Did the husband cheat? - Chloe (2010) Discussion

[–] NeedysBoy 14 years ago

I think he cheated with Miranda (the student in the beginning).

David is clearly lying to Catherine when he's on the phone with her. He says he just missed his plane by a minute or two, but he's not at the airport! He's on the street, Miranda is shown over his left shoulder -- the sinister side -- it's dark, steam and exhaust swirl around, and behind him is an ominous red light. It seems like David is in hell already.

And hell is where Don Giovanni goes at the end of the opera that David was lecturing on. Don Giovanni -- Don Juan the great seducer of women never repents either.

David cheated and would never admit it, never ask Catherine to forgive him.

P. A. T. (Needy's Boy)

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[–] drivenkick43 14 years ago

I don't think he did.

I think everything you mention was done to make us think he was cheating, so in the end when it is revealed that Chloe was making everything up and it's more of a surprise to us.

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[–] NeedysBoy 14 years ago

Yeah.

That's why Chloe is always in the light or has a light around her at night.

Because (LOL) lying whores are always associated with white, light, and halos.

P. A. T. (Needy's Boy)

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[–] WithDreday 11 years ago

I think your reading too much into it. Seriously.

Revenge is a dish best served cold...

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[–] NeedysBoy 11 years ago

WithDreday writes: "I think your reading too much into it."

I seriously doubt that I am.

Egoyan has admitted his fondness for Pier Paolo Pasolini. In a way, Chloe makes me think of Pasolini's Teorema. Someone interviewing Egoyan for the release of Chloe even remarked on it.

Film is art...

And in art, everything has meaning.

"Maybe it's another dimension. Or, you know, just really deep." --Needy

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[–] fluffchop 10 years ago

Learn to quote

This movie isn't an art film.

---
Scientologists love Narnia, there's plenty of closet space.

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[–] penarol10 13 years ago

How does someone miss a plane by a minute? You have to be at check in at least 30min before hand, even e-checkings allow you to virtually board at the door, so did he miss that? Or did he arrive at the airport, only to realize that the plane had just taken off?

My point is that he had clearly no intention of catching that flight, especially since he had a smiling hottie, waiting over his shoulder, wanting to ask him something.

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[–] NeedysBoy 13 years ago

penarol10 writes:
"My point is that he had clearly no intention of catching that flight, especially since he had a smiling hottie, waiting over his shoulder, wanting to ask him something."

Yes.

That smiling hottie wanted to do more than talk, did you see how she looked at him during the lecture?

And David did more than talk...

"I think it's time to see Amanda sticking guns in people's faces."

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[–] ErlandGadde 9 years ago

He admitted he missed the plane on purpose.

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[–] davailableu 13 years ago

wow,you really paid attention and i agree with your comment.its like a friend of mine said always look in the background.soo many movies(past&present)have biblical and or Christ like references & ppl in hollywood behind the camera and infront of the camera are not Christian so really these writers\producers\directors are being sinister with a ominous red light in behind them.now thats what they need to put on the big screen.

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[–] NeedysBoy 13 years ago

davailableu,
"...ppl in hollywood behind the camera and infront of the camera are not Christian..."

But maybe some of them are.

"I think it's time to see Amanda sticking guns in people's faces."

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[–] dking2011 13 years ago

No he didn't. He openly admitted to flirting and being tempted to take things further, but says he never did. Of course he could've been lying, but it seems genuine enough. Without further story, all you are suggesting is conjecture.

As an audience we are meant to believe from the beginning that he is having an affair.

If you symbolism ideas are correct, I think your reasoning is wrong. If he is in hell it's not because he's having an affair. It's more likely because he doesn't want to rush home on his birthday to a wife who is no longer his lover. He probably suspects a surprise party too, and doesn't want one.

Sorry, I just realised I'm responding to something written over a year ago. Oh well!

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[–] happyphantom9 14 years ago

I don't think he cheated, I think he just went out with her and the other students. He lied about missing the plane because he rather would stay back and hang out with the students, which obviously would've been inappropriate instead of going home to meet his wife. But I don't think there was cheating involved.

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[–] SassMcG 14 years ago

I don't think he cheated either. I think he went out with the students and wanted to avoid going home and avoid his birthday and also that he was a bit bored with his home life and wife. But I never got the impression he cheated. I knew all along what Chloe was doing too. Something made me think she was lying the whole time and I was right.

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[–] NeedysBoy 14 years ago

In the script it says at the end when David and Catherine exchange looks, "A secret lies between them."

What secret?

