MovieChat Forums > Last Exit (2006) Discussion > factors that influenced beth

factors that influenced beth

posted 17 years ago by smartyp17
6 replies | jump to latest

1st
-seeing ex husband with his new wife
***why couldnt the ex pick up his child instead of making her drive him all the way there out of her way....if that had happened she would never have missed her exit or had relations with diane
-minivan on her behind almost hitting her on the highway
*****starts her frustration with crazy drivers
-diane cutting her off at 120 miles an hour let me remind you all
****makes her offically totally late for work with no hope
-getting stuck in highway traffic
****added frustration
-elevator not coming right away
***jumbling her nerves
-package slip
***already knows she is in trouble from boss
-boss telling her to go get the package
****sets her off on a wild goose chase that gets her a ticket, which she has no money to pay, and gets her even more overheated since its hot and she has no air, and then frustrated because she can get a break
-parking spot gets taken by that dumb guy added frustreation of people who only care abput themselves
-gets fired
****do i need to explain?
-seeing old high school classmate who acts so snobish
-bank guy
-husband tells her after hearing she lost her job and has had a bad day that he is taking her child she has raised while he got a better life
-son gets hurt
-diane honks horn and tells her off being a bitch
***finally she has had enough and mentally has broken down....it is so classical it could be a movie for a psy 101 class
i do not know anyone who would not break down if all that happened to her no matter the fault
and diane was not justified in killing her because she was no longer attacking her but trying to help so that is not murder in defense.....thats murder after the fact
it is not justified at all
the license on the gun if there was one was not in her name and should not be in her car legally
so if i was the judge or jury i would find diane guilty
if i was the therapist on the stand to talk about the accident i would say that it was not defense
2 wrongs do not make a right

and what an ass that husband of beths was

[–] Moviegoer Dan 17 years ago

The 120 number may have been metric, Canada I believe is on the metric system. Diana couldn't have been driving 120mph in the middle of heavy traffic, even when speeding up to pass.

Beth's troubles were of HER OWN making. She's the one who got pregnant in her senior year in high school and then couldn't go to college. She's the one who wouldn't take any time to get her car to the shop. She's the one who left the affidavit on her desk for a full week. She's the one who just had to adjust the air conditioning and took her eyes off the road (leaving her son injured - which he reported to the father, by the way). She's the one who left her keys in her car. Do I need to continue with other factors that she was responsible for or should we just stipulate to them all?

None of your above mentioned factors would justify Beth's going berserk in the way that she did. We all have problems but even when having totally rotten days most of us don't flip our lids and try to kill others because of it, we know to act with a certain amount of restraint. That restraint warns us not to pick up telescopes and smash them on other people's cars, as well as not to run others off the road and try to kill them. Are you SERIOUS when you say that anybody would have broken down and acted like Beth did? Are you playing with a full deck?

Diana was TOTALLY justified in using the gun for self-defense, and PLEASE don't start going ACLU here. As I mentioned in another post, when one has just seen such a crazy person act in a such a manner towards you you don't take any chances, you make sure that they don't get anywhere near you for a third time, one has no way of knowing what that person is up to. Diana had every reason to repel Beth with the gun, whether out of fear or out of rage. Diana only had the gun in the car because she'd taken it from her son earlier in the day, when he was found with it while in school. Drop the ACLU junk, as I said.

The old classmate, Aubrey, had a big smile on her face upon seeing Beth again. Aubrey even offered to put the telescope on the side while Beth went and tried to straighten out some money problems. What would make you see Aubrey as snobbish?

Beth's husband an ass? It seemed to me that he was making something of himself with his recent new teaching position promotions, as well as looking out for his son. He was the one who rightfully pointed out to Beth that she could have done better with herself if she didn't have such a habit of pushing everybody in her life away. He was far from what I'd call an ass.

[–] stephanyjml 17 years ago

You're right, Diana was going 120 kmh which is about 60 to 65 mph. The movie was filmed and set in Montreal, which is where I live.

