This character really makes me mad. How dare he be so cold to Albert who cares about him so much. I could not like this character the entire movie for his lack of respect and being embarrassed.
shareI agree. I thought he was a douche. So obviously ashamed of his loving parents.
shareHe was an arrogant a-hole. The way he talked to Albert was so wrong and his father did nothing to correct him. I hated his character.
shareTotally agree! Hated the character.
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I'm watching this film again but I just had to pause it so I can get this off my chest: I HATE VAL!!! Gee, no matter how many times I watch The Birdcage (and the French version) this character never fails to disgust me. He doesn't care one bit about his father and Albert and even when everybody is working like crazy to meet his demands he still criticizes.
Don't tell me, it's no use to me. Tell yourself if you want to but don't tell me.
But in the end he redeems himself. That's kind of the point. He has an arc.
shareI felt the same way. Especially when after he learns how much it would hurt Albert to have Val's biological mom there he still tells her to come. At that point I would have kicked him out of the house.
I understand they needed him to be like this to explain why they are faking being straight for the story but still pretty messed up.
Kind of like how I love Forest Gump but hate Jenny.
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I feel the exact same way! His behavior is disgusting. How can a person be so cold and dismissive to the person who raised him and loved him his whole life.
Even in the end when Barbara's dad asked him to dance so he wouldn't be by him self and he was refusing. Help your father in law out you douche. If my man would leave my dad in an awkward situation like that, I would make him pay for it.
I mean I understand that he had to be that way otherwise we would have no movie...but still!! Selfish prick!
True. I hated the Barbara character just as well. These two characters kind of spoiled my viewing pleasure. I loved everybody else, the parents, the in-laws, the butler, even the biological mother and that bubble gum guy Albert rehearsed with at one point. The reason I watched it again was because of those fun, colorful characters that made me grin and laugh out loud.
I just couldn't stand the kids' characters, though. And the actors were just way older than the characters they were playing.
If they shot it in 95, the girl was 31 and the guy was 28. And they were playing 18 and 20. Maybe that's the reason why they were so annoying? Because they just weren't a good fit for the characters?
I don't know.
I was thinking, perhaps, if they've gotten a more likeable actor and actress for these characters, they would've been less infuriating. Even their dance at the end got into my nerves.
For sure. I understand it's a farce and that Val's a-holery is a major device etc etc but... Yeah he's awful. Spoiled ungrateful whelp.
shareI fell for this movie when I was a kid and wasn't entirely familiar with what gay was. Despite that I still hated Val and every time I watched it since, I still hate him (I'm 28 now). He was such a dick to EVERYBODY and completely selfish. He was just damn unlikeable. He asked so much of everyone and was just a little bastard about everything. Most times I was hoping Albert and Armand would get fed up with his attitude and not play along. Especially how he was towards Agador, I just loved him.
And could they not find anyone that actually LOOKED 20? Val looked like he was pushing 30.