Catherine told David about her "fling" with Chloe.

P. A. T. (Needy's Boy)

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[–] trueDesperate 14 years ago

You're reading way too much into that. The "secret that lies between them" is the fact that Catherine basically pushed Chloe out the window. The whole family now has to live with the secret of Catherine's indiscretions - NOT David's.

SCRE4M & Mother's Day 2011

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[–] NeedysBoy 14 years ago

trueDesperate writes:
"You're reading way too much into that."

No, I'm not.

In the script Catherine does not push Chloe, Michael does!

Therefore, the secret between David and Catherine is the fact that David cheated and didn't confess it.

David is a liar. That's why he's in the dark during his key interactions with Catherine on this point -- the phone call to her in the beginning, the conversation in the car after dinner in the restaurant, and the reconciliation outside the cafe. And he's in the brightly lit kitchen when he pushes her down during the confrontation when Catherine comes home from making love with Chloe. The bright light shows David's true colors -- he doesn't love Catherine.

P. A. T. (Needy's Boy)

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[–] jsw22289 14 years ago

all you EVER talk about is some BS about symbolism. sometimes, sure... sometimes, more often then not, you sound like an idiot

"Pain Transforms The Sensitive Into Cynics"

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[–] NeedysBoy 14 years ago

@ jsw22289,

Well, my trollish friend, Atom Egoyan has a reputation for filling his films with symbolism. That might be why I post a lot about it on a board devoted to one of his films.

Why don't you put me on ignore if you don't like my posts? Calling me an idiot could be consider abusive. Better yet, crawl back under whatever bridge you came from.

P. A. T. (Needy's Boy)

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[–] thewhiterose-1 14 years ago

I really like what you post. The symbolism helps me expand my knowledge as I don't always "get" the symbolism. I'm the idiot sometimes :-) And I love to have my mind expanded. That troll is really the idiot here. Not you.

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[–] NeedysBoy 14 years ago

thewhiterose-1 writes:
"I really like what you post..."

Thank you very much!

P. A. T. (Needy's Boy)

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[–] j_ess 14 years ago

Cheating or lying, both deceitful imo.

If it was the woman going out with a guy for drinks, not coming home and lying about it, all hell would break loose.
Also, if the woman felt the need to lie then what else would the woman be lying about pertaining to that incident.

Most men do not want their women having male friendships that involve going out with each other and vice versa. However men are able to hide it better via their 'working execuses.'

Unfortunetly I have had this in my marriage for years, & well hidden. Flirting I mean. He calls it being nice and friendly, lmao.
Double standard in most cases.

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[–] sixerschik36 14 years ago

aha youre so wrong. Catherine accidently pushes her out the window. watch the movie again and maybe you'll see that or maybe youre too busy looking for symbolism that you didnt see the literal act happening. I dont think he meant to push her. I think he went to grab her she moved away trying to run up the stairs away from him and losed her balance and fell up the stairs.

but if you like your symbolism better then sure go with that one. i guess it makes more sense.

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[–] eYeDEF 13 years ago

"Therefore, the secret between David and Catherine is the fact that David cheated and didn't confess it."

I like you explanation of the symbolism but this sentence does not make much sense. Could you better explain it? How could it be a secret between them if she was never exposed to it in the first place?

Some fellows get credit for being conservative when they are only stupid.
- Kin Hubbard

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[–] shredder08 13 years ago

Who was he on IM chat with all the time? One of his female students? I think he cheated.

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[–] Sourapples 14 years ago

This is what I thought too.

David went to dinner with a group of students that wanted to take him out, & that is why that girl sent him a thank you text.. that Catherine took the wrong way. David admited he was a flirt, & he wanted to cheat, but he had never crossed that line.

After Chloe started telling Catherine all of the blow by blow details.. it clicked that she was not only being made a fool of.. but the "cheater", she thought her husband was guilty of.

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[–] scarletminded 14 years ago

I feel the husband did cheat, he's just a good liar. I feel he met Chloe at least once in the cafe, but then acted like he never saw her before. A girl like Chloe is hard to miss!

One thing about husbands that cheat is that they throw their guilt unto their wives. So instead of confessing, he accuses Catherine of having an affair, like taking the guilt and attention off of him.

I feel he flirted so much, to the point it was gross. Like being so happy at home talking to students online, while Catherine could see him in the glass house or with the waitress.

And students don't post a photo of themselves with their teacher saying "Thanks for the great night!" At least I never did. Sex or not, that seems to be crossing some line. It isn't like the student posted a photo of the husband with her AND a bunch of other kids. It's only her and him...it does look like something else is going on.

