I wasn't sure whether to put this in Writing Tips, Ask An Expert, or The Lounge...apologies if I have placed it wrongly.
Something’s been bothering me for a while now. It’s regarding a movie I watched some time ago; the main character’s wife had died a year and a half earlier. They had two children together, and it was obvious that he missed her quite badly.
The story was a customary apocalyptic drama, and the MC was a key factor in whether or not Earth survived.
However, early on in the film, he was reunited with an old colleague, who was also trying to save the planet. It was quite obvious that they’d had a relationship in the past.
During the suspense and action of the main plot, their romance is rekindled.
When the dramatic and emotional plot-climax rolled around, I was so disgusted with both of them that I didn’t give a damn whether the MC lived or died (not to mention the fact that they were both incredibly flat characters).
The movie spans maybe two or three days. By the end of it, the MC and his old flame are basically living happily ever after. The kids are willing to accept this woman as their new mother. The MC is blissful.
From the standpoint of a viewer, a writer, and a human being, I felt that he forgot about his deceased wife a little too quickly.
I've been debating this a bit with one of my own stories where the MC's lover dies, and I have to decide where she goes from there.
So my question is this: is it okay for a character to find love so quickly and completely after the death of their beloved? Or do you risk alienating the reader/viewer?
(I hope this made sense...it's 2:30 AM right now, and I'm a bit tired.)
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