I was shocked, at first, when Diana shot Beth. Then I realized that Diana had just been through a traum and was, most likely, in shock. She probably couldn't hear what Beth was saying. All she heard and saw was the "crazed" woman who had attacked her car earlier and caused her to have a serious accident.

[–] Brynnda 17 years ago

<What would make you see Aubrey as snobbish? >

When Aubrey said to Beth, 'You don't think i actually WORK here, do you?' as if the idea of just *working* in the store, and not owning it, was completely beneath her. Yes, Aubrey had been very nice to Beth, but that comment about working there really turned me off from her.

[–] Moviegoer Dan 17 years ago

Well, Beth had several encounters with several people during that day, all of those encounters' having their ups and downs to them. Aubrey was basically trying to be friendly. The comment in and of itself wasn't offensive but Beth, in her financially impoverished state, may not have been in any mood to smile about it. Aubrey was very glad to see her and I'm sure would have said that she was sorry if she'd known that Beth was having such trouble with money lately. Remember, Beth looked great to her, as well as said that she was doing so. Aubrey had no way of knowing that the comment was out of line in any way. Remember, also, that Aubrey had noticed the gold locket that Beth was wearing and complimented her upon it. She may have also noticed that it was missing when Beth returned, thus putting two and two together and realizing that Beth had just hocked it for some cold cash. There was no cruel commentary towards her then, Aubrey even whispered nicely that the gift wrapping was free. I don't see her being insensitive in any way, just possibly realizing that she had gotten caught in the middle of something unpleasant and was trying to be as friendly as possible about it. I'd think that we'd all be lucky to have friends like that if we could find them.

The bank manager certainly didn't just shove Beth away. He asked if this were her branch. Had it been so then I imagine that he would have allowed her in to speak to somebody. There was no point in having her run around inside and act frantically when it was clear that they couldn't help her at that point. Beth's fury at that incident was of her own making, she DID get listened to and considered, as well as given advice on how to use the bank's website for possible assistance.

The traffic officer was also helpful, he was willing to leave her car untowed. His still giving her the ticket was something that he had no choice in. Once any police officer has written a single mark on a ticket that ticket must be filled out. He's not permitted to rip up anything, that's just the way things are.

[–] jabberttp 16 years ago

and diane was not justified in killing her because she was no longer attacking her but trying to help so that is not murder in defense.....thats murder after the fact
it is not justified at all

Agree with you fully, smartyp17. This is one of those points (I pontificated upon in another post) where Moviegoer Dan and I disagree.

Him babbling about ACLU junk merely shows his political leanings. I also feel ACLU takes up junk stupid causes at times, but this is different.

To repeat what I said in the other post:

But Beth shouldn't have approached Diana's car? There was no way Beth knew that Diana has an antique gun with her and what I found most ironic and heart-wrenching was Beth was trying to help.

I've been in accidents before (thank God nothing fatal for anyone involved) and whether I was at fault or not, if I could walk (always could when I was the driver, thank God again), I'd always check on the driver and passengers of the other car.

Totally different issue about trying to move someone injured (that didn't come into play).

After the rage, Beth was overcome with common decency and for that,she was shot (and killed as she didn't die of injuries from the accident).

That was truly an ironic (and clever) twist, IMO.

[–] sawyertom 15 years ago

I disagree. beth vandalized Diana's vehicle. Then angry and apparently vengeful,she chased Diana down,causing her to have a bad accident that caused her vehicle to flip. What was Diana supposed to conclude when Beth approached the car? Use your head. How would you perceive somebody that had flown off the handle enough to vandalize your car and then chase you enough to cause you to wreck your car and eventually be in a vulnerable position when she approached it. I doubt whether a jury would have convicted Diana. I know if I was on the jury whether I liked Diana or not or even sympathized with Beth, she acted in self-defense. Remember only moments earlier she had chased you and caused you to wreck your car. Why would anyone trust her to be of sound mind at that point after all of that?