I didn't particularly like any of the characters, but she was just a monster. That whole conversation in the cafeteria--would anyone actually do that? Just basically deadpan "You're a Jew, and you're responsible for your brother's death"? Wow. Someone had a major grudge against his ex-mother in law.
shareShe was horrible---but that was some first rate acting.
She was just one of the less than lovable characters and she was just one of the fine actors in this film.
I had no trouble believing any of the characters.
I don't know, I know a lot of Jewish people who would never marry a Christian; too many conflicting views on life. I suppose there are also an equal number of Christians who think marrying a Jew is asking for trouble. What's wrong with that view if it turns out to be right most of the time? Conversely, I know many people who are "post theist" in that they don't let anyone else's hang ups about religion effect their world view, which is untainted by ancient religious beliefs, you know, the kind that cause blood feuds and all that. But then, these enlightened people are neither Jewish or Christian, nor are they atheist or agnostic, they are post theist; religion is a non factor. It's not unnoticed that her mother, the most anti semitic person in the story, is old and about to die, like most of her ilk; natural selection marches on.
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Aloha!
Just watched this film on IFC and really enjoyed it.
The mother (who used to be a regular on the old sitcom "Wings") did a particularly great job - on one hand a truly horrible, racist woman who didn't or couldn't stand up for herself or her daughters as they were physically abused.
On the other hand, we see a woman slipping slowly into the grips of Alzheimer's disease - which can bring out some pretty nasty character traits.
Quite a multi-layered performance - I didn't like her, but I felt bad for her.
Excellent acting by the leads in this film - wonderful little film.
I didn't feel bad for her one bit. It only goes to show that racism, cruelty, and awful behavior survive Alzheimers. She was a terrible mother when her kids were growing up and you gotta know that that little outburst in the cafeteria wasn't her first. She'd been saying that to Nicole about her husband from day one of their marriage. This is the first character in a movie that I've truly hated in a long time.
A heart can be broken, but it still keeps a-beatin' just the same.