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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To find this so cringeworthy?

570 replies

Bpuss · 25/11/2024 07:29

(I realise using the word cringeworthy is a bit cringeworthy in itself, but here we are...)

Literally posting this so I don't end up telling him what I'm thinking!

I've been seeing a guy off and on for a year and he's a lovely person, but keeps coming out with things that just make me die a little inside.

The latest one is he went to the cinema with his friends last night to see Wicked.
He has this habit of messaging me after he's seen a film to let me know how he found it and the message last night read "It had greatest showman vibes, and the hallmarks of a classic". I almost, almost... replied with a bunch of laughy faces and told him to stop talking like a dick but I thought I should try and be kind so I just said something about being glad he likes it.

But I've never heard anyone in real life use the phrase "hallmarks of a classic" to describe a film, let alone something like Wicked?!

He also uses the word belly for his stomach...

I like him, but omg I cringe so hard sometimes at his choice of words!

OP posts:
cardibach · 25/11/2024 11:08

Words · 25/11/2024 10:12

Well done for using cringeworthy OP rather than the cringeworthy ´cringe' - which is a verb.

No clue about the film though. I thought it was for children ?

You thought wrong. It's based on a musical which was based in a book for adults.

cardibach · 25/11/2024 11:07

BobbyBiscuits · 25/11/2024 10:07

Just the pure fact he went to the cinema with his mates to see Wicked would send me into red flag overdrive. Why is he into films aimed at female children? His earnest critique doesn't do him any favours either but it's more that he went to it at all that bothers me!
I do say 'belly' sometimes for stomach. 'tummy' would be even more cringe surely, coming from a bloke? But yeah, he sounds excruciating. And just not sexy at all.

It's not a film for female children, so you do t need to wave your red flag.
What a ridiculous thing to say.

cardibach · 25/11/2024 11:05

anythinginapinch · 25/11/2024 09:59

I think I understand, OP.

His message was pretentious, inaccurate, and empty of any real thought or insight.

And your concern is that, were you to live together, it would become increasingly clear that he is a pretentious, vacuous and self-blind man.

Words matter. They are one of our primary means of sharing who we are to another person. The picture his use of words is starting to paint for you of who he is, is a picture not to your liking.

Inaccurate? It was his opinion. How's it inaccurate?
It may be a tad pretentious but it's quite hard to be subtle and detailed in a short text.

Devonshiregal · 25/11/2024 11:03

Oreyt · 25/11/2024 07:32

How old is he? My husband wouldn't even see it if our girls 12 and 14 begged him.

That’s sad. Does he also turn them down when they want to paint his nails because it’s “for girls”? What a gent.

cardibach · 25/11/2024 11:03

Julie168 · 25/11/2024 09:42

I'd have to reply with 'Hall mark of a classic? Wicked? You're hilarious 😂😂😂. Then see how he responds - that will tell you everything IMO. If he takes it with good humour then I'd say he's a keeper. If he gets all defensive and cross and starts asking you what you mean then I'd call it a day.

If you're going to cope with someone so pretentious then they need to be able to take a bit of ribbing IMO.

You don't think it's a classic then? Have you seen it to form this view (I haven't, so I do t know). Perhaps if the OP were to ask why he thinks that she could have an interesting discussion, instead of dismissing a short text which obviously can't include all his opinions.

TriesNotToBeCynical · 25/11/2024 11:02

Pluvia · 25/11/2024 10:49

No, not necessarily. Obviously if s/he's the kind of adult who's into beer and football that'll be what s/he talks about, and as I'm not into beer or football s/he won't be the kind of adult I want to spend time with.

I look for people who are intelligent, articulate and have some critical faculties. They can see Wicked and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (also a film about young women and society's expectations) and they can explain in detail about why they preferred one over the other. I enjoy discussing films, theatre, books, opera and music. I don't have to agree with peoples' opinions to find them interesting, but they have to have something interesting and thought-provoking to say, and they have to be able to express their ideas well enough for me to understand the nuances. OP's BF has neither skill: no acuity of thought or analysis, nor an interesting and original way with words. So, nice guy that he may be, I wouldn't be expecting us to be friends.

As for those who think what he wrote to her is insightful and eloquent... raise your bar.

ISWYM, but this was a quick message. We don't know if they've actually discussed the film in a considered way. Ok, if I wrote that message it would be ironic; perhaps you're right.

