Three Movies That Changed for Me After I Became a Dad
As you've probably figured out by now, I am a guy who loves his movies. In fact, I'm not opposed to re-watching my favorite films dozens of times over, even if some of the material is a bit dated and the special effects are weak by today's standards.
However, being a dad has changed my opinion of some movies I enjoyed when I was younger (and not a parent). While I don't necessarily hate them today, there are some things about them that I view in a different light now that I have two daughters. Here are some great examples:
Pretty Woman (1990)
So, full disclosure, I've always thought Pretty Woman was a little overrated and probably wouldn't be a fan favorite if it weren't for the national treasure known as Julia Roberts. That said, once I became a dad, I have a much harder time watching this film.
Part of it is the whole prostitution thing, which was probably wrong to begin with. However, looking at the movie through a dad's eyes, I also now realize Vivian (Roberts) could have done better. In fact, Edward (Richard Gere) was kind of an ass.
My biggest problem with Edward in this film today is I don't think he ever thinks of Vivian as his equal. Even at the very end, when he does his big grand gesture, it felt like she was nothing more than a prize to be won. It's the type of "relationship" that feels like it will end up with her being abused at least mentally and possibly physically anytime she shows any sort of independence. I mean, he told her how to dress, how to act and even what to eat, sometimes treating her like a child in the process. It's the kind of relationship I hope my daughters avoid.
The Breakfast Club (1985)
To be clear, I still love The Breakfast Club, will rewatch it whenever I come across it on TV and have even encouraged my daughters to watch it. There's great music and fantastic performances from members of the Brat Pack.
As a dad (and even just as an adult), however, I am starting to feel a lot more empathy for the movie's "villain," Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason). The man was just trying to do his job, giving up his Saturday too and received zero respect from the five brats that received detention. Maybe Vernon had plans he needed to cancel, which is why he was such a grouch. Did you ever think of that, Emilio Estevez and Judd Nelson?
In comparison, I don't feel this way at all about Ferris (Matthew Broderick) in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, both because the principal, Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones), went above and beyond to be an ass and (much like the actor who played him) got what was coming to him.
And let's be fair here, every single member of the Breakfast Club deserved to be in that detention. In fact, one could even argue Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) should have been punished much worse considering he brought a gun to school. Sure, it was a flare gun, but it could have caused bodily harm to someone or set the school on fire.
Oh, and considering they didn't complete the detention assignment and just had Brian do it for the group, they should have gotten at least one more weekend.
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Much like The Breakfast Club, I still like Dirty Dancing (though that primarily might be because of the music). Much like Pretty Woman, I stopped being a big fan of the main male character once I became a father.
Let me put it this way, nobody may put Baby (Jennifer Grey) in a corner, but Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) probably would be behind bars had this movie not taken place in the 60s. She was still just a teenager (even though the actress was 26 at the time) and he, even by the most conservative guess, was at least in his late 20s.
Much like with Pretty Woman, my fatherly dislike of Johnny goes beyond the statutory rape thing. Just like Gere's Edward character, there isn't a point in this film where I feel like he looks at Baby as his equal. If anything, when he isn't having sex with her, he seems to be fully aware she is just a child and treats her that way.
At minimum, it's a summer romance that I just don't see going anywhere, unless she got knocked up in the process and her parents forced a marriage. And part of me thinks Johnny would find a way to leave town first.
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