I enjoyed this film. Jennifer Lopez was the weak link for me, but it was ok besides that.
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — An Unfinished Life
Luxn — 12 years ago(September 07, 2013 05:19 PM)
I enjoyed this film. Jennifer Lopez was the weak link for me, but it was ok besides that.
The one unresolved issue for me was the woman's bad choices and how they affected her daughter. Even when she was supposed to be providing stability for her daughter, she finds a new squeeze and does not really seem to care whether her daughter likes it or not. Her character made one bad choice after another following her husband's death (maybe punishing herself?) and they affected her daughter badly. The kid tries to get her mother to understand, but we never really have that moment when the mother 'gets' what she has done. No, it's all forgiven and forgotten, and her life is sorted out for her - by men (not very empowering for a victim of domestic violence) and she goes straight from her last relationship into another, full throttle, no lessons learned.
I know we are supposed to think that her leaving the abusive ex is the start of her metamorphosis but, judging by how quickly she hooked up with the sheriff, her attitude regarding needing a man in her life hasn't changed.
I just don't get the point of her role in this story. It would have worked just as well if she'd dumped the kid at the ranch at the start of the movie and had never been heard of again. -
summeriris — 11 years ago(October 28, 2014 01:36 PM)
The character loved her daughter, her daughter loved her. And she stopped making mistakes. She took her daughter to a safe home and worked hard to provide for her daughter. And I think getting beat up regularly is paying hard for a mistake.
I am the Queen of Snark, TStopped said so.
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JohnnyWeissmuller — 11 years ago(October 30, 2014 01:43 PM)
I think that Lopez' character, Jean, saw safety in the sheriff, and because of that, and the want for love, affection, and sex that we all have, she made what was probably an easy choice. Her character was loving and smart, but made poor choices in life that happens, and in the context of this movie, her realisation, or wake-up call, came at the end of another beating. Moving away from a domineering and abusive relationship isn't easily done; Lopez's character lived in fear and the shadow of such remained over her throughout the story. Whilst the idea of her having to pay for some very real, very human mistakes, doesn't sit right with me, because making a mistake doesn't always put somebody in the wrong. Especially at an abusive hand. She suffered enough, needed to make a new and better life, and was entitled to do so.
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