I mean, how would you convince the world that your child was a murdering psychopath without getting labelled as a crazy person yourself?
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Covered that right here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808331/board/thread/189217657
Yeah, why didn't he showed them the tape?
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I wouldn't. I would be a better parent than the two in this movie were and show Joshua that he was cared about and loved so he wouldn't have such resentment in the first place.
"Come, fly the teeth of the wind. Share my wings."
I appreciate what you're saying but I believe the film hints at the fact that there may be more wrong with Joshua than simple resentment (though I think it's certainly a part of it--perhaps even the catalyst itself). He definitely showed signs of a Type-A Sociopathic personality, which can be both societal-based (such as lack of proper parental love, as you suggested) but can also be chemical so that in fact he may have been born with it. People born with the extreme version of this condition (while they can be integrated into society just fine) can also be the quite manipulative and malicious if untreated; meaning any parental love would simply have meant that he would recognize them as a resource to be exploited instead of reacting with love as a typical child would.
Additionally, the fact he was a constantly crying baby (despite any initial attempts at soothing from his parents--which does eventually degenerate into the mother's Post Natal Depression) also suggests that he was born with it, as often children first exhibit this symptom if they are actually afflicted.
Yes, but I don't think the way his parents treated him helped matters any. Yes, I agree that he may have had a mental illness and love/affection/attention might not have solved everything, but I think it certainly would have helped. I think he felt very lonely because of the new baby. And I think his bizarre behavior such as cutting open the teddy bear, collapsing at the piano recital, giving all his toys away, etc. were efforts at trying to get his parents attention because he was so lonely. All people, especially children, need to know that someone loves them, and I don't think Joshua felt that from anyone.
And if you are right about the mental illness, I think he inherited it genetically from his mother, who also in my opinion displayed symptoms of psychosis (the incident with the "red boots" is just one example).
Come, fly the teeth of the wind. Share my wings.
Yes, I definitely agree with you on all counts. While it may not have "cured" anything, love (or at the least therapy for the mother) may well have contributed to at least setting Joshua on a path where he might have sought help or felt open enough with his family/father, to admit to him there might be something wrong.
And the mother, I think, was definitely the source of the original gene. Her breakdowns and her (rather disturbing) habit of transferring her love between one child and another based on how well behaved one or the other was definitely hints at the possibility that she saw her children more as pets/playthings rather than human beings, another symptom of this disorder and definitely leading credence to your theory. I mean, it was really creepy that she thought that her child crying somehow reflected badly on HER rather than seeing it for the child development stage it was--definitely hints at severe self-esteem issues.
I have to disagree with your theory regarding the motivations of things like the bear, recital, etc. Sociopaths, in the wake of having no real emotions (and thus no basis on how to act in certain social situations) will emulate others in order so that they might themselves be seen as "normal". I believe that is what Joshua was doing in all these instances in an effort to further fool everyone into thinking he was alright and to achieve his ultimate goal of living with his uncle (a goal he admits to--disturbingly, via song--at the end of the movie)
Well, I have to disagree with you too. I don't believe Joshua was a sociopath. Sure, he very well may have had a mental disorder of some kind, but I'm not quite sure he is a sociopath. I think he knew in his heart his parents never truly cared about him. You can just tell instinctively when someone cares about you and when someone doesn't. I think he felt like his uncle was the only one who cared whether he was alive or dead, and he was willing to do anything he ould to be taken away from his parents so he could live with his uncle, the only purson who loves him. That would explain why he drew those gruesome pictures for the psychologist, because he knew she would automatically jump to the conclusion that he was being abused and she would have him taken from that home because he didn't belong there with those awful parents.
Come, fly the teeth of the wind. Share my wings.
Personally, aside from the mother and her severe issues, I didn't find them to be that horrible. The father, at the very least, was trying in the relationship and was making a clear effort. The fact that despite this, Joshua was willing to go so far as to institutionalize his own mother, try to kill his sister, try to kill his aunt, frame his father, manipulate psychiatrists and doctors, just cements his sociopathy in my mind. There are just way, way too many symptoms and behavioural patterns in that kid that exactly match someone with this particular illness for me to think otherwise. Though, of course, I respect your opinion and you are entitled to it :) Either way, the neglect he received from his mother (and I do think the neglect was the mother, largely. The father felt visibly uncomfortable around him though, which certainly wouldn't have helped any, but at least he tried) definitely started him on the road...
shareI'm not quite sure he really did to try to kill his grandmother. It showed her on the screen, then it cut to Joshua's dad, then it cut to the grandmother again and showed that she had fallen down the stairs. We never actually see Joshua physically push her, so it could have been a bizarre coincidence for all we know. It could have been accidental. We can't just assume she was pushed because it never showed it happen. And I personally believe that Joshua wasn't trying to kill his sister, but that's just my opinion. I think he really did love his sister, he just didn't like her at that time in his life because it was because of her that Joshua didn't get attention at a time when he needed it the most. And I think he wanted to be taken away from his parents because he didn't feel any feelings of love for them, so he concocted this elaborate scheme to make people suspect he was being abused so he would be allowed to live with his uncle, the only person he truly loved. That is why he drew those pictures for the psychiatrist.
But that's why I love this movie so much. Everything is ambiguous and is left open for interpretation. It isn't just your typical, vanilla "this is the good guy and this is the bad guy" type movie. The characters are much more interesting and have much more depth than that.
Come, fly the teeth of the wind. Share my wings.
"But that's why I love this movie so much. Everything is ambiguous and is left open for interpretation. It isn't just your typical, vanilla "this is the good guy and this is the bad guy" type movie. The characters are much more interesting and have much more depth than that."
Definitely, I love multi-layered movies :) Since you do too, I recommend the recent movie, "The Triangle", very interesting, very thought-provoking!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1187064/ (it looks stupid on the cover and summary, I know, but trust me, it's a great film!)
Dude, the director and the writer of the film have flat our said Joshua (the character they created) was evil.
I think that pretty much sums up the argument.
"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." - C.S.Lewis
OK, that may have been their intention but viewers are still allowed to interpret it any way they choose.
Come, fly the teeth of the wind. Share my wings.
A movie like this really brings out the liberal loco's. you would be a better parent.....shut the f up!!! The whole point of the story was to show that this kid was a nut that belonged in a group home for retards. Your parenting wouldn't have changed *beep* Jump down off your high horse there buckaroo
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