Reaction to Movie 'Why Did I Get Married?'

Why Mike and Sheila Became Unmarried in Why Did I Get Married?

From the very beginning of the movie Why Did I Get Married? the viewer gets the sense that all is not right with the characters Sheila and Mike, when one of the students of Patricia, the psychologist and author of the book with the same name as the movie, asks if the couple is still together.  When Patricia replies that yes, they are still married, the student responds with another question, “But are they happy?”

It is not until the viewer meets the couple Sheila and Mike that the picture becomes clearer that they in fact are not happy.  Their unhappiness appears to be rooted in the fact that Mike is a narcissist, as he demonstrates by his actions over and over again that he is "arrogant, self-absorbed, and for the most part, not terribly pleasant to be around," which is one of the ways that narcissists are described by editors Cupach and Spitzberg in The Dark Side of Close Relationships II. 

As we further explore the traits of a narcissist, it becomes obvious that the relationship of Mike and Sheila was likely doomed from the start.  Narcissists repeatedly demonstrate that they have a short attention span when it comes to relationships and “pay a great deal of attention to their relationship alternatives," constantly on the lookout for a better choice (Cupach and Spitzberg, 2011).  In Mike’s case, his current alternative apparently is Trina, which ultimately leads to the divorce of Mike and Sheila.

But even if Mike was not cheating with Trina, his narcissistic behavior toward his wife Sheila -- including hostility and verbal abuse -- likely would have eventually destroyed their marriage.  In addition, Mike is not only repulsed by Sheila’s excessive weight, but he also is repulsed by her kind personality that is so opposite of his, which is typical of narcissists, who prefer people to be more like them. 

Is it no wonder, then, why Mike and Sheila became unmarried in Why Did I Get Married? 

References

Cupach, W. R., & Spitzberg, B. H. (Eds.). (2011). The Dark Side of Close Relationships II. New York: Routledge.

Olson, L. N., Baiocchi-Wagner, E.A., Kratzer, M. W., & Symonds, S.E. (2012). The Dark Side of Family Communication. Cambridge: Polity.

Perry, Tyler (Producer & Director). (2007). Why Did I Get Married?  U.S.: Lionsgate.