MovieChat Forums > Still Alice (2015) Discussion > Did them being rich help or hinder this ...

Did them being rich help or hinder this story?

posted 10 years ago by Intothenightalone
64 replies | jump to latest

Movies are about struggle and conflict, and them having lots of money, nice beach houses, expensive tastes etc made it sorta less engaging. Don't get me wrong, I liked their lifestyle, but storytelling is about people who are in conflict with their world.

Their money made things a lot more "comfortable". Cellphones to leave reminders. Expensive doctors. Maids. Imacs to leave death messages/communicate with child.

I felt like I wanted some subplot about the money... maybe he's about to go bust and needs her to keep working. Maybe they want the daughter to give up on acting and help out, like the others are secretly doing (perhaps).

It could have been used as a device to talk about the fact that even "rich people" live paycheck to paycheck and being destitute is often only an illness away.

[–] Metatron_Fallen 9 years ago

Wow, I never thought about them being monetarily rich at all.

I mean, this never entered my mind.

Aren't people's lives more or less the same, no matter what level of money they have? You either have a loving family and supportive friends or you don't. If you don't, you're poorer than anyone alive, regardless of your bank account. If you do, your bank account doesn't matter.

[–] Intothenightalone 9 years ago

But they even look rich. Do you not process all facets of a story?

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Intothenightalone 9 years ago

ok? you dissing my english?

[–] larpine-225-371665 9 years ago

Few things more relative than money, but not being poor isn't the same as being rich.

I didn't see them as being rich. Not remotely and I think there was plenty there, both in the story and in the settings to indicate that while both were very successful, money was still an issue.

[–] al666940-3 9 years ago

It completely hinder it.

While everyone here defending it say "it shows disease doesn't discriminate"/"money can't buy you a way out always", they all rather choose to ignore the very real reality that money DOES make any crisis (literally) way more manageable and reduces the struggle.

It's absurd and self delusional to pretend otherwise.

- War: money makes the difference in who gets out early and survives and who doesn't and dies.
- Disease: whether curable or manageable, money makes the difference between life and death all the time (or either being cared at home or a nice place and rotting away in the streets or a government nursing home)
- Tragedies: money makes the difference between being able to afford the time to grieve/adjust or being forced to march on regardless simply because bills won't get paid otherwise (or lose your home, etc).

It's an insult to pretend otherwise.

[–] larpine-225-371665 9 years ago

Good Lord.

[–] TheArgentinian (7254) 2 years ago

yeah, it's hard to feel bad for someone who live such a privileged life. I would have gladly taken the pills.