MovieChat Forums > Submarine (2011) Discussion > Oliver deserves being alone

Oliver deserves being alone

posted 11 years ago by RamaBranch
6 replies | jump to latest

Hey there,

While watching the film -I really enjoyed it btw - the only thing I could think about when Oliver was struggling hru Jordana's loss is that he deserved to feel sad, what he did to her was coward and low.

If you have a gf that is going thru a major problem - he himself said it was bigger than what his parents were going thru - you have to support her. But instead what he did was to erase himself from Earth and leave her alone with her dying mother just to be a selfish brat and stay at his comfort zone to avoid facing reality.

I know that this films is supossed to portray teenage problems but this is not a teenage problem, this is a huge issue that shows Oliver as a selfish, inconsiderate as*hole.

I think that his attitude of considering himself better than the rest deserves to be punished with loneliness. Besides, his ways to get women into his life were pretty lame and coward as well: he bullies Zoe just to like Jordana, even though hes against bullying and has been a victim himself.

It seems at some point that hes trying really hard to be sad and lonely and this mentality is what pisses me off because is an avoidable thing that most of teenagers dont get and just opt for the depressive way to face life. I was there and I think that most of us went thru it somehow, but at the end you learn to cope with it on the other way, the happy one.

I repeat: really liked the movie! but I dont think is a nice example for further generations or teens that dont know how to face life, because Oliver does it the worst way possible and his ways are -at least- debatable.

Is a nice portray of a teenager facing a coming-of-age, seeing how his world crumbles, but I just cant feel sorry for the character, he is not willing to be liked at all.

[–] whyhavealltheidsbeentkaen 11 years ago

I actually disagree completely

I can relate to Oliver a lot. i think he is a somewhat depressed kid who is just trying to make it through high school like a "normal" person. This can be seen when he bullies Zoe even though he is against it. He wants to fit in and be like them as well as impress Jordana. I remembering doing things I wasn't proud of to fit in. If you recall later in the film he actually stands up to a bully and gets punched in the face for Jordana's sake. This is an example of him growing through his relationship with Jordana.

I really don't think you can blame Oliver for feeling the way he does. Being a teenager is extremely difficult. You do a lot of things that you regret and if you were anything like me (or I suppose Oliver) you mess up a lot before getting things right.
The important thing is that he really does care. He tries to care but ends up disappointing the people he loves as well as himself because of anxieties i.e. when he doesn't show up to the hospital

He's only a 15 year old kid. He doesn't yet understand his emotions. It's hard when you're a teenager and you have all these *feelings* but you don't know to deal with them or interpret them and sometimes you just do something the complete opposite of what you should do and you honestly have no idea why. Sometimes people sabotage the things they love to avoid being the person who gets hurt first.

I do feel bad for Oliver in this film because I can sympathize with him. I also don't think it's intended to be an example. It is a portrayal of a bit of an outsider dealing with various external issues as well as internal issues.

[–] supercyberedu 10 years ago

He is 15 already and completely capable of understanding emotions and what should have priority.
It's selfishness what drives the main character to stay at home.
It was very good that Jordana didn't follow him at the scene at the school.
but the ending ruined it, because it was absurd in a way that Jordana seems to pardon him.

When someone is so selfish I would never forgive that person.
Does he really care? I think not picking up the phone was completely selfish.
He knew his mom was at home already, he still decided not to pick up.
He said he made a mistake, afraid. So I say not enough, overcome you fear and pick the phone.

He had 2 options, and the option to save his parents marriage could wait, it was not a matter of life and death.
So to me, Oliver sin is to be selfsish. He will end up selling fishes.

[–] veil182 11 years ago

Oliver makes plenty of deplorable decisions and I don't think he deserve Jordanna. But it's a very teenage issue what's he's going through...remember, he's just 15, even though he doesn't act it.

It's difficult to help someone going through that situation, but it's something you learn to do. Oliver is not at all ready for it and he has no parents to give him advice on the situation, instead he's parenting them.

Again, I'm not defending Oliver, it just makes a lot of sense the way he handled things (in short, quite poorly).

[–] chilone 10 years ago

Oliver makes plenty of deplorable decisions and I don't think he deserve Jordanna.

??? Jordana was a bit of a kunt with a fairly nasty disposition. She wasn't that great of a catch.

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

[–] Airman87 10 years ago

this is not a teenage problem, this is a huge issue that shows Oliver as a selfish, inconsiderate as*hole.

I think that his attitude of considering himself better than the rest

So Oliver is the typical narcissistic millennial, then? That's not really breaking news.

_______
When logic and science aren't on your side, you always lose.

[–] intriguement 10 years ago

I agree with the OP. It was a very well-written and beautifully filmed movie, but I liked Oliver less and less as it went on. I think his actions were understandable given that he's only 15, but he needs to face some consequences in order to learn that his actions were wrong. At the end, I didn't want him to suffer forever, but I also didn't want Jordana to take him back.