In the film, Maggie (Anne Hathaway) and Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal) have a relationship that evolves from all physical (with no attachment) to love. Maggie has early-onset Parkinson's, a disease without a cure. She doesn't want her disease to define her. I hate to spoil any part of such a great movie, but the following scene just broke me down (I tried relentlessly to find a good video of it to attach, but the best I have is the script).
Maggie, in the end of that scene is how I feel so often... "I'm gonna need you more than you need me... It isn't *fair*!" I feel frustrated by the fact that I have an incurable illness. I hate that Jeremy needs to take care of me and help me so much. I don't think any of this is fair.Jamie: I'm full of s***, okay? No I'm... I'm *knowingly* full of s***. Because, uh... because uh, uh... I have... I have *never* cared about anybody or anything in my entire life. And the thing is, everybody just kind of accepted that. Like, "That's just Jamie." And then you!... Jesus. *You*. You. You didn't see me that way. I have never known anyone who actually believed that I was enough. Until I met you. And then you made me believe it, too. So, uh... unfortunately... I need you. And you need me.Maggie: No I don't.
Jamie: Yes you do.Maggie: No I don't.
Jamie: *Yes*, you do.Maggie: Stop it, stop saying that.
Jamie: You need someone to take care of you.Maggie: No, I don't!
Jamie: Everybody does.Maggie: I'm gonna need you more than you need me.
Jamie: That's okay.Maggie: [crying] No it's not! It isn't *fair*! I have places to go!
Jamie: You'll go there. I just may have to carry you.Maggie: ...I can't ask you to do that.
Jamie: You didn't.
Luckily, Jamie's response to Maggie is how Jeremy is to me... "That's okay... You'll go there. I may just have to carry you... You didn't [ask me to carry you]." Jeremy has told me that he doesn't resent needing to take care of me. Jeremy and I were together long before my accident, so we're learning this disability-stuff together. I'm so blessed to have someone that loves me no matter what.
http://youtu.be/hU7TIWjPITo
“Sometimes the things you want the most don’t happen and what you least expect happens. I don’t know – you meet thousands of people and none of them really touch you. And then you meet that one person and your life is changed, forever.”
-Jamie Randall (in Love & Other Drugs)
I agree, a very moving scene about need and love.
ReplyDeleteWe were watching that DVD in bed last week, and I ended up turning away and crying myself to sleep at that part. I did not expect the movie to hit that close to home. :(
ReplyDeleteLoved that movie!
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way...and Jesse said the same thing!
Guess you and I are both pretty lucky!
My husband has MS and is in a wheelchair (he also has diabetes - bonus) and then in 2005 we add in chronic daily headache pain for me (plus depression and anxiety- bonus).
ReplyDeleteBoth of us, sometimes on the same day, have been on both sides of this conversation. It's true. It's not fair. Any of it.
Reminds me of how very, very grateful I am for my husband, who married me without knowing I'd one day be in chronic pain and who has not changed one iota toward me.
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