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Anyone see this? I couldn't help but think Kate Winslet's character completely embodied the spirit of Rand. Is the book anything like the movie? You can read a short synopsis on Wikipedia. I wonder if Yates read The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged - I was reminded of them throughout the film. You folks should really see it and let me know what you think.

Edited by brian0918
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I saw the movie but have not read the book so I don't know how they compare. That said, I did not see any Rand in her character and actually found both her and the husband to be almost disgusting.

Possible Spoilers:

Both of the characters put up appearances on the outside but loathed their lives with each other when they were alone. I cannot see Rand loving the coward that DiCaprio's character represented, and I can't see her putting up a happy face for the outside world while being disgusted with her life.

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I saw the movie but have not read the book so I don't know how they compare. That said, I did not see any Rand in her character and actually found both her and the husband to be almost disgusting.

Possible Spoilers:

Both of the characters put up appearances on the outside but loathed their lives with each other when they were alone. I cannot see Rand loving the coward that DiCaprio's character represented, and I can't see her putting up a happy face for the outside world while being disgusted with her life.

That was only the beginning of the movie. It wasn't eachother that they loathed, but the situation that they were in. She knew that he was capable of better, if only he had the chance to figure out his goals in life. So she made a plan to change it, and that plan, along with her unwillingness to compromise, are what reminded me of Rand.

As for the ending, I am not sure what to make of it. She appeared to have compromised, but then she chose to have the abortion, so it would seem like she had another plan in mind - maybe to run off on her own -, but was unable to realize it.

Edited by brian0918
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  • 3 months later...

winslett's character was the polar opposite of rand's ideology. she didn't seek personal enrichment, or achievement, or success, invention, innovation, or the advancement of her body, mind or spirit. she was motivated by her profound discontent and disenchantment with materialist/consumerist/nuclear familial life, and her drive for new experiences. i mean jesus, she was basically setting out to be a penniless, acclaimless vagabond. decaprio's character essentially had similar motivations, but was too weighed down by shackles of fear and social indoctrination to follow them.

people often see what they want to see.

Edited by izopyn
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I found the movie depressing in the extreme.

I held out a glimmer of hope that the characters would take their lives by the throat and live their dream come hell or high water but he was a coward and in the end she failed at what I think was a bid for freedom from both her husband and her life up to that point.

I think that had she not botched the abortion she was going to leave her husband and kids to get a new life. She told the babysitter to tell the kids she loved them and it all had the flavour of a goodbye not a "see you after the abortion"

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