While I'm certainly late to the Acrimony party—about eight years, in fact—I can see why there was such a hubbub about this movie and how it ended, when it was first released.
The story of Robert and Melinda is a lesson to everyone, myself inclusive, of the consequences of actions, and how it's important to treat people the way we want to be treated.
On a rainy day, in a college dorm, fate brings gifted, charming Robert and young, fiery Melinda together, whereafter they become friends, and then lovers.
But all is not as well as it seems. A relationship propped up by the bank account of one party is only destined to end one way, especially when the other party contributes little to the running of the household.
Feelings of ill will soon turn into resentment, and things devolve even further, into a whirlwind of life-defining events that will shape both their futures.
It's impossible to fully assess the blockbuster ending to Robert and Melinda's tale without appreciating the manner in which it began. Their union began on an uneven basis, emotionally and financially, setting the tone for the rest of their lives, as well as the tragedy it culminated it.
Whether or not Robert loved Melinda genuinely from the start hardly mattered. Before the end, Melinda had regrets and was of the opinion that he was a con man all along. This opinion shaped the initial narrative, as Robert was depicted as a gold-digger intent on using Melinda for his own ends.
Indeed, his actions at the time did nothing to disprove this fact. With each sly scheme, his skilful manipulation became more apparent, even as Melinda continued to ignore the voice in her head that things wouldn't end well.
Her acts of largesse and willingness to forgive only set the tone for the resentment that set in much further down the line. And, the disaster that occurred at the end was not exclusively a function of an unfortunate twist by fate's dealing hand, but a result that was years in the making.
The stunning conclusion to Acrimony had viewers furiously debating who was ultimately to blame. Was it Robert, with his scheming ways? Or was it Melinda, who refused to let bygones be bygones, after unwittingly compelling him to sign her life's dreams away on a piece of paper?
Deeper introspection reveals that it's hardly a case of black or white.
Questions must be asked of Robert, who never really showed Melinda the love and affection she deserved, especially after her funds ran dry.
Most audiences were understandably quick to judge him based on his one-time infidelity. But even his return to faithful ways, whether you see it as purported or apparent, hardly absolved him of his share of responsibility for the disaster that occurred at the end.
That he ultimately proved to have learned his lesson from cheating did not keep him from trying to help out Melinda after they fell on hard times. Even if we didn't see many of those scenes in Acrimony, it is telling that a significant chunk of the resentment Melinda felt at the end stemmed not from distrust but from how his affection dwindled throughout the years.
There are many ways to show love to a partner. Not cheating on them is one. However, helping them out with day-to-day life activities is another. Both are essential. Robert failed woefully at one of them, while only barely passing the other.
Who would blame Melinda? She lost her entire inheritance, her ability to bear children, and finally her dignity.
Which woman would act otherwise in her scenario, after being subjected to that kind of treatment for nearly twenty years?
Alas, fate was cruel to her. She never really let go of Robert's initial crime, but even that in itself was further fuelled by his emotional detachment over the years. Perhaps, if Robert had gotten a regular job and helped out from time to time, the pent-up resentment would have been less, and made her more willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, especially seeing as it had been so many years, and the evidence of cheating wasn't so obvious.
But such wounds never fully heal. There's always some part of you that wonders whether you're being played the fool a second time. And, when the road has been as rough as Melinda's and Robert's were, feelings of acrimony can make it nearly impossible to see the truth or reason.
For Melinda, the biggest loss was not money, or her fertility, or even the years of hurt. Rather, it was seeing her dream life with Robert, everything she'd given up her very being for, being lived out by another woman.
We are not privy to the exact amount of time it took Robert to move on with another woman, but it could be said to have been a few months at best.
From the high-rise apartment to the aptly named yacht, we see that Robert's promises truly were a set of fixed dreams that could be swapped based on who he was with at the time. More than anything, this act is the strongest case against Robert, proving that he only stayed with her all along out of a sense of duty, rather than any special love for her.
Indeed, his quickness to "buy" her forgiveness after finally hitting the jackpot was a huge indicator that, for him, it was only about "repaying" a benefactor.
The story of Robert and Melinda is a great lesson for everyone. Acrimony is a reminder of the far-reaching consequences of today's actions, and the strange and unfair hand that fate sometimes deals us.
While we don't always get what we deserve in a lifetime, the least we can do is ensure that in the pursuit of our dreams, we do not hurt others, especially those who have given up so much for us.
