MovieChat Forums > Room (2016) Discussion > Plot hole, intended ambiguity, or clear ...

Plot hole, intended ambiguity, or clear nuance through acting.

posted 8 years ago by homestar24
26 replies | jump to latest

Did they ever follow up on why her father (William H Macy) felt so uncomfortable and left? My read of the scene was that he couldnt come to grips with the fact that Jack was effectively the byproduct of his daugher being held captive and raped. That makes perfect sense if that's the case but I also got the feeling they were going to revisit that father-daughter "subplot."

Maybe they did and I missed it, or that one scene said all it needed to say (which I can more than accept), but just wanted to see if it was explained a little further in a line or two. I'm satisfied with my interpretation but just further curious.

[–] trinity_enigma 8 years ago

In the book it basically says that he can't look at jack because it reminds him of what that man did to his daughter.

[–] aliciarose-39022 8 years ago

The movie missed the mark there-it made the father seem like a loser and a jerk rather than expound on why and what he was going through and felt.

[–] famouserik 8 years ago

He was being a jerk. He should have been celebrating the rescue of his daughter but can't face the truth of the situation.

The was another scene with the father but it was deleted because of plot pacing.

We also have to remember that we are also seeing the events through Jack's eyes, in which the dad's behaviour is unclear.

[–] karenzkritterz 8 years ago

I know what and why he was feeling. He should have felt that for about a split second, then thanked God that not only did he get his daughter back, out of 7 years of horror, he now also had a grandson that his daughter had managed to give birth to and raise in a tool shed.
Joy should have taken him out back and beaten him to death with a shovel.

[–] t-l-s 8 years ago

Stupid comment - he isn't choosing to feel like that.

He looks at his daughter, who he had lost, probably had thought was dead, and shes now all of a sudden sitting back in the house were they used to live, with his ex wife and her new partner (subtext here about the difficulties after her disappearance) but the girl he lost, is still gone and in its place is a grown woman who is cleared psychologically damaged, who is sitting with a child that was produced because she was raped. When he sees the child, all he sees is the evidence of his little girl, who he loved, who he couldn't protect being raped. Regardless of your personal views on society, the masculine figure, the father, the husband, is traditionally the protector, the provider and he failed in that role.

It is a completely normal reaction from the father even if it one we would hope we would not share. It such a complex emotion challenge, the relationship between the three could be an entire movie on its own. Unfortunately we never explore that area at all but it is left for the viewer to understand the difficulties the situation would have on different people, with different personalities.

[–] karenzkritterz 8 years ago

Stupid comment?? I'm not sure what you're talking about, so I'll just ignore the "Stupid comment" part of your brilliant reply and give you a little info that'll help you understand where my expertise in this particular situation lies.
While you yammer on and on about how the father feels about losing his little girl forever, not having been able to protect her, the subtext involved, the complete normality of his reaction, blah, blah, blah, I can almost smell the bull541t oozing out of my very nice phone.
The truth is that he was absolutely acting like a SELFISH, childish idiot...standing knee-deep in water and dying of thirst. His daughter was home. She was alive, and she had a son. Everyone else went thru an adjustment period, then the pieces started to fit back together.
I know how grateful any parent should be because our daughter is a rape survivor. She wasn't locked in a shed for 7 years, but let me tell you, she went thru things no woman should ever experience, and she made it. When I look at her, I don't see "damaged goods," nor do we let that horror define who she is. I see a miracle. A strong, courageous woman who has put it behind her and is doing great by anyone's standards. She amazes me.
I know that Joy, Jack, and Robert are fictional characters, but for a father to reject his daughter's son, no matter how he got there, sickened me.
I stand by my shovel idea, even if that's the stupid comment you mentioned.

[–] Bofsensai 8 years ago

For what it's worth, my ten cents, I thought 't-i-s' s take was the right one inferred cinematically.
Rather than the 'karenkritterz' one (far too harsh, non understanding of the Pater psyche)
Unfortunately, little screen time was given to develop what turmoil breakdown a Father in this situation might suffer:
Although I must add, it is surely too sexist judgemental to say he 'failed' as protector: probably just overwhelmed / subsumed by powerlessness to his precious - only, I believe? - daughter.

[–] tiggyvamp 8 years ago

You clearly lack understanding on how psychology works. People feel different things for different reasons. Not everyone is as perfect as you seem to think you are.

Also, gotta love the "my very nice phone" comment. As if anyone cares that your phone is nice. It's pretty sad that you, as an adult, felt the need to point that out.

Oh, to be as perfect and rich as you. Alas. I'll settle for being a decent person instead.

[–] Bofsensai 8 years ago

Presumably, this is response to 'karenskrittaz' again … (rather than my input, from the lack of references thereto ..)?

[–] shurbanm 8 years ago

You guys need to chill. IT's a fictional character. He does not exist. Get a grip.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] shurbanm 8 years ago

Yep and in the book it's also a fictional character. And saying "it's" is totally fine in English.
If you talking about English you are using it same as me as in " but it REPRESENTS some who have"

And as far as I could tell you were not discussing "some of the true life accounts (check through this film's references here." but the fictional character. So if you have a problem with me replying about the fictional character you have yourself to blame for starting that conversation. Yeah there are people who act that way - what a revelation....

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] shurbanm 8 years ago

What I said was pretty clear yet you still fail to grasp it. Or you are playing stupid.
Not fooling anybody. And please spare me the melodrama.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] shurbanm 8 years ago

Thanks for pointing that out. It applies very well to you.
Now stop wasting space on imdb. It is for serious posts not somebody who makes a moronic statement and then goes into a hissy fit when he's called out on the nonsense.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] shurbanm 8 years ago

You seem to have some cognitive issue going on. You project emotions you have onto others apparently. You need to talk to yourself about temper. It's all in here for all to see....
As for staying on topic - I am on topic and have been all this time. You are going out on tangents in an attempt to cover your tracks. Doesn't quite work though.
Yes back to reality indeed ....for those who know what reality is.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] shurbanm 8 years ago

Lol. Trully pathetic.
You need to learn that admitting you were wrong about something is not a blow to your dignity. Refusing to admit it is.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] shurbanm 8 years ago

"outbursts". So I guess pointing out where somebody is wrong and asking them to calm down is now an "outburst". Or perhaps you are talking about yourself. If that is the case I fail to understand why you are posting that here. You can follow an internal monologue on that.
As for - "it's" it's short for the "it's what we are discussing". it's common in English. example would be "It's a man" - obviously we are talking about a 'he'.
The fact I need to explain leads me to believe there is no point in continuing this pointless discussion.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] aliciarose-39022 8 years ago

Hey everyone I brought the popcorn!!!

[–] Bofsensai 8 years ago

Hah! Liked your levity here, aliciarose = was sorely needed: and as had only originally wanted to share thoughts and feelings on the particularly poignant thread issue first begun above, and since in any case, in view of fact that IMDB is to close down this format, decided my attempts to to share cinematic info with whoever it was that cluttered up the thread to the end, was unnecessary, so deleted all my related comments: not worth the effort to remain there, soon to be gone in the ether anyway, thanx IMDB.

[–] [email protected] (1355) 6 years ago

Karenzkritterz...... First, I am very sorry your daughter went through her ordeal, and that she is well and safe today. Second, this thread seemed to go very left very fast. All I can say is that Joys father went thru some emotions that should have been better explored in the film. I also think that its not credible that they visited the "room" at the end, because that could be tampering with evidence before Ole Nick was convicted. I liked the movie.Jacob was the star for sure.