Perversion the Social Relation

IO2Nina Schwartz"Why?""Because he always seems different when you're around.""In what way?""Tense.""Is that bad?"[half-laughing] "Well, I don't really like to feel tense around myfriends.""Well, sure, I didn't like to feel tense around my friends when Iwas your age.""You do now?""It's not a question of liking it or not; it's just something thathappens. ... As you get older you become aware that the peopleyou meet and the person you are are carrying a certain amount ofbaggage, and that baggage creates tension.""So what do you do about it?""Well, you can pretend it's not there, or you can choose notto have friends, or you can acknowledge that it's there and havefriends anyway."[reflective pause] "I don't think I like my Dad when he's aroundyou.""Hmm, well that's because your dad doesn't like himself whenhe's around me. But that's ok; that's part of what friends do to oneanother."In this simultaneously moving and hilarious conversation, played absolutelystraight, Francis tries his best to be the good father that wesee throughout the film he most wants to be. But this impulse comesinto conflict with his reliance on Tracey's innocence. He tries to answerTracey's difEcult questions without either giving her more informationthan she should have or sacrificing the naivete that's necessary for hereffective participation in his ritual.Ultimately, however, Tracey proves able to break out of the dynamicin which she has until now been an unwitting participant. In a late scenein which Francis drives her home after having been beaten up by Eric,Tracey expresses concern over Francis's condition. He deflects her apprehensionby asking "You worry about me, don't you?" as if to implythat she needn't. Tracey replies irritatedly, "You think [what we do] isnormal?" When Francis feigns confusion, asking "What do we do?"