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[–] xwf3331 12 years ago

I think he have not cheat yet, but very soon if Chloe and all those events did not happen.

The student in the photo is trying hard to get close to him, with the invitation to meal and the photo etc. the one David chatting with on the computer is most probably her too.

However, i'm pretty sure he will cheat very soon. There is a scene where Catherine confess everything, their relationship as a couple had changed.

From 3 times a day, to daily, then weekly, lastly became ~best friend~ after their son is born, that's more than a decade, maybe 2.

P.S.(No sex for almost 2 decade? Can you blame him for been tempted?)

P.S.(He should have talk to her when she should signs of pulling away, especially after giving birth.)

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[–] rowenad 13 years ago

No he never cheated

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[–] HalbornScorpio 13 years ago

He didn't cheat with Miranda. He tells his wife he didn't cheat with her when they are in the restaurant waiting for Chloe to show up. So basically he never cheated on her with anyone and his wife is the only one in the marriage that ever strayed. That was the "twist" to the movie. Was this movie really that complicated for some folks to understand? God help us all.

If I tell you I'm ignoring you & you keep replying to me then you're stupid!

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[–] NeedysBoy 13 years ago

That was the "twist" to the movie.

Things, even movies, aren't always what they appear to be.

I think the "twist" was that Chloe the prostitute and the outcast was the one who was the innocent one, the pure one. The character for hire was the one Catherine could not control and the one that Catherine really loved.

"I think it's time to see Amanda sticking guns in people's faces."

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[–] xx-cici-xx 13 years ago

He obviously didn't cheat. He just prefered to meet up with his students for drink than celebrate his birthday.

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[–] NeedysBoy 13 years ago

xx-cici-xx writes:
"He obviously didn't cheat."

In a well crafted film everything has meaning, everything should contribute to the story.

Why does David lecture on Don Giovanni, an opera about a notorious lothario who refuses to repent for his sins and is dragged down to hell?

"I think it's time to see Amanda sticking guns in people's faces."

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[–] AustralienneLee 13 years ago

In a well crafted film everything has meaning, everything should contribute to the story.

Why does David lecture on Don Giovanni, an opera about a notorious lothario who refuses to repent for his sins and is dragged down to hell?

The wife suspected her husband cheated and we were purposefully lead in that direction too.

The absolute angst on the husbands face when the wife comes home from being out all night with Chloe and he asks "who is it ?? are you in love ??" or whatever shows that infidelity is not something he condones. He even says he was tempted so many times but her never cheated and he appears genuinely gutted that she did.

The wife mistrusted her husband (and we are shown she had good reason to be suspicious), but she trusted a complete stranger who, it turns out, had her own agenda.

If the husband cheated, the entire point of the story falls apart.

I'm a Lieutenant Detective in, uh, Homicide. That's a fancy name for murder.

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[–] laura10801 13 years ago

I really don't think he cheated. He's a jerk, but not that kind of jerk.

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[–] hythm 13 years ago

He may not have intercourses with other women but he was disloyal and his behavior broke his wife's heart.

I am not afraid of an a$$hole as much as what comes out of it.

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[–] HenryCW 13 years ago

The father did not have an affair, but he was about to start having one. In the film he spent an inordinate amount of time flirting with his students and other women like waitresses and so on. Despite outward appearances, I don’t think he really cared for his wife. What kind of man would deliberately miss a plane in order to avoid a surprise birthday party that he knew his wife had been planning for weeks?! His lame excuse was that at his age, every birthday moved him closer to retirement. Come on, who really looks forward to retirement? Is it really that hard just to pretend to be happy and then say you are tired by the trip and need a rest? That was no excuse to stand everybody up and make his wife look silly. It was a slap on the face for those who cared for him. This scumbag was totally insensitive and treated his wife like trash. As it turned out, he ended drinking with some woman who left a message to “thank him for the night” and that rightly started his wife’s suspicions.

In the film he did not have sex with Chloe, but that was just because she did not do her job in the first place. I am not sure he could have resisted someone who looked like Amanda. Even he admitted that he had “thought” of meddling with some other women, and all he needed was some extra push.

If one is faithful to his wife and has no thought of starting an affair, he should have avoided running into situations where he might be tempted and might lose his control. Of course, you could argue that you are confident of your control and want to show that you are “superior” to those who are so easily tempted. But in practice, it is more than likely that you would join their ranks instead.

