# Why was "Life of David Gale" panned so thoroughly? (SPOILERS) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513 "2003-09-09T13:42:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513/41 "2003-09-15T20:28:48Z")
**lissener** , isn’t that exactly what **Isabelle** and **Chefguy** were saying? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513/42 "2003-09-15T20:30:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lissener \* > \*\*Um . . . I knew the car was gonna give out way before you guys did, because, um, in the opening scene? the car? it breaks down. \*\* You just have to believe that the director decided that such a cheesy plot device needed to be defused with a pre-emptive scene in order to stave off the universal scorn of the critics. I ain’t buying it. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513/43 "2003-09-15T20:37:10Z")
I did think it was cool that Kate lost her accent. Makes me wonder why she doesn’t speak without it all the time. Is sounds so…American \ ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513/44 "2003-09-15T20:47:20Z")
“Bitsy.” Stupid name, stupid character. Hey, maybe they gave her that name on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513/45 "2003-09-15T20:57:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Algernon \* > \*\ ***lissener** , isn’t that exactly what **Isabelle** and **Chefguy** were saying? \*\* They mentioned the flashing dashlight that comes later in the film (in flashback; the film’s structure is basically: Chapter Y, Chapter A, Chapter B . . . . Chapter Z). ---
**Author:** ![Breezy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Breezy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breezy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513/46 "2003-10-07T19:44:14Z")
Here’s my one thought. Why would David’s ex-wife feel bad about the whole post-card-at-the-end-of-the-movie-thing? He STILL slept with Berlin. That’s STILL grounds for divorce, and would STILL flush his career down the toilet. I mean, he was DID sleep with a student. A student that he’d just had suspended for coming on to him. It wouldn’t have the exact same horrible ramifications as the rape accusation would, but it still doesn’t look good for him. Anyway, I thought it was a good movie, besides just that one thing. The twist surprised me, I was wondering if the cowboy was in on it with David’s ex wife. haha ONE QUICK QUESTION: What was in the tourist bag that was left at her apartment with the money? I didn’t catch on to what that was. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513/47 "2003-10-07T19:54:08Z")
> [@](#): > > He STILL slept with Berlin. That’s STILL grounds for divorce, and would STILL flush his career down the toilet. The postcard was to prove that berlin would do **anthing** That was Gayle’s proof to his wife that he did NOT rape her. Afterall she would do anything. As far as the toursit bag. There was money left. That is all I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513/48 "2003-10-07T20:44:21Z")
One other thing **Breezy** , Berlin was not “a student that he’d just had suspended for coming on to [Gale].” She was suspended for poor grades. He tells her at the party that he didn’t even know she had been suspended when she came on to him. BTW, apropos of nothing, “Breezy” is the nickname of my daughter, so seeing your username makes me smile. ---
**Author:** ![peri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/67e7ee/32.png) [@peri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peri)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513/49 "2003-10-07T20:46:41Z")
**Breezy** , Gale’s wife was already having an affair of her own (in Spain) at the time Gale and Berlin had sex. (Berlin was no longer his student at this point.) He knew, she knew he knew. I doubt his having a fling would cause her to initiate a divorce. Berlin was not expelled because she came on to him, she was expelled for academic performance. She was a poor student in more than one course. ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513/50 "2003-10-07T21:00:32Z")
Lissener was being sarcastic folks. The opening scene foreshadows later events but it also makes you think you’re watching a victim trying to escape from some unseen predator. Great storytelling device. I don’t think the premise of someone giving their life for a cause is at all implausible. Happens everyday somewhere in the world. Just because you wouldn’t do it doesn’t mean somebody else might. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-life-of-david-gale-panned-so-thoroughly-spoilers/200513.md?page=2)