harmless thing hurts the most.

Rosemary 2022-04-21 09:01:51

The love or the relationship between Aileen and Selby is the main line in this film. Many people will doubt whether Aileen loved Selby since she was not a really gay. From my point of view, I think the identity of gay is not the point in this film, love is. And Aileen had her own definition of love just as she said at the end of film: “I love you with all my heart, my soul and my mind. And I will never let you down.”
At the beginning and the middle of the movie, Aileen showed her violence and bad-temper in her characters. That made it hard for her to realize her problems and real difficult. I even feel no sorry for her horrible experiences at all. There is a line said by Selby's aunt in this movie: “Lots of people have bad lives but they still choose to move towards light.” Aileen did tried her best to move to a new life but it seemed her temper made it in vain. However when she killed the old man who really wanted to help her, I came to understand her desperation, her fight and her efforts to be a good person. However, it's too late and she already “has no way to go back”.
The narration of Aileen at the end of the movie left me in tears. Not until that time did I realize that Aileen did love Selby not just a word but in her heart. Aileen once said: “In my life, it's always being the harmless stuff that hurts the most. Whilst the things so horrible that you can't even image is usually a lot easier than you think. Not really know until you already stand there." After hearing this sentence, I suddenly realize that the harmless thing may refer to Sebly. We all agree that Sebly brought hope and love to Aileen. Aileen was attempting to commit suicide but after meeting Sebly, she changed her mind. Although it's not clear enough to know why, we can see Aileen felt love and need from Sebly. She wanted a new life with Sebly. To a certain extent, Sebly rescued her. However, is it the truth.? Sebly asked too much from Aileen.When Aileen told Sebly that she quit hooking, Sebly asked why. Even Aileen said: “You(Sebly) don't know my life, but I know yours”. It's true that Sebly never understood Aileen even seldom tried to. All she wanted is “a happy normal life”. But she didn't know Aileen cannot afford it.
When Sebly pointed out Aileen in court, there was no sign of love in her eyes at all. The sentence at the end “Aileen and Sebly never spoke again” showed the real end of Aileen's life and her hope. “Life counters all, every cloud has a silver lining, faith can move mountains, love always runs away. Everything happens for reason. While there is life, there is hope." Aileen sought love for whole life and she had her own definition of love. It doesn't matter to argue whether she was a gay or not cause she has own way to weight it.

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Extended Reading
  • Bianka 2022-03-25 09:01:08

    Richie was very tender at the time. I didn't expect to be completely naked later.

  • Rosemary 2022-04-24 07:01:05

    Every cloud has a silver lining.

Monster quotes

  • Aileen: Everybody just thinks I'm this bad shitty fucking person, and all I'm fucking tryin' to do is survive, you know?

    Thomas: I know. I know what you do for a living. It doesn't bother me. I know you didn't dial it up on a goddamn telephone. That's where you landed. That's what you had to do. What you're feeling right now is just guilt, over something you had absolutely no control over. You know how many of us came back from the war? And almost killed ourselves because we felt exactly the same thing you do, right now.

    Aileen: Yeah?

    Thomas: Yeah. And they'll never get it. They'll never get it now, they never got it then, and they sure as hell won't get fucking circumstance!

    Aileen: Fuck, man, circumstance, that's exactly it, that's exactly it. You know I feel like I never even had a fucking choice.

    Thomas: You never did. But you gotta live. You gotta live.

  • Aileen: [points to the bartender] You owe me change!

    [pause]

    Aileen: Fuck it. I'm outta here!

    Selby: Oh, are you sure-

    [touches Lee's shoulder]

    Aileen: [rises from chair and pushes Selby off] GET YOUR FUCKIN' HANDS OFF ME, YOU DUMB DYKE! I'm not gonna fuck you for a fucking beer, alright? So, stop wasting your fuckin' time!