Crystal pointed this out in the other topic, and I thought it would make a good debate, so I am reposting.
How do you feel about Olivia? Her fiance (Rob) was cheating on her. Whether you like the woman or not, do you think it was fair to her? And what about Grace? Didn't she realize any relationship with Rob would be doomed because of Olivia?
***My thoughts are that he needed someone to open his eyes about his snobby girlfriend.***
I always wondered if anyone else thought about that. Though I was happy that Ricki Lake got Craig Sheffer in the end, he still cheated on his girlfriend. Just because the girl he cheated with was overweight doesnt make his cheating okay or justified. During the party scene I felt bad for both of the women, but particularly Olivia. If I had a boyfriend who I loved and was going to marry, I don't know what I would do if I saw him with another woman, no matter her size. But I still felt bad for Ricki's character because she got embarrassed..but then it's like....she kind of deserved it...she stole the girl's boyfriend! Even though Grace (Ricki Lake) says that she realizes...it seems as though she knew she could keep him and that Olivia would find out, just not the way that she did(at the club) . Even though I'm glad that Grace got her man, you have to admit that she did it the tricky, conniving way.
shareActually, as I recall, Grace was aware that Rob was engaged, and that Olivia would be coming back to town, and that when she did, Rob would go back to her. So, it's arguable how much she was trying to steal him as much as give herself an enjoyable fantasy. Still, how is she going to trust Rob? I think the movie would have done better to leave that subplot out. Rob could have not had a girlfriend to begin with. Or Rob and Grace could have simply become friends, which could have caused Olivia to show her true colors, and Rob to become all the more attractive when he defends Grace against Olivia. Unfortunately, that's not the way it was written, and the way it was makes the ending a bit ambiguous.
shareno I didn't feel sorry for Olivia, she was a witch with a capital B and to tell you the truth, I would have liked to see her get some of what she did to Grace back when Rob and Grace got back together. Well, that's just my eye for an eye side talking there, but all these characters had madd issues.
Rob was just a possession to Olivia and one she was not particularly ever going to be happy with. She wouldn't even let him breathe, didn't love him for himself so of course he would be attracted to someone who was interested in him and his happiness. They all went about getting what they wanted in strange ways, but she was the most abominable about it.
Okay, admittedly, Olivia is not the nicest character ever created. She's snobby, self absorbed, and ultimately cruel to Grace, who is the heroine that we're rooting for, after all. I don't think she's quite as bad as you're making her out to be, either.
True, Olivia doesn't appreciate Rob for what he is, but she is pushing him to try to better himself. If Rob is happy with where he is and what he's doing, why doesn't he stand up to Olivia? The writers didn't put that in, and if they had, it would have better defined Olivia's character. Also, Grace doesn't come into the picture until Olivia is out of town. Of course Olivia is surprised to see Rob with some other woman. She feels threatened, and she's going to use whatever weapons are at her disposal to fight. Is this likeable? No. But it is understandable. And it speaks much better of both Grace and Rob that neither stooped to Olivia's level.
Olivia's not the most likeable character in the world, but her actions at least make sense, something of a rarity in this movie. So, don't be too hard on her.
True, Olivia doesn't appreciate Rob for what he is, but she is pushing him to try to better himself. If Rob is happy with where he is and what he's doing, why doesn't he stand up to Olivia?
No.It was obvious they were together for some reason other than love. I think Olivia only wanted him for his looks.She didn't like anything he said or did.And,I really don't consider Rob and Grace to be cheaters. Grace already could tell he was not in love with Olivia and that she was mean to him.Rob and Olivia would have split soon whether Grace was in the picture or not.Olivia and Rob's wedding would have never happened.I saw no reason to have any sympathy for Olivia at all.
shareIt wasn't the 'moral' thing to do, but I thought that the point was made in the movie that Rob wasn't happy with his bitchy girlfriend, didn't like how she pushed him around, and wanted someone better.
Despite the fact that grace was overweight, he liked her.
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"Imagination is more important then Knowledge." ~ Albert Eienstien
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Did I think Rob and Olivia made a good couple? No. I think Rob was already doubting his relationship with Olivia before Grace ever showed up. Grace gave him the opportunity to see how a relationship with someone else could be. He had said that Olivia was his first real girlfriend so I think the was actually pretty inexperienced in that department. I think he was engaged to Olivia because it was what was expected not what he necessarily wanted. I think with Grace he relaized that a relationship could actually be fun. I don't think he ever had fun with Olivia. I think she was too uptight and all. That being said, should he have cheated on Olivia. No. It's not right to cheat on anyone that way. He should have called quits to his relationship with Olivia before he took up with someone else. If I had been Olivia and he cheated on me, I would have kicked him to the curb. I'm actually surprised that she didn't. At that point, it looked to me that she maybe saw Rob more as a possession then anything else. But it still wasn't right for Rob and Grace to go behind her back like they did.
shareNope, didn't feel sorry for Olivia because she was a domineering type of woman that has to have everything her way. Grace and Rob was a perfect match.
sharei often thought about this point. Just because somebody is overweight, doesnt automatically mean they are nice and they can just steal someones boyfriend?! I mean grace knew nothing about the relationship or olivia, she just saw one scene and though they were unhappy! yes she turned out to be right but thats not the point, i dont blame oliva for going mad when she saw them dancing, although i wouldnt have hit her. I would have hit him!
But the point is we are supposed to be rooting for grace, but i dont know what exactly gives her the right to think she can sabotage a relationship.
"now arnt you just so sweet, you make sugar taste like salt."
Grace didn't "sabotage a relationship"; that hot mess was already doomed. Olivia was a rotten, foul, selfish, bitchy, egotistical person.
Grace merely dropped the metaphorical wrecking ball on a condemned building. She helped Rob to see that he was making a mistake. That makes her a hero. :)
As that was the intention of ths film your correct, plus as a viewer you got to see what Olivia was like, but imagine this as a real life situation. She didnt know anything about Olivia and their relationship. only what she judged. That doesnt make her a hero.
"Easy? Honey, they dont call it a job for nothing."
This post is oooold lol. But IMO, Olivia was a b!tch. And obviously Rob wasn't happy with her. The relationship was superficial at best. Was cheating on her the right way for him to realize this? Probably not. But hey, that's the way it happened and Rob ended up with the right woman at the end. As for Grace, she seized the opportunity to snag the man she loved, after being looked over or laughed at her whole life, she decided to take charge, and as a big girl myself, I totally feel her on that. Again, was having an affair with a soon-to-be married guy the right way to do it? Probably not. But sometimes, life doesn't hand you things on a silver platter. Sometimes, you have to take a risk and snag what you want before it's gone forever.
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Nope, don't feel sorry for her. It was doomed. What kind of lady leaves her boyfriend for the holidays? I doubt she was out on business, she was probably with her family. And someone who leaves their guy during times when people feel lonely was for me a "take him, I don't care" signal.
shareIf Rob was THAT happy with Olivia, he wouldn't have looked twice or even talked to Grace. I think he was subconsciously looking for a way out of things.
shareyes and no she was so mean and controlling him one can hardly blame him but he also wasn't being very honest by leading grace on and not giving olivia consideration. if he had married olivia she probably would have nagged him to the point where he would've left her anyway. My two cents
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