Robin marriage commitment seems so fake (or weak)

I think it's those thinfs that made her realize he wasn't the person she thought he was...at all. He's a pathological liar, a bully (still) and kind of a narcissist..I don't see why she would ever trust him again. Also, he didn't even care about the impact it had had on Gordo whatsoever

I think you missed the part where Simon tries to blame everything on Robyn. It was the scene just after she uncovered the PI files, and just before Simon went to administer the beatdown on Gordo.

If you look at the earlier conversations in the movie, they don't seem all that damning/bad at the time, but when you look back at them given the context that is revealed later on, you start to see exactly how controlling and manipulative Simon really is towards Robyn... he's just really good at it because he's had his entire life to perfect it and become really slick when delivering it all.



I do agree though... when you evaluate all of these things/conversations as one-off's it makes no sense for Robyn to leave. No one of sane mind would leave their spouse for doing any one of the individual things Simon did. Everyone has moments of weakness where they make bad judgment calls.

When you mesh it all together though, it makes some sense as to why Robyn would want nothing to do with Simon.


He's manipulative, he lies, he deflects, he is violent, he is ruthless for his own self interests, and while he's never physically beat up Robyn (that we know of)... he's shown that violence is always on the table as a solution to whatever temporary problem is in his way.

This isn't something that has manifested itself later on in life either... he's constantly been this way for decades. It just took the events that transpired for the revelation to occur within Robyn's head.


He also constantly tried to throw Robyn's own safety and well-being under the bus in order to avoid what might have led to very minor setbacks in his life/career. He put her and their child in significant danger by not being forthcoming about Gordo and the past incidences surrounding Gordo. Ditto with Danny.


The early parts of the film also lead into how manipulative Simon is (though subtly)... specifically the discussion about Robyn returning to work. Re-read it and you can see how self-centered Simon actually is. He gives her the illusion of his support, but then follows it up with the backhand of "I mean, if you want a family though... you probably shouldn't do that, but who am I to tell you anything?"

He's being very manipulative... even if it's in a very subtle/under the radar way.


Again... taken out of context and viewed as a one-off conversation, he's not doing anything terrible. Mesh in with everything else he's done/does, you can tell what a scumbag he is. It just took Robyn a really long time to put the pieces together.


http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=the-gift

Robyn: Very nice. Isn't it?

Simon: Yeah. You should see upstairs. You should see Kevin's office. That's nice.

Robyn: Uh-huh.

Simon: But this is, it's pretty great. Yeah. Here they are.

Robyn: I cannot believe these guys are your bosses.

Simon: You are my boss, honey. Let's be clear. These guys just run the billion dollar company I work for. You know they've been multimillionaires since they were teenagers?

Robyn: Mmm-hmm. Crazy.

Simon: Yeah, once upon a time, the crusty old men ran the companies and the teenagers were down in the mail room. And now it's the total opposite. But I'm going to make it upstairs before I'm too old, as long as Kevin sticks to his plan of moving on at the end of the year. Then I get a little bit of consulting expertise from you, I'll be all set.

Robyn: Keep growing the beard. Start wearing sneakers to work.

Simon: Maybe get a tattoo.

Robyn: Yeah.

Simon: All good ideas. I'd look good in those glasses, I think.

Robyn: Hey, do you really not want me to go back to work? Are you still worried?

Simon: That's not what I said.

Robyn: No?

Simon: No.

Robyn: You know, we moved to the suburbs and... Yeah. For a fresh start.

Simon: Honey, I want you to do whatever you want to do. As long as you stay healthy, you can open an office in every major city in the world. I want you to start rebuilding the business. You know, what do I care? I just don't want you to be stressed, honey, because that's when those other things can happen. Yeah? Especially if you really want to start a family.

Robyn: Okay.

Simon: Did it sound that bad?

Robyn: No. No, I'm just being silly. Let's get back to the party.

How is this hard to understand? Robyn spent who knows how long with Simon believing he was a kind and caring person and then found out that she was completely wrong. Simon was a manipulative monster who had no remorse for anything he had done and who ruined who knows how many lives to get to where he was. Anyone with a shred of common sense would of done exactly what she did.

Robin is a mother. When I had my first child, everything in my world is dedicated to protecting that child. It doesn't make her an unloving person to sever their relationship after birth.....it makes her a fiercely protective mother. Simon is a predator, in the animal kingdom, female lions have to protect their cubs from the father....who will kill the cub. Simon and the male predatory lion are in the same class.

You can be with someone for a few years then one day in a certain situation you see a very ugly trait and it shocks you, have you ever looked at someone you thought beautiful then they behave atrocious and their appearance seems to change in your eyes, can you still make love to that one maybe not. Her child is her focus.

Not gonna lie, I think Robyn was a *beep* idiot. I will explain why later, but I just finished the movie and I'm still steaming with how much I hated how innocent or pure Robyn was. Was she a good person? Yes. We get it. She is. But she was stupid for barely figuring out just how deplorable her husband was (had always been), and even more of an idiot for trusting Gordo after all the creepy *beep* he did. I know Gordon went through a lot and never deserved what happened to him growing up, but his actions in the present was just beyond unsettling. I get he "had a point" but if I was Robyn and this man was stopping by unannounced and giving gifts, stopping by to my hospital bed after I gave birth after proving he was kind of off , I would have screamed for someone to come and remove him. She gave Gordon a ridiculous amount of the benefit of the doubt and it just completely left me unsettled all around.

That being said, the movie was very good. Bateman in a drama was just amazing.

9/10

But, he WASN'T just a bully in high school! That's why we have the scene with McDonald to prove that he was STILL a bully. Plus, the scene beating up Gordie. I think the Gordo back story would have fizzled out and she would have forgiven Simon if it ended with just the high school story. But he proved he was still the high school bully all those years later.

"What would you like to see on your honeymoon, Mrs. Cord?"
"Lots of lovely ceilings."

The OP is obviously made by someone that thinks it is socially acceptable to crap all over your wife and then blame her for "not loving" when they decide that they are worthy of being treated like a decent human being. This is a very sad mentality that is usually owned by sexist men who have no real value of women, other than to serve their own selfish needs.

That said, lets get started dismantling the ridiculous statement about the movie character...

"She never loved him". Did you watch the movie? She flat out says that she doesn't know who he really is in the end, which should spell it out for you. She DID love him... She loved the man he PRETENDED TO BE. Lying about who you really are is as bad or worse than cheating.

"He loved her". Um, you don't do the *beep* he did if you love someone. That sword swings both ways, but you only want to apply it to the wife for some reason.

In the end, Simon's disguise is lifted to reveal a very selfish man with zero compassion or morality... You really expect someone to stay with a man like this out of loyalty? She took an oath to be with someone completely different, not this pile of crap.

Lastly, not all women stay with drunks, abusers and cheaters. This isn't the 50s anymore.

And for the record, I'm a man. I just happen to value women in this world.