and Chris fell in the same problem and "solved" it in different ways.

This! 

"I'm the ultimate badass,you do NOT wanna f-ck wit me!"Hudson,Aliens😬

[–] Quicksilver1900 8 years ago

Tom had also gotten Nola pregnant and solved it by making her have an abortion. So perhaps he had more feeling for his new wife and was not opposed to marrying her and starting a family with her. Birth control, as well as safe sex practises, was sadly not in Tom's agenda.

[–] Scarlett_Butler 9 years ago

Well, she was a golddigger and also had a long-term affair with a married man. She wasn't a likeable person by any means. She was shallow, hysterical, manipulative, and had little intelligence or charm.

[–] vanillainflux 9 years ago

although my post is a bit of a side bar, i didn't really want to start a new thread (too many trolls/idiots) but i find myself watching this film every few years.
despite the wooden acting on jonathan rhys' part (my personal opinion, i just finished the tudors and thought he was great in that) i wonder if chris really loved nola. we could be reductionist and claim no one murders the person they love; but did he really love her or was it love/an escapist strategy from his fixed life.

perhaps he just never made an effort to really be with chloe and learn to love her and used nola as a way of escaping. or maybe he genuinely loved her.
just a thought.

her character seemed to exist in a vacuum... this was probably done intentionally to emphasize her constant objectification at the hands of other characters

i agree with this.

it's a dirty world Reich, say what you want

[–] stevenackerman69 9 years ago

No one murders the person they love? Yeah, right. Tell that to Simpson, who murdered his ex-wife and got away with it.

Anyway, he murders Nola because she is putting pressure on him to tell Chloe. It is like in Crimes and Misdemeanors where Judah was put under pressure from his mistress to come clean about the affair. Both men arrange the murders of their mistresses, not because they do not love them, but because they need a way out of this dilemma.

[–] Sugarminx 9 years ago

Lonely, aimless, lower class, with little hope for upward mobility... that's a pretty sad life to lead as an adult, to be honest.

Faaaark! No wonder so many people top themselves when they have people like you telling them that their lives are pointless if they're not of a particular social class, they don't have high powered careers, prospects and loads of friends and family for support!

Nothing wrong with having a 'menial' job if it's honest work. Nothing wrong with being 'lower class' either. What a snob you sound!

Nola went 'off the deep end' not because she wasn't living the kind of life you deem a 'success', but because she was in love with a cad who promised her the world and didn't deliver. He continually lied to her too - believe me that will drive anyone around the twist, as you don't know what you can and can't believe any more. Did she do the wrong thing by carrying on this affair, sure, but she didn't deserve to die for it.

Frankly, I found her more sympathetic than the insufferable, entitled princess that Chris married.

Do the P-I-G-E-O-N

[–] laurieann74 9 years ago

With her looks, she could of married well, divorced, then had money. A blonde that looks like that NEVER has to be broke for long.

[–] Quicksilver1900 8 years ago

So true. Not only was she beautiful, she had compelling sexual allure. It's strange that she got her hooks into Chris, if social mobility was her goal. Had she succeeded, Chris would have been back to giving tennis lessons as his occupation. He could hardly have expected to keep his job in the Hewett family business.