join the club

[AliBadass]

In the movie ' The Lincoln Lawyer2011 ' the lawyer and his wife sitting outside of a bar talking about their little daughter that the lawyer had taken her to the movies the other day. Wife : I bet you didn't know 3D movies could be so much fun. Lawyer ( husband ) :The fun is watching her. Wife : Join the club. Lawyer : Right. Wife : Yeah.
What does his wife mean by saying " join the club " ?

 

[Garbo]

When the wife says "join the club," she is telling the husband that she also thinks that it is fun to watch the daughter.

The expression is used to imply that if you join the club, you agree with the opinion of the others in the club. A club is used figuratively here because a club is usually made up of a group of people who share a common belief or objective.

 

[redgiant]

Is this expression practically the same as "That makes two of us"?

 

[Garbo]

Is this expression practically the same as "That makes two of us"?

Yes! The only difference is the number of people who are in agreement.

 

[Edinburgher]

Is this expression practically the same as "That makes two of us"?

Not really, not two. I understand the "club", prior to it being joined by the husband, as not having had just the wife as a sole member, but as being the vast club of all parents who have experienced the joys of watching their children react to various stimuli. My guess is that this is the first time the husband (as a busy lawyer) has ever done any real parenting beyond the occasional goodnight kiss, the bulk of it having been done by the wife alone so far, perhaps assisted by a hired nanny.

 

[AliBadass]

Please explain more about the number of people, what's the difference?

 

[Garbo]

Join the club and that makes two of us can be used interchangeably. If you like cheese sandwiches and I find out, I could say "join the club" (of cheese sandwich lovers). I could also reply "that makes two of us."

However, join the club indicates that there are more than two people = cheese sandwich lovers could number hundreds, thousands, millions!

As Edinburgher points out, there is a subtle exchange whereby the wife MAY be hinting that it's about time the husband experiences the joys of parenting but we really don't know that.

I didn't see the movie so I can't say if that was the intent of the wife's remark. Regardless of her intention, "join the club" or "that makes two of us" would be correct.