MovieChat Forums > Tiny Furniture (2012) Discussion > Aura is a terrible character. Hated her.

Aura is a terrible character. Hated her.

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

Aura was a terrible character. I'm a recent graduate and I've had to suck up and get a *beep* retail job that's worth less than my degree. I'm in the exact situation at the moment in my life, yet Aura frustrated the hell outta me.

Aura barely lasted a month in an easy, carefree job. She moaned about everything and thought far too highly of herself. She moans about being unlucky in love yet she walks around in frumpy clothing and no make-up. She makes little to no effort to change her situation. She takes, takes, takes and shrieks when she can't get her own way. She acts like a 12 year old kid throughout the whole film. She's self-absorbed, dependent on other people and childish. I'd be ashamed to call her my daughter.

Some say this is satire. Satire of what exactly? I think it was a self-indulgent piece. There were some funny, witty moments but the deep focus, still shots and constant whinging got boring FAST. Can't believe I was recommended this.

http://benendsbasement.blogspot.co.uk

[–] Meiji_Man 12 years ago

None of that makes her a terrible character. It makes her unsympathetic, to you. It makes her realistic. It makes her human. I'm so sick of people acting like characters have to be perfect angels. We're all flawed, some of us moreso than others. Some of us are lazy. Some of us are greedy. Just because YOU are handling your post-grad life differently than Aura doesn't make her a "terrible" character, it means that Lena Dunham did not transcribe your life on the screen.

[–] Bens_Basement 12 years ago

I've never met a person as childish as her, at such an age. You say she was realistic but how could somebody so dependent and immature make it through college? To me, the character is destined to live with her mother until her mother stumps up the money to move her out.

Yes, she was unsympathetic but Patrick Bateman is unsympathetic and American Psycho is still a great movie and whilst I don't understand his actions, he's enjoyable to watch. All of Aura's actions were fuelled by selfishness. She quits a pretty cushy job after what, a week? And why? Because the boss told her off for turning up late once? Because the cook didn't turn up to the date? Because she's wallowing in her own self-pity?

I just wanted to scream at her 'grow up'!

http://benendsbasement.blogspot.co.uk

[–] Meiji_Man 12 years ago

I'm just wondering, how old are you now? Because as a current college student I know quite a few people who are so dependent that they literally don't have access to money without their parents' consent. And a lot of them are perfectly fine with it.

She is a privileged girl who went to a liberal arts school that was likely very homogeneous. She hasn't ever interacted with different types of people so when she is thrust into those circumstances, she has no clue what to do. She doesn't understand how to function because she's never had to. It's a bit pathetic but it's something I think a lot of young people are experiencing more and more lately.

[–] Bens_Basement 12 years ago

I'm 21. I just graduated with a Film degree in July. I'm in a pretty similar situation.

Most of the people I know worked whilst they were at college/university. There were very few who were living off of their parents. I don't know if this is a cultural, American thing?

When I graduated, I didn't have a job lined up for me. But I couldn't move in with my parents like Aura did. I couldn't drink and eat everything her mother had paid for. I had to pay my own bills. I had to get a 'normal' job, whilst pursuing my career on the side. This is why Aura frustrated me. She had all of the support, both financial and emotional and still moaned and whined like she was hard-done by.

http://benendsbasement.blogspot.co.uk

[–] timlin-4 12 years ago

Well it's probably a cultural thing if your parents are mufti-millionaires. And I agree that this can only be of interest to other millionaire spawn or similar parasites.

But if you were in her position you'd probably wouldn't be that different. You had to overcome obstacles, which developed you as a person, and which is a kind of success in itself; with no obstacles there is no development, and few people accomplish much besides surviving, so without that struggle life would have no meaning.

[–] Rogue-32 12 years ago

I think it's more of an attitude thing with Dunham herself; she comes across in interviews and especially on Girls as being incredibly self-absorbed in a way that is really not sympathetic. One's inner attitude - one's consciousness - permeates everything one does, and that's what people pick up on.

http://www.roguesreviews.com;Giamatti:movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/talkpaul/

[–] ChrisNgu 12 years ago

All interviews?

[–] lulupalooza 11 years ago

Initially, I assumed the filmmaker simply created this childish character with a twisted perception of entitlement, so she could later be redeemed in the film...but that never happened. Then I read it's actually about Lena herself. Ugh. Hope not.

[–] henrimaine 10 years ago

It often amazes me how people apparently cannot separate the quality of a movie from the likability of its characters. It is entirely possible to have a good movie with a very unlikable main character. Even if the main character is similar to how the director/writer is in real life, it still doesn't automatically follow that the movie crap.

[–] chas437 9 years ago

You make a good point. But, I'd say Dunham's character is unlikable in a way that brings the film down. She feels entitled.

Dunham's just not a compelling writer, actor, director.