MovieChat Forums > The Descendants (2011) Discussion > Was the kiss revenge?

Was the kiss revenge?

posted 12 years ago by trinpletion
20 replies | jump to latest

Spoilers I guess.

It definitely took me by surprise when he kissed Speer's wife and it was the small moments like that one that made this movie so great in my opinion. But I couldn't totally make sense of it. Was it probably just revenge? I think if Julie had any idea that her husband was cheating it was probably Clooney's kiss. But at the same time I didn't feel like he was doing it as a calculated thing where he wants her to know, maybe just level the playing field a bit. Thoughts?

[–] beffler 12 years ago

I'm surprised no one has responded to your question / comment (at this point).

I think the kiss served two purposes:

1. for revenge.

2. to give Speer's wife a clue that something was wrong and hidden in their marriage / life.

The kiss is what later brought Speer's wife to the hospital (after he husband confessed at home), at the end of the movie. She was torn, however, between forgiveness, and her own revenge. She was ANGRY (what spouse wouldn't be?).

That's the way I see this.

I thought the movie was great - all about family relationships. Adultery can be one of life's most damaging acts - it destroys families. Even if its implied in a movie.

[–] gmansi 12 years ago

3 - One way to count at least one point for him... I mean, he was betrayed

[–] trinpletion 12 years ago

I thought it was so interesting seeing it from Julie's perspective. I first thought that maybe Julie and Brian Speer were both part of the whole affair just to make all that money from the deal. The movie didn't go that way at all, but Brian just seemed so squirrely and schemey.

[–] Felix-La-PuBelle 12 years ago

I thought in the hospital room she pretty much admitted she knew something was up for a while and that her husband was acting weird all the rest of that night.

Seems like she knew what was going on with or without the kiss.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lamont-hard 11 years ago

It was to place something on her mind that there is more than her husband out there if she decided to leave him. She subconsciously liked it so the seed has been planted that if he does it again she knows there is someone out there for her. Two can play this game and she will never let herself be only connected to him out of loyalty just because he is her husband, she is now tainted. He will have to earn her back.

[–] jaystarstar 11 years ago

Matt has no interest himself in taking up an affair with Julie, because if he did, every time he saw her would be a reminder of how his marriage with Elizabeth ended.

He just planted the smooch on Julie to clue her in that her marriage was in trouble. Indirectly he was attacking Brian without having to do it openly.

================

4) You ever seen Superman $#$# his pants? Case closed.

[–] WarpedRecord 12 years ago

I don't think it was impulsive either, just a bit of payback. It seemed like a very impulsive way of trying to "close" his interaction with her, and perhaps get her talking to Speer about the larger issue of his infidelity. It worked.

[–] kinocrit 12 years ago

Revenge is what I thought first. Like I can't punch you out right now so I will kiss your wife instead. But later I thought it might be a kiss of sympathy for a woman who is in the same situation as he was. Having a cheating spouse and not being aware.

[–] trblee 12 years ago

The kiss took me by surprise. I thought it was an awesome move on his part. Gave her a clue something was wrong. Not to mention, Julie is an absolute hottie! What man wouldn't want to give her a little sugar! I would!

[–] Redux006 12 years ago

He just found out how Brian had invaded his personal space, having sex with his wife in his own bedroom. So kissing Brian's wife was the one thing he could do to invade Brain's space. Not so much revenge I think as salvaging some dignity for himself.

[–] jaystarstar 11 years ago

IMO Ringo is mainly right, plus as others mentioned Matt wanted to tip off Julie that something was very wrong in their marriage (which he did).

================

4) You ever seen Superman $#$# his pants? Case closed.

[–] Okeelani 11 years ago

"He just found out how Brian had invaded his personal space, having sex with his wife in his own bedroom. So kissing Brian's wife was the one thing he could do to invade Brain's space. Not so much revenge I think as salvaging some dignity for himself."
----------------------------

Redux006....THANK YOU, for getting it.
I can't believe how many people DON'T get it, and think it was either...a calculated act of revenge...or, some secret way of tipping her off? Really? Gee, why didn't her just give her a big wink right after the kiss, to REALLY tip her off.

People, please. He saw no merit in hurting the wife and breaking that family up. He didn't go there for that. The kiss was an impulse. A spur of the moment thing, based on hurt, anger, mixed emotions and his feelings of betrayal--coming off the conversation he just had with Brian.

Exactly how Redux006 put it....his personal space was invaded. The kiss was a means of doing the same to Brian, if just for a moment. He didn't have any time to think about it, or calculate "tipping her off". If he wanted to let her know Brian was cheating, he wouldn't play games about it--he'd just tell her. He'd confront Brian right in front of her.

No, this was exactly as Redux006 described it. Well said, my friend.

[–] Redux006 11 years ago

Hey thanks, nice to get a positive reply for once. I dread that email notification from IMDb because it almost always somebody telling me how stupid my opinion is, haha.

[–] katheriaayush 11 years ago

Saito in inception: i want inception
Arthur: cant be done, let me say think about an elephant....
Saito: *beep* that *beep* clooney just performed that in the descendants.

[–] AssetsonFire 10 years ago

I think it was one of the movie's better moments. On the one hand, it can be taken as a spontaneous act of revenge, alternatively, one could see it as a sort of non-verbal hint to the wife as to the real reason for his visit. Could have been a deliberate act, could have been an unintentional psychological 'leak'.

~.~
There were three of us in this marriage
http://www.imdb.com/list/ze4EduNaQ-s/

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] davedave11 10 years ago

Yes, it shows that Matt is not all black or all white. He really wanted to give Speer (who may have loved Eliz or Eliz may have loved him ) a chance to go to the haospital. Matt did really want to keep the affair secret --- but part of him wanted revenge too. So Matt spends all that time in the house without saying anything that Judy Greer could hear, but on the way out he decides on the spur of the oment to kiss her--- he wants to take the high road but he loses it

[–] romadiva 9 years ago

I thought it was revenge. But, who wouldn't want to kiss the hotness known as Judy Greer.

[–] DeepCinema 9 years ago

I love how, in the Bonus extras, Judy said she was sooooo gonna mess up that take numerous times just to get to keep kissing Clooney! 😍