MovieChat Forums > Stand Up Guys (2013) Discussion > rape is no big deal, right?

rape is no big deal, right?

posted 12 years ago by kghispredi
94 replies | jump to latest

They encounter a young woman who was
1. kidnapped
2. beaten up
3. gang-raped
4. left naked and gagged for hours in a car trunk

After the release she doesn't go to the hospital (it's physically impossible she wouldn't be in the state of shock) or her family or police, she goes to munch on some burgers with a group of strangers, car thieves. All that with a "annoyed but up for revenge" act that would be better suited if a classmate stole her boyfriend or slashed her tires.

I'm not the one to argue for sensitivity, feminism, whatever, but this is not only stupid and unconvincing, it's insulting to rape victims and sending a message that rape is no big deal. Just get something to eat and you'll be fine.

[–] Howlin Wolf 10 years ago

People respond in different ways. Yes, rape is a big deal, but what's insulting to rape victims is to imply that they all must react the same, otherwise they aren't doing their bit for the cause... To some sufferers (albeit a minority) anger and the need for revenge could well be the first priority, because exacting retribution and knowing that your attacker has suffered too might enable healing to begin.

No-one should be telling rape victims how to act, because it's a personal experience that people go through individually... They are human, not symbols for a larger issue, and as humans, they will deal with things in their own way.

"Your mother puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?!"

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] KeanuMeansLove 9 years ago

yeah I also thought it was odd how after getting raped and bound and gagged, she only spent a few minutes in the bathroom cleaning her bruises and then her first reaction was of being really hungry. But I guess people have different ways of dealing with situations.

[–] sliptdisk 9 years ago

This is what I had problems with, too. I found the movie to be charming, generally, and feel that most critics were too harsh; but, while I understand the desire to keep a light-hearted tone, this issue could have been dealt with better, and gives the aforementioned critics a justifiable leg to stand on. They could have easily changed the narrative to something less serious than rape, and fulfilled the plot line's objective more convincingly. There were other, smaller issues I had with the script, but that one was like a whack on the head of the audience.

"Careful, man! There's a beverage, here."