by katha » Aug 6th, '10, 11:06
Only my second post, so sorry for getting into this out of nowhere...
This is IMO perhaps the best song on the album and I was scared what the video would be like, since they obviously rushed it. I agree that it's a shame that Not Afraid got better treatment even though it's a weaker song, but they seem to have been surprised what a hit LTWYL instantly was.
I think were it gets sketchy is the aesthetics, it's too generic in style and that cornfield thing is a headscratcher. And some of it is laughably overacted. But I disagree with that EW article that it glamourizes DV, or makes it seem awesome. It shows sexualized violence and a cycle of making up and fighting. Yes, she gets a punch in, but IMO it's always clear that he can overpower her if he chooses to do so. And in the last verse he attacks her unprovoked.
As for why she doesn't leave him in the end or it ending in murder/murder-suicide...I guess it's the addictive "round and round" of dysfunctional and abusive relationships. She will stay and the dynamic will continue and presumably spiral more and more out of control.
It's got murky execution in places, but I didn't think that the relationship was portrayed as in any way healthy or "awesome".