I think Libby Potthast sometimes wears rose-colored glasses, looking for the best in a husband, Andrei Castravet, who often treats her badly. Many people in relationships put up with more than they should. In matters of love, it's a fine line between committing and being a doormat. While I respect Libby and feel that she is a fundamentally good person who may have depended too much on her family for money and employment, I don't always trust Andrei.
It depends on me
The difference in the clothes she wears
Until me, change has come
She's Under My Control (Under My Thumb, The Rolling Stones)
The thing is, I actually think Andrei loves Libby. It's just that he's a hothead. Sometimes he can't help but panic, and when that happens, he can really hurt his wife. It reminds me of that Rolling Stones song, Under my thumbwhen Mick Jagger boasts about having tamed a previously more independent woman. I don't want Libby to live with the kind of rudeness and sexism I saw on screen.
Is Andrei just pretending to reform?
He can be mean and rude behind the scenes
For years, Andrei has taught the men of the world lessons, showing them how NOT to treat a woman. Whether he's rudely ordering the long-suffering Libby to “listen carefully,” cursing her in her native language, or isolating her from her own family, which he describes as a “cult,” he's so “out there.” The fact that he does these things while the cameras are rolling is actually a little disturbing.
Of course, Andrei is as crazy as a fox, as the saying goes. He's more than smart enough to know that his continued fame is tied to acting. Behaving badly is your personal brand. Thanks to physical fights with Libby's brother Charlie Potthast, using her father Chuck Potthast (who was treated like a human ATM) and bossing her around, he became a villain. He is rewarded with influence and fame, so perhaps he has no problem with what he does.
I think Andrei built a very good life in the United States of America. He can enjoy frequent training – he can go on vacation. He can pose for family portraits “happier than ever” with Libby and their two children, showing the world that he has made it. Andrei has an ego, but most people do. That's not why I have a problem with him. I just worry that Libby will be criticized a lot and internalize a lot of pain.
Libby is a strong woman. She gave birth to two babies – she raises them. She records lullabies. Libby has worked in the property management business for years. She is a reality star. She's more than Andrei's wife, and I don't want her to feel like she has to do everything he says. Obviously, she's been madly in love with this guy since day one. Perhaps, from time to time, she gets lost and feels a sense of emptiness. This is what happens when a person lives with a cruel partner.
What is most worrying about Andrei is that he is hot and cold. I think when he's happy, he's probably the most loving and passionate partner there is. He probably loves Libby bombs like no one else, but when the rain comes down, he can be a nightmare. If life gets hard, Andrei can lash out, saying mean things that Libby will never forget no matter how hard she tries. If this is the case, she is experiencing a “heaven and hell” dynamic that may be taking its toll.