In Defense of Jack Twist

[queen_of_kithia]

Of the criticisms I have read of Brokeback Mountain (and I haven't read very many) it seems that many critics, both amateur and professional "get" Ennis more than they "get" Jack. They understand where Ennis is coming from, what motivates him, etc., but Jack they don't get. And their inability to get him leads them to malign him, or if that be

Comments

[deceptica]

Interesting... I actually also liked Jack more than Ennis, though I'd find it hard to explain why. In a way he just seemed... more honest to me than Ennis, even though he cheated on his partners while Ennis didn't. Ennis was too caught up in keeping up appearances (even though his marriage clearly wasn't going so well anyway), and that annoyed me somehow. Considering what he had witnessed as a child he had good reason to keep his love for Jack a secret, but still... he seemed a bit too resigned to the situation, if not content with it. Jack on the other hand clearly didn't like pretending to be something he wasn't, constantly striving (if unsuccessfully) to make a better life for himself.

In addition I've never liked quiet guys who get violent when provoked. I found Jack's silliness and openness a lot more charming.

As for the thing with the rodeo clown, I interpreted it as Jack trying to chat him up, the clown "sensing" what was going on and staging a fast retreat because he wasn't interested.

[queen_of_kithia]

Yeah, I think what it is is Jack is more emotionally honest than Ennis; he's not as repressed and he's more willing, or possibly more able, to express himself.

As for the thing with the rodeo clown, I interpreted it as Jack trying to chat him up, the clown "sensing" what was going on and staging a fast retreat because he wasn't interested.

Yeah, that certainly could be. I see it more as Jack was lonely and he wanted some companionship; I don't think he was necessarily trying to get the clown in bed, but if it worked out that way he wasn't going to complain.

[queen_of_kithia]

Yes, I'm commenting 6 months after the fact; don't know who's going to see it besides thee and me, but whatever. I just was browsing through the special features on the DVD and was reminded of something I was going to say and then never got around to, in response to this:

I've never liked quiet guys who get violent when provoked.

For the most part I agree with you there, but there is one exception. You know the scene where Ennis beats up the bikers? Because they are bikers, I find that to be the sexiest thing he does in the whole movie.