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[–] koffeenkreame41-1 13 years ago

^^Yeah, but he said that he felt old and close to retirement, much like she too said she felt old, THAT is why he didn't go to his surprise birthday party. He never cheated on her, he looks genuinely sad when she says that she slept with Chloe. The only person in the film that cheated or strayed was Katherine, not David, even though he had thoughts about it, he said he never acted on them. Chloe had her own agenda and lied to Catherine about meeting up with David.

"I am the ultimate badass, you do not wanna `*beep*` wit' me!" Hudson in Aliens.

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[–] McHugh1 13 years ago

Just finished watching it so I'll give you my opnion while the movie is fresh in my memory. David did not cheat. The irony of the movie is that Katherine in suspecting that he cheated ends up sleeping with Chloe who she hired to "out" David. This is very obvious from the scene in the cafe where she finally confronts him with her suspicions. Chole walks in during their conversation and then backs out the door because she knows that if she joins them her lies about her liaisons with David will be exposed. Also quite evident from the look on Chloe's face.

Chloe is in love with Katherine. In the scene where she and Katherine first meet, she intentionally went to ladies washroom so that would happen. She pretends to be in some discomfort and asks Katherine in the next stall whether she has any toilet paper. Near the end of this initial meeting she offers the broach to Katherine which is also an expression of her affection.

When Chloe goes to their house, he asks Michael where his parent's bedroom is because she finds it stimulating to have sex with Michael in the bedroom that Katherine sleeps in. When he is having sex with Michael she is not even looking at him but rather at Katherine's clothes and other things belonging to Katherine. This is also emphasized by Michael saying "look at me" a couple of times while they are having sex.

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[–] xwf3331 12 years ago

Maybe he haven't, but I think he is about to cheat.

Look for these words;

3 times a day, daily, weekly, and non after her son gave birth, and her son is around 20 years old.

Their haven't had, or rarely had sex for 20 years. Seriously, if its in real life, i will never ever believe he never cheated before, of course, unless he physically can't.

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[–] christinedavid407 13 years ago

I feel that the husband did cheat, however, watching the first opening segments of this movie one thing struck me. Both husband and son treated Catherine like dirt. My first thought was that Catherine was unloved by both and that her feelings were of no consequence to them. That sets the tone of the whole film and why Catherine herself ended up cheating on David

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[–] chilone 10 years ago

Written like an insecure feminazi that blames men for everything!

The father did not have an affair, but he was about to start having one.

There's no indication of this. He'd been faithful for decades.

Despite outward appearances, I don’t think he really cared for his wife.

BS. He explained that (due to HER insecurities) she had slowly pushed him away.

What kind of man would deliberately miss a plane in order to avoid a surprise birthday party that he knew his wife had been planning for weeks?!

Did you pay attention? He didn't KNOW about the party. She even mentioned setting it up secretly.

This scumbag was totally insensitive and treated his wife like trash.

He did nothing scummy. He missed a flight because he wasn't all that exited to get home to a less than enthusiastic wife that stopped picking him up at the airport years ago. He probably thought the she wouldn't even mind.

As it turned out, he ended drinking with some woman who left a message to “thank him for the night” and that rightly started his wife’s suspicions.

SHE was the scumbag!! Instead of confronting him about the picture (or even why he missed the flight), she jumped to the WRONG conclusion and hires a PROSTITUTE to ENTRAP him AND she believes every word (lies) she said. Oh, and sleeps with said HOOKER! Now that's a scumbag!!

Even he admitted that he had “thought” of meddling with some other women, and all he needed was some extra push.

Who says he didn't get that "extra push" before? He honored his marriage vows and was faithful to his commitment MANY times, push or no.

If one is faithful to his wife and has no thought of starting an affair, he should have avoided running into situations where he might be tempted and might lose his control. Of course, you could argue that you are confident of your control and want to show that you are “superior” to those who are so easily tempted. But in practice, it is more than likely that you would join their ranks instead.

Horse pucky!! There are MILLIONS of married people with a lot greater exposure to temptation than him that NEVER stray.

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

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[–] chilone 10 years ago

No. She was (like most women) obsessed with her looks and took her insecurities out on him, thus pushing him away.

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

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[–] vitinha_abu 13 years ago

no he did not cheat his wife,in the begiining we have that idea because that´s what the director wants us to think

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[–] scissorhands__emily 13 years ago

I think this is questionable and left up to the viewer. If we accept the film at face value, then no he didn't cheat. However, it seems a lot of people still speculate whether or not he did cheat. I think his actions were definitely suspicious and can be interpreted as him at least being deceiving.

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