From Katherine
I wish that, when Ennis asked if things were normal, Jack had just admitted outright that they aren't. I suppose he was trying not to trigger Ennis' startle point, but in this case it seems like Ennis would have felt reassured if Jack had been truthful.
Yes! To all of that. Well put. Jack's statement that it's "normal and all" between him and Lureen adds to Ennis's paranoia over whatever he, Ennis, must have done wrong to make Alma suspect the truth - and by extension, everyone in town who he fears are looking at him funny. Jack manages to keep it "normal" (whatever they mean by that - I've actually seen it as a term for successfully keeping up the charade, and that both of them would accept the term as such, but you never know, indeed.....) while he, Ennis, must have slipped up - and fears to slip up more. Cue his even greater anxiety when Jack goes on to stoke the paranoia by suggesting he should move. Poor Ennis. I just want to .....
hug him something fierce at that panicked face of his when Jack says his "maybe you should move outta there".
But I think that Jack realizes in retrospect that his quite affectionate (IMO) talk about Lureen and about it being normal and all etc. was not a wise thing to tell Ennis. I think he realizes it contributed a bit to Ennis's reaction and their "you're a real thinker" quarrel. I think so because at the next meeting we get to see, their last meeting, when Ennis asks
"what about you and Lureen?" , Jack shoots him a *look*. A quick, scrutinizing, careful, "Oh no we're not going *there* again!" look. (Could also be he's checking whether Ennis suspects or wants to get into the truth - not about the marriage but about the affairs.....) Whereupon he goes on to ensure Ennis that the marriage now could have been conducted over the phone.
I suppose at that stage Jack is telling the truth as far as the marriage goes, but earlier on in the marriage he had a lot of affection for Lureen IMO. Which leads me to the next quote:
From Stevenedel
His remark, to Ennis, about Lureen 'punching numbers' is hardly a very nice one.
From the very first time I saw that I honestly thought Jack was being affectionate there - that he actually thinks Lureen is putting up a good show in not giving up her fight for their financial well-being. Jack likes having money, and he respects Lureens abilities as a businesswoman. Then of course he realizes who he's talking to, or rather iw overwhelmed by the fact that however much he has affection for Lureen, and however much it's nice to have money, nothing of that compares to what he'd have enjoyed with Ennis if Ennis would only let him. Hence the disconcerted "for what it's worth" at the end.
I was actually surprised when I realized I was pretty alone in that interpretation and that most people thinks he's outright mocking Lureens single-minded focus on the number-crunching.
From Stevenedel
During the dance scene, in my opinion they are having a covert fight, and I always wonder if it is about Jack's homosexuality. Lureen puts a direct challenge to him: "Why do you think that is, Jack?".
Yes, a covert fight, sure enough..... I don't think Lureen is (yet) aware of the homosexuality - I think that comes later, probably just before or just as she learns of Jack's death. I've got nothing really to point to as evidence for that - only that I feel certain Lureen would have divorced Jack if she'd known - and I feel equally certain that she *knows* by the time Ennis calls her. She knows by then about Jack being gay, but who he *loved* doesn't fall into place until the conversation with Ennis.
I like Lureen very much, I'll not try to hide that. I think she's a "lively little girl" too and it's sad to see her become embittered and brittle and cold over the lack of love and closeness; - which she doesn't understand for so long. I believe hers is the last of "the four strong hearts breaking" that Time Magazine wrote about in their BBM article.
I also think Alma was better off than Lureen. Alma did at least know what the deal was with Ennis, and could decide her course based on the truth, however painful. While Lureen is kept in the dark. She's married to the nicest, most handsome guy around (not that I'm biased or anything....
), they've got a good relationship and work well together in the business (IMO) - and yet there's something crucial missing. The most crucial thing of all, to Lureen. And it's getting more and more evident, post Ennis's divorce when Jack increasingly can't be bothered to even try to pretend anymore. Last time he really makes an effort is on Thanksgiving following the post-divorce scene.
I think Lureen loves her husband till the end. If she didn't, she'd have divorced him. She's goodlooking, she's got money, she's got brains, she's not the kind of woman who'd keep a loveless marriage going for the sake of their son, her folks would be thrilled if she showed Jack the door, - she could have found a new husband easily. And if Alma could divorce Ennis, society's disapproval would hardly have deterred Lureen. Yet she and Jack stay married till the end. I see only one reason for that, - Lureen loves her husband. Another part of the nuanced tragedy that BBM presents to us. Lureen drowns herself in work and number-crunching and visits to the hairdresser, and while the bitterness grows she still hopes he'll one day love her back, hopes for a change, - that doesn't come.
And then he dances with Lashawn as a proxy for Randall. I doubt he'd have much opportunity to order his thoughts, with Lashawn chattering away the way she does.
Lashawn's chattering is perfect if he wants to regroup and think things trough! It's the kind of one-way chattering where he doesn't have to listen and she'll keep herself entertained and be satisfied as long as he throws in a "mmm-hmmm" or a "Is that so?" or possibly an "I agree" every now and then.