Is it just me? Does anyone like Albert in this movie?

Let me start off by saying this is one of my favorite movies, and I've watched it over 15 times.

But each time I watch, I get the feeling over and over that no one really likes Albert except Agador.

Armand spends much of the movie unhappy or angry or frustrated with Albert. He mocks him but can't seem to bring himself to stop enabling him. Armand always gives in to Albert's outbursts.

The movie opens with Armand becoming exasperated at Albert for having one of his needy drama queen melt-downs before a performance for a packed house. He has to literally kick down a door to get to him.

Albert's insecure tirades are apparently so common and exactly the same, that Armand can actually mouth the words Albert is going to say.

Emotionally manipulative, Albert runs hot and cold. Despairing one moment, wanting extreme reassurance, then when he gets it from Armand, he pushes Armand away contemptuously and gives him the cold shoulder, just to make up with him a few minutes later and always ready to restart the cycle.

People like Albert are exhausting.

Even Val doesn't much like him. In the opening scene introducing Val, Val only wants to talk to Armand before "Albert comes up and starts screaming". Neither of them want Albert around. Val obviously doesn't consider Albert a mother or parent figure he'd want to confide in.

Also, please note that though it appears Albert helped raise Val, Val only calls his father Dad. He calls Albert, "Albert". Not mom, not dad, "Albert".

Even when in the privacy of their home, Val puts distance between himself and Albert.

Armand mostly ignores Albert when he's chattering on, irritated with him. He's on edge about Albert constantly. During rehearsals, Albert keeps stopping because his stage partner isn't acting like he wants him to. Armand is seething, so when Val wants to talk to him, he's snappish even before Val tells him about Barbara's lies.

Albert doesn't help by being a drama queen who overreacts to everything for the attention. It's obvious Albert is an attention hoor of pathological dimensions.

He gets upset when buttering a piece of toast if his knife goes through the toast.

Really? I mean, really?

Is it any wonder the only time I saw Armand look happy, smiling, loose and relaxed was that scene meeting Katie Archer again. She's a tall, cool drink of water - calm, composed, professional, intelligent and seemingly very stable. She's someone Armand can speak with rationally and as equals. He still finds her attractive, actually looking at her crossed legs and later touching them and letting her touch him.

But then Armand has to deal with grade school emotional level Albert who, jealously misconstruing their situation, storms off and abandons Armand taking the car, leaving him to walk. Because to Albert, this is all about him, not Val's needs or Armand's desire to help his son.

Yes, Val was cruel to Albert, rude to his father's lover. Perhaps he learned this from passive aggressive Albert? Albert called Val's fiance a "s L U t" after announcing he "wouldn't say a word" against the marriage...but he will long enough to insult Val's fiance.

And Val shows a lot of affection toward Armand, none to Albert. But it may be because Val sees Albert more clearly than his father does.

Albert is an emotionally manipulative, self-absorbed twit and Val knows it.

Even when the situation was explained to Albert and he expressed his extreme disappointment and hurt - which was understandable - he still refused to cooperate. He claimed to want to help Val...but only on his terms. Albert recognized no one else's needs and terms except his own.

Classic narcissist.

While Armand had very loving words to say to Albert later - "you make me laugh..." it comes across as hollow because Albert does not make Armand laugh even once in this movie.

And even at the end, when Albert is unmasked by Val, Val still keeps him at arm's length,

"This is my mother."

Not "he", not "she"..."this". As if Albert is a thing to Val.

At the wedding, Albert yet again shows his colors. The ceremony is about the couple. THEY'RE to be the center of attention. Mrs. Keeley cries quietly in her pew as mother of the bride. Katie Archer dabs her eyes. Just as the bride and groom kiss, the climax of the ceremony, Albert can no longer stand the attention not being on him. He "cries" LOUDLY enough for the entire church to hear, for all the attention to turn to him and to disrupt the kiss.

Val smiles sheepishly...embarrassed...resigned.

The reasons to like Albert are few. The reasons to dislike him are many.

Val isn't ashamed because his family is gay. He's ashamed because Albert is an immature, selfish, passive-aggressive narcissist.

Anyone else feel the same way?

"Can you keep a secret? Can you know something and never speak of it again?"