For those who Don't 'Get' This Movie

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OK: I 'get' that.

What I hated, and what is depressing me so much right now, is how she never acknowledged the value of human life and interaction through all of this. The first person she cared about enough to want to be with (Saarsgard) can't be with her so she can no longer see even the possibility of gratification through a human. Her relationship with her niece had the potential to be beautiful, but instead of seeing it that way, that she can share so much and connect with another person, even mold her to be like her and care about the things she does, she continues to look for the next crusade to fight for the animals by herself. What she thought was her selflessness was really disgustingly selfish, isolating herself from humanity to fight for animals. I think the movie missed the mark horribly.

IT'S JUST A "FEEL GOOD" REMAKE OF "TAXI DRIVER"

I "got" this movie and it is a sad testimoy to our culture's warped understanding of individuality. The whole point of the movie, I think, is that everyone has their own neurotic obsession by which they get through life and Molly finally gets to find hers.

Her brother's family is overprotective of their daughter, her boss is obsessed with where he stands in the company, her neighbor is a hunting fanatic and her best friend (only friend?)is fixated on getting married. Of course, they are all doomed for failure. The friend is marrying a cad, the little girl will grow up with her own emotional baggage, the hunter will kill everything into extinction and her boss will never make it into upper management. Nor is this a pro-PETA movie, as many think, since the director takes equal shots at Molly's deadend philosophy. Everyone is made fun of and shown for the shallowness of their particular obsession. But the good news is that Molly finally gets to find hers. Hurray!

She is as isolated and lonely as Travis Bickle but eventually finds fellowship and belonging with a group that shares her same empty dysfunction. We know she is mourning Pencil, we know her job is meaningless, we know there is no warmth in her home or love in her life and we know everything she does is a pathetic attempt to fill that. But she never does fill it or ever will. For Molly, there is no real self discovery or breaking down of illusions that leads to true self actualization and harmony with the universe. There is only the "self discovery" of her own neurosis("It's good to have a name to describe yourself", she says)and not the healthy, painful road out of it.

The film maker is saying that there is no universal "truth" or standard for what is a "healthy" person or way to live life. Everyone has "their own truth" or better yet, their own "kink" and the trick is to get with other lost souls like you so you can finally feel "normal". Hunters get together with hunters, vegans with vegans, drag queens with drag queens, potheads with potheads. The new "individuality", the new sense of "belonging". How appropriate she finds it on the internet.

My dog sleeps with me too occasionally, but if you really love this movie, then please take it up with a psychiatrist. And fast.

Wow, looking at the replies, no one seems to even care to try to understand this movie... Jesus H Christ!

I LOVED this movie. Mike White is my new hero. I can't believe he got it SO RIGHT. I am this women! (besides that fact that I have a husband and kid) It is so true the way society treats the over 40 single women with no kids. She was the doormat who's life was not as important as everyone else's. The christmas card not on the refrigerator was right on. That said it all. I wanted to stand up and cheer in the theater when she quit her gross corporate deadend job to actually go do something meaning full in the world. I so understand sitting in the cubicle looking up animal rights websites and feeling trapped to not doing anything about it. I can't believe a movie like this is out there. Everyone should see it. She was definately not a selfish character just because she did not fit in with the "normal" average population out there. She was exceptional, because she let herself become educated about the aweful cruely our society puts on our animal friends.
"You can judge a society by how they treat their animals." Gandi

Nice analysis. But to me, the movie is pure propaganda for PETA. The office workers, brother and sis in law, the boss, are all made to look like idiots. Peggy becomes the only one with "principle".

This movie portrays acuratelly the tons of misguided people who immerse themselves in the "Ain't it awful" syndrome. Let's all get together and talk about how bad things are and how cruel the world is and how immoral people are.
This was a movie about a depressed, unhappy woman who lost herself and her mind.
And by the way, she should have kept her dog indoors to avoid his ultimate death if she cared so much.
Not sure why it was written or made for that matter. I though the bad direction was the problem, but the ending was conflicting. This movie has nothing to do with dog lovers (I am one!).
It shows how easy it is to go nuts in our society and transfer our attention to something other than ourselves when we can't deal with our own miserable predicament.
And it confirms how PETA extremists have their priorities all wrong and will commit crimes to avoid what cannot be avoided: The laws of nature ...









"I could vomit just looking at you"

I really enjoyed this film and really identified with the lead Molly Shannon. I myself are better with animals then people and felt much compassion with her plight.

I would love to know one thing: For those who hated this film How many ever had and loved a pet?