MovieChat Forums > Butter (2012) Discussion > Are we supposed to feel sorry for Jennif...

Are we supposed to feel sorry for Jennifer Garner's character?

posted 12 years ago by epistemic_ambivalence
10 replies | jump to latest

she cheated and sabotaged the contest.
And to quote... "This is all she has". Total BullSh!t

- she is messed up!

[–] fiji5555 12 years ago

Yes we are supposed to feel sorry for her character as in seeing how shallow she is and how sad a life she really has.For her to confess to Destiny that is all she has shows she also knows deep down that she needs something more in her life. Does that excuse her actions? Of course not.When she comes near the end of her life, what will she have to look back on with pride? NOTHING. So yes, DO feel sorry for her, then go out and live your own life so you won't feel empty when it comes your turn to pass on.

[–] blaircam 12 years ago

Yep - telling a little orphan girl who has been passed from home to home and generally treated like crap that she - a prosperous white woman who has probably never been anything other than financially comfortable and popular - has nothing... I think you hit one of the key messages on the head.
Mrs Pickler has no idea and was thoroughly selfish and self-absorbed.

"They who... give up... liberty to obtain... safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

[–] IDream_ofJoaquin 12 years ago

I know that scene made me want to barf!! *beep* whoever wrote this. All she has is a butter competiton over a foster child? AFTER she had someone melt her face off? Personally that's what I found most offensive, that they would melt just the baby's butter face off. It was weird and cruel.

[–] CodeMonkey8 12 years ago

I think we are meant to feel pity for Laura (Garner). She's not pure evil, but her priorities are totally out of whack. She is leading a very unhappy life - her husband sleeps on the couch, she has no friends, her step-daughter hates her. She has alienated everyone. She has material things, but no happiness. As she herself said, she has nothing in life but the butter carving contest.

Destiny on the other hand was abandoned by her mother, bounced from foster home to foster home, and has nothing to call her own. Yet she seems to have a good attitude about her situation, very forgiving and understanding. She's a much happier person, especially once she bonds with her new mom and dad.

After Destiny wins the final contest and they hug, there appears to be a glimmer of hope that Laura finally learned something about life from this child and she will change the way she lives her life.

Oh, I wanted to mention that Laura had nothing to do with Boyd melting the baby's face during the final contest. We hear Boyd talking to himself just before and he basically says he is doing this on his own.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] fridaynight-1 12 years ago

I think we are supposed to hate her, I just don't know why.
She was right when she compared it to the talebt tv-show - people who are sick, have bad jobs and sifunctional families always win. Because everyone wants a cheesy story.

[–] serval26 12 years ago

You guys realize this movie is a satire, right?

[–] SparklingLily 12 years ago

I really don't think most of them do. Not at all. This movie obviously way above 90% of the poster's heads on this board in general.

[–] suitably_wounded 12 years ago

I think we're supposed to see how mature and compassionate Destiny is in juxtaposition. And understand that, due to her being such a bitter and nakedly-ambitious-at-all-cost, shell of a woman, IS all she has. Following Destiny's lead, that's why she deserves a modicum of our pity. However, I am glad she got her comeuppance.

[–] harveyblunts 12 years ago

...yes, she's a headcase who lives a miserable, delicately balanced existence without substance. Her biggest adversary is a young girl who has artistic talent instead of the stripper who she caught sleeping with her husband. It's pathetic.