Pluvia · 25/11/2024 11:02

SleepyHippy3 · 25/11/2024 10:49

Of course the content matters. You can’t make a specific comment, in this case, in regards to something, that you haven’t even had a brief look at/looked up, or understanding the basic premise. It’s like if someone went to the cinema to watch George Orwell’s Animal Farm, then other people having a go at them for going to see a film for children - simply basing that assumption on the title of the book/film and therefore it’s presumed audience. Animal Farm could also be described as a fantasy fairytale.

No, anyone who's read Animal Farm would know it's an allegorical satire on Stalin's Russia. Anyone who hasn't read Animal Farm and thinks it's a children's book is just someone who doesn't know.

Animal Farm isn't a fairytale, it's very firmly rooted in the reality of soviet politics. It's also part of a long tradition of Beast Tales that go back to Chaucer and beyond, explaining human behaviour through tales about animals.

AF (published in 1945, just as the WW2 ended and the future of Russia/ the Soviet Union was a huge concern in Western Europe) was making some very grown-up political points about totalitarian regimes. It shines a light on the hypocrisy and awfulness of the communist system which had led to 20+ million Russian deaths during the war. What political/ contemporary world view does Wicked explore?

teatoast8 · 25/11/2024 11:01

Nothing wrong with saying belly

LostTheMarble · 25/11/2024 11:01

Nothing wrong with a man liking musicals, but I do get the ‘ick’ about the language use. My ex talks like a Victorian who was public schooled at times. Not entirely his fault, definitely autistic and it’s a form of being hyper lexical and social communication difficulties. But it does grate, because it’s not a natural way of communicating and your brain can’t quite comprehend why.

MasterBeth · 25/11/2024 11:01

Bpuss · 25/11/2024 09:22

"I enjoyed the film" would have been fine...

It was just the cliche 'hallmarks of a classic" like that got me. I mean, I don't understand what he meant by that. I haven't seen the film but to me, classic has an incredible musical score, complex characters, that kind of thing. Wicked just seems like Hollywood fluff with a typically predictable plot so I also took issue with the comment for that reason too.

I don't understand exactly what he means by that, either. But I would ask him. Then you have an interesting conversation.

I should also say, I love people who have an opinion on things (films, TV, music etc) that's a bit more considered than "Great/rubbish" and I look down on people who can't articulate one. It's not 100% clear to me which he is, so I'd ask.

cardibach · 25/11/2024 11:00

Pluvia · 25/11/2024 09:29

Oh, he's got a little fantasy going that he's a film critic, hasn't he? I bet he writes reviews on IMDB and You Tube and it makes him feel important and authoritative.

The fact that he voluntarily paid to see Wicked and rated it would be it for me. No discerning, thoughtful adult would do that.

Well you sound nice.
You've invented a whole persona to denigrate which isn't evidenced in the OP at all.
Musicals may not be your thing, but thoughtful and intelligent adults might very well want to watch Wicked (not me as I object to them making two films out of it, not because I think it's beneath me)

ThisAquaCrow · 25/11/2024 10:56

Do the poor guy a favour and end the relationship. If you feel able to mock him like this, then there really won’t be a happy end to things.

cardibach · 25/11/2024 10:56

BackOnTheAntibiotics · 25/11/2024 09:21

Just had to Google Wicked and a bloke going to see that with his mates would give me the vomitorious ick. Sorry.

Could you explain why? I'm baffled.

beAsensible1 · 25/11/2024 10:56

i think he's doing a bit, as he's writing a review.

And honestly a lot of the reviews i've heard o the film have said the same thing.

It's his personality and he's trying to build a little special routine that you guys have. I don't think you like him so it doesn't work. If you did then it would.

you're just incompatible.

Over40Overdating · 25/11/2024 10:54

babyproblems · 25/11/2024 08:21

Agree it’s cringe. Would put me right off.. does he ever show his more masculine side. If not I’d be running x

According to the some boards on here, trans people are just confused attention seekers for overly identifying with masculine or feminine traits because gender stereotyping is offensive, yet here we have someone essentially saying a man watching a musical is not masculine and unless he shows his masculine side (no clues given how, because we all should just know what being a macho man means?), the OP should run away from him. Persumably because watching wicked and using words to express himself makes him gay or a girly man?

Did I wake up on November 24 1954?

And if anything is cringeworthy it’s adding x to the end of posts on a random forum.

SleepyHippy3 · 25/11/2024 10:53

BobbyBiscuits · 25/11/2024 10:28

@SleepyHippy3 well I wouldn't be dating a man that attended the musical either! I'm not into stuff like that so if someone was then we would almost certainly have not much in common. If I loved Wicked then I'd be happy if my man also liked it.

