That part about the dad driving away is heartbreaking. Sadly, there are men out there that actually do that to their children. I don't see how they sleep at night. My daughter's dad never even bothered to be a part of her life. He left when I was pregnant with her.his family did the same thinghis mother made the comment.."I already have enough grandchildren..I don't need anymore"..People can be downright mean and heartless!

They were childhood sweethearts from high school, and Birdie was likely very nave and blind when it came to him, and only saw what she wanted to see, which was a hero who was taking her out of that town, and away from her embarrassing mother.
As the years passed by, she grew up, and began to see him as he really was, but by then, she likely tried to overlook it, deciding that since he was her husband now, she should try to make the best of things. Also, I have a feeling she still kept the blinders on, and again, only saw what she wanted to see.
So, until she was forced to take the blinders off when confronted by her supposed "best friend," she lived a life she'd built for herself, and tried to convince herself that she loved her husband. Once things came to light though, she was finally free to live her life for herself and her daughter, and no longer had to deal with her husband who wasn't the good man and hero she'd built him up to be.

Agree to you.The whole thing about Bill's character was weird.On the one side,he seems to be the love of her life,but on the other side,he's such a terrible guy..I wished,there would be more 'backround' infos about Birdee and Bill and their common life.

Yes. very very sad.
But one odd thing about that: If the Bill Pruitt character was THAT evil, what did Birdie EVER see in him? It makes things inconsistent. No one could love a guy like that.

I forgot to mention the scene where Birdee is crying in the bathroom, talking to her mom, after her night of drinking!
Told ya I cried through the whole movie.

I remember a friend let me borrow this movie the first time I watched it and I "hated" her for it because I felt like I cried through the whole movie!
Not 10 minutes into the movie when Bernice is in the front row of the show crying her eyes out had me crying too.
Then when her Birdee's mother dies because I'm super close to my mom and it just stabbed me in the heart!
Then when Birdee goes through her mom's closet to find a dress
Oh! When Travis takes his grandmother's picture at the church
The scene with Travis and Justin on the porch
And of course when Bernice is running out chasing her Dad telling him he "wants her?" OUCH! SOB, SOB, SOB!

I totally agree with you. I cry everytime that scene is on. I actually read somewhere that in the original screenplay that Sandra was supposed to stay on the porch for the remander of that scene, and it was supposed to end with Mae crying in front of the house. But when they were shooting that scene, it was said that Sandra was so moved and affected by Mae's performance that she started to cry herself and went to pick her up, it was said that Sandra commented that she couldn't just watch that little girl cry, she just had to go pick her up.

I LOVE IT. I HATE THAT KID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Never engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent.

I have to agree that scene made my eyes water. And when the mom died. But the tears actaully started coming out when Birdie was looking in her mom's closet and she just started crying into her mom's shirt. That broke my heart =[.

That was heartbreaking and I have to admit I got a little teary during that scene too.

You might want to look up the difference between "ball" (especially the slang meanings) and "bawl".

Yep. For me, the saddest scene was when Bernice tries to go with her father and he rejects her. It reminds me how bad my own father was. He divorced my mother, but he threw me away.
I cry every time I watch that scene. How hard she cries in public in that scene is how I felt growing up. I never cried over him in public, just alone in my room because I didn't want people knowing how much he hurt me. But by the time I was fifteen, I'd stopped crying from hurt. The hurt turned into anger, and now I simply hate him.

That's how I felt! I wasn't sad for her when her dad drove away like the jerk he was. I thought it was exactly what she deserved!

I can see how people take Birneise to come off as a brat. But you have to realize that shes a little child that has been taken away from her daddy. She doesn't comprehend to the extent (we do) of the situation. She isn't happy there, she has a bully. Her mom took her from her daddy and now her mother is talking to another man.
All true, but the character became so annoying that it was good to see her get a harsh dose of reality shoved in her face, not that I agree with the father's actions, of course. But hey, sometimes we need sucky things to happen to us to help us grow up a little.
It's a shame God didn't make blueprints. They'd be worth a lot of money now.

I can see how people take Birneise to come off as a brat. But you have to realize that shes a little child that has been taken away from her daddy. She doesnt comprehend to the extent (we do) of the situation. She isint happy there, she has a bully. Her mom took her from her daddy and now her mother is talking to another man. You love every character in this movie and you can see why they are the way they are. Like when Birneise got the phone call from her father and Birdie was sitting at the table expecting he would want to speak to her. Basically he made her feel like sh*t that he can throw away her and their daughter so easily and not fight for them. For example when Birdie was making the point to Bill "wife gone check, daughter gone check check"

The one for me would be the one where Justin is sitting with Travis and they were discussing the "telegram" and Justin says what do you want to do.. go for a walk or something.. and Travis says don't you want to go inside and talk to Aunt Birdie.. Justin says.. Don't you know I came here to see you I BALL MY EYES OUT EVERYTIME!!!

spoiler
I was watching it again this morning and I can definitely see your prospective. I was thinking about how rude and just plain nasty Bernice was behaving toward Birdee. In fact, she was a bit mouthy and rude to almost all of the adults, including her grandfather who was ill. Remember the scene when Birdee and Bill were trying to have an adult conversation? They had to tell her over and over again to go outside while they talk and I was thinking how uncalled for that was especially when she told Birdee not too mess it up or something to that effect.
You must do the thing you think you cannot do. Eleanor Roosevelt

This might sound different or "wrong" for a lot of people, but the scenes that hit me hardest were watching the way Bernice treated her mom.
My dad had a cuople daughters from a previous marriage, and I remember growing up and seeing them beat him down and treat him like crap because of the things their mom told them. Years later they've found out that it was all a crock, he never did anyhting but try his best to be there for them and they still treat him badly despite knowing the truth.
So, call it a different perspective, but I felt sorry for birdie a lot of the time, beyond just waht her husband did to her.

There were a lot of scenes that had me crying but that one really got to me! It bothers me to see any child rejected by his or her parent and you're right. There are far too many parents like that in the world.
You must do the thing you think you cannot do. Eleanor Roosevelt

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My Dad left us and I am one of four..he now lives abroad..
The first time he left my sister was exactly like little Bernice, screaming, begging her Daddy not to go, then my brothers used to do it
The really sad thing is, you get used to the leaving even though it breaks your heart every time they go and it's horrible having to watch small kids have to try and understand the reasoning behind such actions
Now we are older it's just my youngest brother who gets upset but I wish I could comfort him..but every time he leaves us it's like trying to heal a new wound over an old scar..all over again.
The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all

Saw this again today and still cried at that scene. I also found the scene with Travis on the porch after his grandmother's death deeply touching. Both of these children feel lost in the world, one for lack of normalcy, the other for lack of a constant parent. I really thought HRjr hit it out of the park during this scene on the porch. Great work indeed.
http://suggestamovie.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=84

The beginning was also sad when they had then on that dumbass show airing their dirty laundrey and there was Bearnica on row 1 watching, crying her eyes out. Studio folks shoould move the kids out on shows like that, but no, they love the rateing!! Sad scene though.

The other scene I found very sad (aside from those mentioned), was the scene where Birdie goes through her mother's wardrobe, finds the black dress and then takes a big, face-in-the-dress breath then breaks down crying. I find that scene really, really sad.