MovieChat Forums > Flesh and Bone (2015) Discussion > Claire clearly hates herself

Claire clearly hates herself

posted 9 years ago by mpboylanjr-54038
10 replies | jump to latest

Not only is her character glum in every single scene (which I think is the only way this girl can act), but she clearly hates herself. Because of this infatuation and sicko incestuous relationship with her brother she has to be miserable. She's so Screwed up she has to pad lock herself in her room so he doesn't come in or she has to think it through before she goes into his room. What a strange plot piece in this series.

THERES NO ROOM IN MY CIRCUS TENT FOR YOU !!!!

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] fumefreak 9 years ago

That's not screwed up. That's called being smart. Her brother's the only one screwed up here. [And her father for not protecting her.] She's just surviving.

After seeing the whole series, I came away with a much different impression of their relationship. The padlocked door and masturbating phone call lead the viewer to believe that Claire is a sexual abuse victim with zero blame or responsibility. And in a later episode that view is reinforced when Claire allows the strip club bouncers to beat up Brian. The viewer thinks Claire is getting righteous vengeance against her abuser. It isn't until ep 7 when you see the family's dynamic, see the years of mental abuse by the father in the home video, learn they had a baby together, and Brian's resulting remorse over leaving Claire behind while pregnant, do you realize that their sex scene is for comfort and probably a long established pattern. Claire was an equal participant--she initiated the sex with her brother in that scene. It puts a different spin on Brian's beating scene; that was an angry Claire getting back at him for being left behind to care for their miserable father while she was pregnant. She didn't realize at that point that her father forced Brian into the military. That's when you realize the relationship is more tragic than anything else because they're both screwed up for being equal participants. Its not the one-sided sexual abuse of of a helpless girl as it's initially portrayed. That's also why the episode is called F.U.B.A.R.

ETA: in the scene where Claire asks Brian to come see her dance, you see her put something in the pocket of a jacket hanging on her door. You realize later when he pulls it out of his pocket that it was her cut off ponytail. Her words kept pushing him away, but her actions kept pulling him back in--her roommate even saw their screwed up relationship for what it was. Claire didn't really want to let Brian go. Giving him her ponytail was a way to make sure he didn't forget about their time together; remember how the camera focused on him pulling at her ponytail while they had sex.

[–] Neffys 9 years ago

Very well said! I agree with all of it.

"I'd like to keep Spike as my pet"- Illyria, Angel S. 5

[–] Pitaapplebottom11 9 years ago

Yes to everything you said! I love how they wrote this to seem one way when in reality it was something else. I actually felt more sympathy for Bryan at the end than I did for Claire.

[–] tzukeeper 9 years ago

I think the bro pulling her ponytail was a perversion on his part, like to force submission. Recall in the strip club when a man pulled her ponytail from behind and she smashed a bottle on his head. It was a bad memory.

I just wasn't made for these times. (Brian Wilson)

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] mynameis-03073 9 years ago

*Contains Spoilers*. Yes, I agree. I happen to think that this started as sexual abuse with Brian initially as the perpetrator, and they were much younger too. To me, there were "clues" that Claire did things to protect herself and wanted to stop him, like the lock in her bedroom door or placing the books on top of her when sleeping like some sort of shield - something a child would do to feel safe. However, as she grew, she found that she found pleasure from it & was incredibly conflicted by her feelings leading to the self-mutilation. It was obvious the resentment Claire felt towards Brian, a part of her, as he was the older brother & should have protected her as "it was always the 2 of them" in that dysfunctional home. It seems to me Brian was the receiver of most if not all of the verbal abuse from his father & I feel he exerted that lost control & power onto Claire at night. At the same time, it seems like they found comfort in each other, as they kept saying "it's always been the 2 of us together."

[–] theresaannkeith 9 years ago

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] SerialWatcher 9 years ago

What is starting to annoying me is how she looks so glum and sullen in every single scene. I'm starting to wonder what all of these people see in her. She looks like she is so scared of everyone & like she's about to be attacked and raped every time anybody comes near her.
The thing with her brother confuses the crap out of me. First she wants the guys to beat the hell out of him and then she calls him on thanksgiving all sweetie pie like.
I am already on episode five or six and I am wondering why they have not explored Claire's past a little deeper.
Like where is her mother, what's her father's deal, how long has the brother been abusing her & do they have a flowers in the attic thing going on?
It seems like we meet the characters and get a taste of their lives and then we are just left craving more. There are some good characters and their story lines should really be fleshed out more. Oh well I read that there will not be a season 2
Which is a crying shame because I could really see this show going somewhere.