Who dislikes the stepmother?
After the movie, I sorta dislike her.
"Did you think that I would harm her?"-The Phantom
I know what you mean, but I felt a bit bad for her at the end.
shareNo, I liked her... which is why I didn't get the ending at all. She cooked, she cleaned, she took care of them -- and in the end SHE was suppose to be the bad guy?! I'm not buying it, either the writers did a really poor job or I dunno. I thought she was the only sympathetic character in the film! Throughout I thought Nigel and her were gonna bond, so you can imagine I was baffled when he walked out on her in the end with a smug expression on his face, proud like a cock -- but for what? What did the stepmother do that was so bad? His real mother couldn't even cook, she could only make toasts for God's sake, his father would have died of malnourishment if they hadn't met Mrs. Potter.
by - bosnian_flatdog on Fri Aug 5 2011 17:12:29I think you misunderstood what they were trying to do at the end. She wasn't necessarily portrayed "as the bad guy." She was only human, much like Nigel Slater. Whether she was a horrible human being or not is not relevant, Nigel simply selfishly decided to get on with his life (leaving 1/2 of the couple that took care of him all those years behind) and pursue his passion. Personally, I felt bad for Mrs. Potter because even though she WAS competitive with Nigel, she still ultimately took care of him and his father.
No, I liked her... which is why I didn't get the ending at all. She cooked, she cleaned, she took care of them -- and in the end SHE was suppose to be the bad guy?! I'm not buying it, either the writers did a really poor job or I dunno. I thought she was the only sympathetic character in the film! Throughout I thought Nigel and her were gonna bond, so you can imagine I was baffled when he walked out on her in the end with a smug expression on his face, proud like a cock -- but for what? What did the stepmother do that was so bad? His real mother couldn't even cook, she could only make toasts for God's sake, his father would have died of malnourishment if they hadn't met Mrs. Potter.
As for Nigel: I don't think the filmmakers were necessarily trying to make him "likable," which is why I liked the movie...because it's not all butterflies and fairies. Like I said above, he was portrayed as just another human being (who made mistakes in the film AND made some very selfish decisions). Regarding the "smug" expression on his face as he walked out on Mrs. Potter, I don't think the filmmakers wanted us to necessarily "smile" with him. I interpreted that scene as him being an ass. share
I agree. She wasn't perfect but who is. To me she seemed like a much better person than Nigel. He was a spoiled little self centered brat.
shareBosnian -- she was not a likeable character/person.
She came into that family because she was a poor, miserable hopeless woman, living in a low-class area. She married the man because she wanted that comfortable life; and cooking, well that was her hobby! So, it worked out well for the man and for her.
Mrs. Potter was mean-spirited and latched on to the man's cruel attitude towards the son, she continued on because she knew it was okay to be cruel to the motherless boy. How can anyone appreciate a woman (even worse a step-mother!) who tries to take away self-confidence and ambition from a young boy who loved what he was doing, he had the talent of someday becoming a chef and be successful ... how cruel to try and steal his dreams from him, especially since he lost his mother at age 9 !!!
Of course, we can say so much about that father of his … Did this man ever love his son?? Or was he plain old stupid and ignorant?? What kind of a dad would belittle his child every little opportunity he could find, by calling him names and treating him like dirt?!?
Nigel Slater was an admirable guy who never looked back, tried his best to get out of the situation he was in; surrounded by ignorant people he didn’t want to be with. He knew he had to make his way through, and he did it! He DID IT!!! Nigel is an extraordinary example of courage and believing in oneself to reach high even when we deal with cruelty, meanness, and ignorance all around us.
Is that woman still alive today?? If so, hope she can die in a hole from envy for a successful man that Nigel has become.
So you allow Nigel to be complex but not the stepmother? You mention her being poor and low-class as if those are character flaws. What in the world is wrong with wanting a comfortable life?! Isn't that what everyone wants? She cooked, she cleaned, she did everything a traditional housewife was supposed to do. What more should have been expected of her? It seemed to me that she had many hardships and many painful memories and viewed her self worth through her ability to please a man. That's incredibly sad, and I liked her character's resilience through all of that. She had no intention of crushing Nigel's dreams; she just didn't understand them and viewed him as a threat. After all, if he could take care of his father, what place was there left for her? I thought Nigel was a brat, but I also understand him as a complex character too. He lost his mother and his father treated him with cruelty and/or indifference most of the time. Must have been terrible.
In the end, I liked Mrs. Potter/Slater far more than I liked Nigel. He was a boy. He would grow up and have his entire life ahead of him as a man in a man's world. He would have the opportunity to become a chef--not something many women get to do. Mrs. Potter/Slater had to make do with what she had as a low-class woman in the 60s. Shame on you for wishing evil things on her. She's a real human being, you know.
Calm down, mate!
Watch the movie again -- the stepmother's character is horrendous. That broad was one calculating, cunning, and manipulative mean spirited woman. Too bad they couldn't find a better suited actress, because Bonham Carter is not evil enough for such role.
I'm sorry, but whenever I see adults abusing children, especially stepparents abusing other peoples children (!) it is a red flag for sure.
Nigel was abused, and back in those days there were no children's services. An admirable man for sure.
She didn't abuse Nigel. She wasn't kind to him, but she didn't abuse him. And, in fact, I looked this story up later, and the stepmother is dead. Her daughters think Nigel's telling of the story is extremely cruel and biased. It's clear that the two weren't the best of friends in life and Nigel obviously suffered from the lack of attention from his father, which was poured onto this woman. But speaking solely about the story told in the movie, I still find Mrs. Potter more sympathetic than Nigel.
share Mrs Potter didn't understand how to build a relationship that would last. She thought that if she worked hard and provided, people would automatically love her. Her thinking at the end was, "I cooked and cleaned, why don't you love me???" What she didn't do for Nigel was nurture his emotional needs. In fact, she had poor judgement and decided to make an enemy of the little brat, rather than work with him to help him get over his attitude. She reacted in the worst possible way, which only damaged the relationship further. This doesn't make her a villain, just really bad at relationships.
Nigel's father also didn't relate to his son, possibly because Nigel was kind of a mama's boy. He also didn't make time to develop and nurture a relationship with his son, though he obviously loved him. You can see him trying to encourage his son on the one thing they both enjoy: Food. But when that very subject turns into a war and disrupts the household, he didn't know how to handle it.
Nigel is a kid who was allowed to be led by his emotions, rather than learn to control them and behave kindly. He throws brat fits even before his mother dies, and she lets him. Also, when he finally finds something his father is pleased about (the only thing they have in common), he holds onto it with an iron grip. Frankly, everyone in this film was an emotional wreck, and not surprisingly, none of them get along.
The lesson to take away from this? Relationships should not be based on hobbies, or things you have in common. Relationships are about caring for the other person's needs and desires.
<< What did the stepmother do that was so bad? His real mother couldn't even cook, she could only make toasts for God's sake, his father would have died of malnourishment if they hadn't met Mrs. Potter. >>
OMG. Made me laugh out loud.
Favorite post of the day : )