And that’s fine, but you made comments, about the film, and what you presumed is its target audience, without knowing anything about what the film is about, and its premise.

cardibach · 25/11/2024 10:53

@Bpuss you have some odd issues. Why shouldn't adults watch U films? The classification simply
Means there's nothing inappropriate for young children. Do you really think adults absolutely couldn't enjoy something unless it contained sex, violence and swearing?

Elphamouche · 25/11/2024 10:52

What? Is this for real? Theres nothing wrong with him.

And for those assuming he’s gay because he wants to see Wicked, I hate to shock you but some straight men like musical theatre too!

Pluvia · 25/11/2024 10:49

TriesNotToBeCynical · 25/11/2024 10:30

When you say "grown up", do you mean someone who knows how to talk about football and drink lots of beer?

No, not necessarily. Obviously if s/he's the kind of adult who's into beer and football that'll be what s/he talks about, and as I'm not into beer or football s/he won't be the kind of adult I want to spend time with.

I look for people who are intelligent, articulate and have some critical faculties. They can see Wicked and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (also a film about young women and society's expectations) and they can explain in detail about why they preferred one over the other. I enjoy discussing films, theatre, books, opera and music. I don't have to agree with peoples' opinions to find them interesting, but they have to have something interesting and thought-provoking to say, and they have to be able to express their ideas well enough for me to understand the nuances. OP's BF has neither skill: no acuity of thought or analysis, nor an interesting and original way with words. So, nice guy that he may be, I wouldn't be expecting us to be friends.

As for those who think what he wrote to her is insightful and eloquent... raise your bar.

SleepyHippy3 · 25/11/2024 10:49

BackOnTheAntibiotics · 25/11/2024 10:33

It doesn't matter the content. It's a 'fantasy fairytale'. It self describes as such.

Of course the content matters. You can’t make a specific comment, in this case, in regards to something, that you haven’t even had a brief look at/looked up, or understanding the basic premise. It’s like if someone went to the cinema to watch George Orwell’s Animal Farm, then other people having a go at them for going to see a film for children - simply basing that assumption on the title of the book/film and therefore it’s presumed audience. Animal Farm could also be described as a fantasy fairytale.

cardibach · 25/11/2024 10:49

@Screamingabdabz you think a man wanting to watch a musical just because he fancied it would be gay? What an odd and blinkered opinion. Yes, musical theatre probably attracts an above average number of gay men, but I can assure you that many, many straight ones enjoy it both as performers (pro and amateur) and viewers.

CheeseNBeans · 25/11/2024 10:48

CountZacular · 25/11/2024 10:39

I think it’s really hard to hold some moral high ground that OP can’t have an opinion on an anonymous man she’s dating because ‘people have shitload of problems’ and then reply half a dozen times calling OP pathetic.

But OP does sound pretty pathetic. Reverse the roles and it would be collective outrage! If OP is allowed to shit on someone for no reason, I have no issue with the previous poster calling her pathetic! Don't dish out nastiness if you can't take it.

Julianne65 · 25/11/2024 10:48

I don’t think he’s done anything cringe. He sounds great. And Wicked was brilliant! I loved it. It’s great he was comfortable enough in himself to say that as so many men I know wouldn’t even dare set foot in the cinema to see it. He sounds really lovely.

Starlight7080 · 25/11/2024 10:48

I think he sounds nice. How should he talk?
You sound very judgemental.

CountZacular · 25/11/2024 10:48

Respectisnotoptional · 25/11/2024 10:35

How ridiculous, I’d be really pleased that he can string several words together and make a sensible comment, at least he shows he actually has a brain, has intelligence and knows how to use it. He is a man capable of being creative in his thinking, a rare find these days with so much slovenly speech about.
I think it’s you who is sadly lacking OP.
As for belly, what’s wrong with that, give your head a wobble and stop being ridiculous!

I find this comment so bizarre. He’s copy-pasted a clichéd response and apparently that means he can ‘string several words together and make a sensible comment’ (what’s sensible about it?), ‘has intelligence and knows how to use it’ (how does that comment indicate intelligence?), ‘capable of being creative in his thinking’ (by using a clichéd phrase and not sharing his own opinion).

I mean come on, how low is the bar? He said precisely nothing about what he thinks of the film. That is what is cringeworthy.

And unless the OP properly has the ick, I don’t think it’s anything to break up over. Especially if he’s otherwise decent. It would be easy enough to just ask “oh, how so?” And encourage a little bit of thought and insight.

But this is honestly ridiculous. The absolute pandering over a man who has rehashed a common review trope is absurd.