MovieChat Forums > Junebug (2005) Discussion > About the mother....

About the mother....

posted 8 years ago by BelleDay
3 replies | jump to latest

I just re-watched Junebug last night.
In reading the threads on this Board, I noticed that there were no threads about the horrid mother.
Anyhow, were any other viewers disgusted by how the mother treated just about everybody (except maybe her favorite son George)?
The entire movie, the mother just went around putting everybody down, belittling people and making very obvious sarcastic and mean comments about everybody. She acted so superior and seemed to be looking down on people. She was the most "sour" character.

[–] jname967 8 years ago

I watched this movie many times, but it's been a while. I don't recall the mother being rude to Ashley. She playfully rolled her eyes at Ashley in the beginning of the movie, when Ashley was being too impatient and excited to see her new sister in law. But that was understandable; it was more facetious and good-humored of the mom.

Yes, she was overbearing—and not particularly warm towards the her new daugher in law. But everyone (except Ashley of course) was reserved around her, for obvious reasons—she was simply new.

In the end, the mom seemed to come around in her own ways: She clearly stated to the Madeline: "Don't worry about Ashley. She's a firecracker". That was a clear compliment and observation on Ashley's strengths.

Then, as someone else pointed out on these boards, opening my own eyes up: the seemingly offhand remark that the mom gives Madeline about George's driving games—"Watch out for George; he cheats"—was clearly a generous offering on her part, implying acceptance and allowing Madeline further into her circle.

Obviously, the mom wasn't a very warm, welcoming character. But she wasn't an all-out monster—just a familiar woman who isn't the perfect mother, but far from terrible too.

[–] ppllkk 8 years ago

jname967 wrote:

But she wasn't an all-out monster

You seem to just be looking at the movie, but there is a back story I don't think is very hard to understand if you have any familiarity with family dynamics.Johnny is completely different around his mother than he is at work. He is very hostile toward her.He is also extremely hostile toward his brother. Look at the expression on his face when George is singing in the church basement.George has not been home in three years, and he does not want to go home this time. Madeleine pushes him to do it.Neither of them like their mother. Why do you think that is the case? George survived as a child by hiding his feelings, and he is still doing so. He gave his mother what she wanted.Johnny grew up constantly being compared to his perfect older brotherI think the situation is clear.Eugene loves Peg, but he hides in the basement to not have to be near her.This is just not a happy, well-adjusted family.As a mother, Peg was a monster.

[–] ppllkk 8 years ago

BelleDay wrote:

Anyhow, were any other viewers disgusted by how the mother treated just about everybody (except maybe her favorite son George)?

I am thoroughly disgusted by Peg, and I believe I've expressed that quite clearly in what I've written about this movie.My understanding is that the people who made this movie don't see her as evil, and her husband loves her, but I think that she is a horror.Even George, clearly her favorite, doesn't like her and doesn't want to be around her. She claims to understand him as no one else could possibly do, but she doesn't actually understand him at all.She destroyed Johnny. I believe he grew up always being compared to his perfect older brother. And indeed, he couldn't compete. George is a lot brighter, and he is a lot better at doing what people want him to do. But it did not have to be a competition.I believe George understood early on that there was no way to fight his mother. So he gave her what she wanted and left for good as soon as he could. He does not have any illusions about her.It is late at night, and I would be happy to carry on this discussion later if you want to, but I see Peg as a monster. I expect that George will not go home again except for a funeral.As an example of just how dumb Peg is, her best chance to have George come home is to play nice with his wife and appeal to her as a woman. Instead, she systematically alienates Madeleine.