[samsamsam]

tl;dr: Good movie if you want to see examples of the batshit behavior young chicks do today. The hamster at work. Also, example of what you hope you don't get stuck with for 18 years. And, imho, a good chick to marry. If you scroll down you can see the list of the crazy shit Linda does.

So I am always interested in how movies are made for low budgets. Newlyweds was made for $9K, but it isn’t a fair example for most of us because it was made by Ed Burns. I had very little idea what the whole movie was about, but was pleasantly surprised and it really hit on some of the things we discuss on this forum.

For anyone interested in filmmaking, it is a good example that you don’t need explosions and special fx to make something entertaining. However, I happen to like Ed Burns and not everyone does. Some people think all his movies are the same.

Below is a breakdown of the characters and spoilers. I won’t be able to do it justice like some of the talented writers on this forum, but for me the film was great because it actually showed me some of the stuff guys talk about on this forum. I grew up a bit sheltered and really don’t have a lot of drama in my life (i.e. crazies) – yes, I have the occasional run in with people in life but I don’t really have anyone in my social circle who has a lot of drama – one exception is an old friend who is going through a mid life crisis but is a stand up guy.

I only mention this because I am not a club/bar type person and I don’t encounter the flakey, selfish, drama young chicks that are discussed on RVF for other than a few minutes at a time - not enough for me to grasp all the chaos. And in this movie there is a perfect example of one.

CHARACTERS
Buzzy – Ed Burns – newly married to Katie
Katie - Caitlin FitzGerald – Buzzy’s wife (great gal)



Linda - Kerry Bishé – Buzzy’s crazy half sister



Marsha – Marsha Dietlein – Married to Max and Katie’s sister (old bitchy hag)

Max – Marsha’s Husband – poor guy
Dara – Katie’s ex-husband – perfect example of self absorbed actor

I’ll try to make a quick summary – my purpose is this film seems to highlight a lot of the things discussed on the forum. I will say that Katie is relatively sane and nice and understanding and pretty, which may just be movie magic but I’d settle down with a girl like her. I am going to try to hammer thru the story quickly to focus on Linda, the 20 something half sister. I won’t summarize in order of events because it might be too confusing.

STORY
Buzzy and Katie are on their second marriages and the movie opens with Buzzy and Katie having their weekly dinner with Marsha and Max. Marsha and Max got married because she got pregnant. Max did the right thing but you don’t get the sense he was happy with the choice. Max basically works for Marsha, she is a ball busting bitch who hasn’t put out in years. She hates Buzzy and is just fucking uptight – angry. Buzzy says if your marriage (Marsha and max’s) ended it would be considered a success which doesn’t go over well with Marsha. Poor Max has been married to this cunt for 18 years.

Linda shows up out of nowhere (and needs a place to stay) with the intent to get back together with her ex that proposed to her that she said no to. She meets up him, he says he can’t get together with her, and she gets mad and seduces some random guy in front of him.

She brings this random guy to Buzzy’s place (which is owned by Katie-but she doesn’t hold this over his head-she is pretty awesome). Buzzy kicks them out and Linda flips out. Linda also borrowed an expensive jacket of Katie’s, without permission and loses it. Linda then speaks with Katie who is trying to be nice but wants to be respected and Linda flips out – Linda tries to tell Buzzy that Katie was telling her about the rules and doesn’t Katie know that she (Linda) is in pain, etc.

Later Linda calls her ex and they meet again in a hotel and drink, she wears something sexy and he still doesn’t because he married another woman and is about to be a father. Linda, due to her pain, goes to see Dara (Katie’s ex) and sleeps with him. Buzzy makes Linda tell Katie, but she can’t but instead leaves, which is great because Marsha is moving in.

Why is this great for Marsha? About half way through the movie Max (who works with artists in a studio) gets excited because some young girl actually made him feel wanted (all this is occurring while Marsha is watching through the glass). At one of the weekly dinners they start arguing and they agree to divorce. So Max is going to live downstairs in the studio (Marsha will live in the apartment) and one night he bumps into the girl in the studio still, they go out drinking, she feels sorry for him and gives him a bj. Marsha flips out (god forbid any of you ever hook up with a lady like her or have her as a sister in law) and wants to move in with Katie. Marsha gets in Katie’s ear and Katie starts to freak but in the end Buzzy and Katie are seen driving off to work on their relationship.

LINDA – Below are the things she does, which I think are symbolic of young women today
-Shows up without calling
-Assumes she can stay
-Thinks she has a good relationship with her brother – when in reality he doesn’t think so
-Without Katie’s permission, borrows and loses Katie’s very expensive jacket – who shows up in Winter in NYC without a jacket?
-She tries to seduce her ex and all she can say is “You still love me” – All about her
-Her ex rejects her at the first meeting at a bar– logically she goes up to some guy and starts flirting with him in front of her ex
-Brings this random bar guy back to Katie and Buzzy’s place and starts undressing on the counter top at 3 AM – of course no one is sleeping - Buzzy kicks them out and she is upset about it
- Flips out when the Katie (owner of apt) wants to lay down some simple rules about Linda staying with them
- When Buzzy speaks to Linda afterwards, Linda makes it about her feelings and pain and how that should be more important than Katie's request, etc.
-Calls her ex again and tries to seduce him again. She can’t let him go even though she refused to marry him. All about her winning and getting her way – finds out he is married and expecting a kid. She melts down
-She goes and has sex with Dara (Katie’s ex-husband) to try and feel better. Dara has a gf out of town. Who cares if that would bother your sister in law? All about her needs.
-Buzzy catches Dara and Linda walking back, figures out what happened and makes her tell Katie – but of course Linda can’t own what she did so instead she says she found a different place and is moving
- In the extra footage, Linda is also accused of stealing Katie's underwear
- Not as a defense, but Buzzy's and Linda's dad was apparently horrible and not a good father so you can see why she might be fucked up. Just an example of make sure you want kids. Do everyone a favor.

Why am I making such a big deal about this? I have never known anyone with this kind of drama and the women in my life don’t act this way. Women I have dated are not like this. I don’t want to say I was shocked, because I know this nonsense exists out there, just never seen such self destructing behavior so clearly demonstrated in a movie, that was still entertaining. Or in life. I can’t stand super serious dramas that take themselves too seriously so there may be other good examples, but I have not seen them. So it was educational for me.

Special thanks to Eirykr for showing me how to embed a pic.

tl;dr: Good movie if you want to see examples of the batshit behavior young chicks do today. The hamster at work. Also, example of what you hope you don't get stuck with for 18 years. And, imho, a good chick to marry.