MovieChat Forums > Young Adult (2011) Discussion > Why did Mavis and Buddy break up in the ...

Why did Mavis and Buddy break up in the first place? (spoilers)

posted 11 years ago by mcintyro
5 replies | jump to latest

In this thoroughly entertaining movie, the two seemed to go from high school to college together, but never really clear as it seems to shift to meeting in high school or college.

Alright, she has the miscarriage, but I don't think Buddy would have been the kind of guy to desert her after that unless, she couldn't have children, or, purposely, had an abortion.

Even if she went off to the big Apple, he could have gone with her.

I can't imagine Buddy chose to stay their on his own. I believe he went to college, and he has this lifeless job in ad sales.

[–] kat_r2795 11 years ago

My take on it was that they just naturally grew apart like most young couples do as they get older.

I think Buddy was clearly her "high school sweetheart" but they both wanted different things-Mavis wanted to go to the city and have a more exciting life (or so she thought) as a writer; and Buddy was more laid back (at least that's the impression I got) and already lined up to stay in Mercury and work at his Dad's company. By the time they were twenty or so, they were not the same people they were when they were sixteen.

Of course, the miscarriage hurt their relationship but I don't think they broke up because of it. I do think it was a turning point in their relationship, though. It probably made Mavis disgusted and sad and she just wanted to get out of Mercury altogether because she disliked it and found it boring and she associated it with painful feelings.

All in all, I think Mavis was just trying to re-create the happiness she felt when she was with Buddy as a teenager but I don't think she was still in love with him.

[–] michaeltrenton 11 years ago

My take on it was that they just naturally grew apart like most young couples do as they get older.

Personally I don't think they split up simply because they 'grew apart'. If that was the case then I don't think Mavis would be so obsessed about Buddy being 'the one'.
I think growing apart is part of the reason, butI think Mavis have more serious underlying issues that probably started with her miscarriage that eventually made the relationship impossible (maybe she wanted to leave him because he reminded him too much of this incident?). Just look at the way she pulls out her hair for example. Clearly some issues going on. Her clothing style and manner seems frozen at the stage she was at before her miscarriage. Her possibly alcoholism may be an indication too (an alcoholism that is just ignored by her parents when she brings it up (how did they treat her when she had the miscarriage I wonder?)

I think all that complexity is what makes Mavis such an interesting character. The acting by Charlize Theron is just amazing.

.

[–] Balboasaurus 11 years ago

My take is that Buddy was with Mavis at that point only because of the baby. He wanted to do the right thing. I would even suggest that Mavis got pregnant for the very purpose of keeping Buddy at her side once she sensed he was going to break things up.

What eats away at Mavis' soul is the fact that Buddy and his wife are happy, and live a fulfilling life. She sees herself as the kind of beautiful woman that a man cannot live without. She left the town thinking she would live a glamorous, successful life, and she belittles everyone who decided to stay behind, or can't leave. I didn't sense frustration when he said that he works in sales at his father's company. If anything, it the kind of job that allows them to live the way they do.

Her remark about Beth's sweater and the baby were nothing more than her verbalizing her envy. People make comments in movies about babies being ugly, but in Mavis's case, it is just for the purpose of making herself feel better since she told Beth that the baby looked like her.

When 900 years old you reach, look this good you will not.

[–] eddiebaby73 11 years ago

Women like Mavis often have relationships with guys who are one or two levels below them.

Mavis is better looking than Buddy, is smarter than Buddy and has more ambition than Buddy. Mavis is also fundamentally flawed and believes she is unlovable, so dating down is a way for her to control the relationship.

Eventually Buddy gets over Mavis' good looks and style and tires of her crap.

[–] geekamonggeeks 11 years ago

I just saw this movie after renting it from the library, and rewatched it a couple times since I checked it out a few days ago. I think it's what other people have already suggested, and that Mavis and Buddy did not just break up because of the miscarriage. I think their relationship had already gone stale by the time Mavis got pregnant, and Buddy was probably going to stick around because it was the right thing to do. Then Mavis loses the baby and their relationship ends up falling apart naturally because it had already hit that stage.

Besides, it's possible that they both wanted different things out of life. Buddy seemed to enjoy his life at Mercury and with his father's company. Mavis acted like he was suffering in a small town was just her projecting her own insecurities and life desires onto Buddy to justify why she was trying to break up his marriage.

1-800-TRUTH
http://rebelwithanilldefinedcause.blogspot.com/