MovieChat Forums > Father of the Bride (1991) Discussion > George is not the bad guy...

George is not the bad guy...


My problem with this movie is that the whole thing makes George out to be completely neurotic and out-of-line, and I just don’t agree with that. Yes, I will admit that he doesn’t want to let go of his “baby girl”, he was way too paranoid about Bryan, and the incident at the MacKenzie’s house was insane. On the other hand, Annie is only 22 years old, and despite what Nina may say, the times have changed since the late 1960s, early 1970s when her and George married. However, I could live with her young age if she didn’t seem so immature (may I remind you about the “blender break up”). Above all they hardly know each other! By the time they were married they had know each other 9 months, 5 of which were spent planning their wedding. I believe the first six months of a relationship are basically the honeymoon stage, so by the time they got married their relationship is just reaching the serious stage. Even if this is an exception, just imagine if all the money spent on this wedding ended in a quick divorce. Plus, this “simple wedding“ is extravagant and out of control. If they stuck to 250 people at $250 a head it is a $62,500 wedding! That is NOT typical! In 2010 the average U.S. wedding cost was $24,000, in 1990 it was $15,000. If they were having this wedding in 2010 the inflation would add up to $107,032.61. If they had stuck to the 572 headcount at $143,000 it would be $244,890.62. George and Nina may own their own businesses, but they are not millionaires! I just think they should take it easy on George, because he isn't completely crazy.

reply

[deleted]

[deleted]

$250 a head, what does that include? Does it include all the decorating, swans etc. or just food?

reply

Well it bloody well should! That wedding cost was outrageous!

reply

That's how modern feminists want to view men. Any man that shows power or authority in any way, even if he's trying to hold onto to some measure of dignity and becomes neurotic is automatically oppressive to women. Get with the times. You're living in a post-Spencer Tracy world. Men can't be given freedom or dignity. All men are to women today is a wallet and that's it. Not a voice of reason. Not the dominant manly half of a beautiful puzzle. No. Just moneybags for her to take for granted.

reply

[deleted]

He wasn't the bad guy at all. The wedding cost was outrageous but the problem was he allowed her to get extravagant before realizing the cost. The daughter just saw him as deep pockets and his wife was no better. The best wedding gift he could have given her would have been a life lesson. By that I mean he should have immediately told her he would give X amount towards the wedding and she would have to budget it within that amount. If she wanted something that cost more then it would be up to her and her fiancé to save up for it.

That's pretty much what my wife and I had to do. She had 3 sisters so her parents contribution wasn't very much. My wife still had the wedding she wanted but we had to save for it and budget within reason. It was a darn good lesson for the two of us and one that carried on through 33 years of marriage so far.

Way too many young people/couples start off with a sense of entitlement without knowing the real value/cost of things; having an expectation of others paying.

reply

Exactly my thoughts when I saw the movie. George could have nipped this whole mess in the bud if only he had set a budget from the beginning and stuck to it. I saw something similar happen to a relative's wedding, and the groom's family ended up contributing money so that the couple could have the wedding of their dreams. If Annie wanted more than George could afford, she and her fiancée could have found another way to make up the extra cost.

_________________________________
"I'm sorry, but.." is a self-contained lie.

reply

George was not the bad guy. The daughter, mother and that Frank guy were.

reply