MovieChat Forums > The Christmas Card (2006) Discussion > Still living with mom and dad?

Still living with mom and dad?

posted 13 years ago by hollyjoy13
23 replies | jump to latest

I loved the movie. I just thought it was a little odd that Faith still lived with her parents. I'm not sure how old she is supposed to be but she looks like mid 30's. I'm not totally knocking it. I actually lived at home on and off until I was 27 for financial reasons. I had a room in the basement and my own entrance. I felt like a looser because I lived at home. I hated telling people. It was really weird explaining to dates so I usually just met them somewhere. In the movie though the family seemed extremely close so maybe that had something to do with it. Of course Faith and Cody wouldn't have gotten to know each other as well if she didn't. I just wondered if anyone else thought it was rather strange?

[–] jnwa3 13 years ago

I too loved the movie but I agree that Faith was a little long in the tooth to be living at home with mom and dad. She looked to be in her 30s but it worked since it was such a great story. Just would have loved the actress being a bit younger looking...at least looking in her mid 20s you know? Or perhaps having a reason for her living back at home for a while...

[–] kiss_of_buddha 13 years ago

Well, did you guys see how big that log house was? You could about get lost in it, ggg Since she worked in the family business and seemed to be very close to her parents, most likely an only child it did not strike me funny. Adult children living with their older parents who are not married is more common than you think these days. As for a younger actress to play Faith, at the time Alice was 35 and John was 41 in real life. So picking an actress in her 20's would have made Faith a little too young for Cody in my opinion.

[–] hollyjoy13 13 years ago

Yes, the house was huge! It was just never explained why she still lived with her folks. Seemed weird to me considering she was in her 30's...but yeah, they were really close so it worked. I wouldn't replace the actors at all. They had so much chemistry!I dunno, maybe it's more normal in small towns like that..

[–] tmo1909 13 years ago

No way I'd ever leave that house. It was going to be hers someday anyway...

[–] ss5mmyers 13 years ago

She was a weak woman, ruled by her parents. As soon as they decided they liked Cody more, she went for him obediently.

[–] WackyKacky 8 years ago

That was NO where in the film. In fact, her mother was an advocate for dad butting out. But at not time did her mother push her toward him. The father wanted him for her, but he didn't suggest to her she go for him, he just helped to push things in a different direction. Paul was a loser (and that is meant in regards to the kind of man a father would want for his only daughter...lazy, dishonest, and kept her stringing along without commitment.

[–] cosmic_quest 13 years ago

Perhaps, it's just socially more acceptable for someone to remain at home when unmarried in a closeknit rural village compared with a city where housing is more available.

"I always pretend to root for Gryffindors but, secretly, I love my Slytherin boys."~ Karen, W&G

[–] ss5mmyers 13 years ago

If nothing else, they could have just built her a house just for her.

[–] SnapCrackledThePop 11 years ago

It's not uncommon in most cultures to live with your family. It seems only in America where people are judgemental.

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[–] dethdroogie502 11 years ago

Well said Stillspectral, i agree with your post, i'm also in the same boat as you. The area i live in right now has a high unemployment rate, so finding a stable job is very difficult. But it's funny how personal people take it that Faith lives with her parents, to the point where they make comments like "they could build a house just for her"...it does seem like this is more of an American mentality :( i mean does it really matter how someone else is living their life?

[–] mallen8486 10 years ago

In the first place Faith was in a long-term, dead-end relationship with Paul. She was waiting for Paul to commit and probably figured she would get her own home when they got married. I don't think it's weird at all that she was living with her elderly parents! What the heck!! She may as well live in a beautiful home surrounded by her parents who were also her friends. They had a very strong commitment as a family and worked together to build the family business. It's not easy to work in a family business in real life so good for them. I am glad that this family was shown in that capacity and able to make it work. As far as Alice Evans looking too old for the part is hogwash! She didn't look 35 and I think her character was supposed to be more like mid 20s and I think she pulled it off! Much of the time actors portray younger/older characters. Plus too I don't think that Cody looked 41 so he looked younger too. Anyway there is nothing wrong with adult children living with their parents. Some families actually get along and like each other.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] lulupalooza 8 years ago

Interesting. From the trailer, I actually thought both "Faith" and "Cody" looked to be in their early 40s, which is what initially interested me. In reality, the actress was 35 while the actor was 41. So my perspective made sense; the parents looked elderly which easily puts the main characters in the 40+ age category.

And there is nothing wrong with looking older. Love can be found at any age too.

"Don't get chumpatized!" - The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)

[–] evesoasis7 11 years ago

Yes, I was watching a documentary on Iranian Americans and they said that in their country, the children leave the home only to get marry. The family is very close and when they party, everybody is there - first, second and third cousins. They don't understand why in America when somebody turns eighteen, the parents already want them out of the house. Now that is what I call family.

[–] andromache3 11 years ago

It does seem to be the case with Western culture, not just in America but in Australia as well. It's like the second a person turns eighteen (or in some cases, sixteen) they have to move out. Don't you need a job first? How would you support yourself? It's very strange and very odd.

"When we make mistakes, it's evil. When God makes mistakes, it's nature."

[–] cynthiad 11 years ago

I was going to comment on the same thing - that in many cultures the only reason a child leaves home is when they marry. I don't understand the Western culture idea that there's something wrong with a person over 18 still living at home. I'm born and bred American.

[–] RedundantSquash 11 years ago

I don't think it is that hard to believe that she would still be living at home. She loved her parents very much, she was deeply involved in the family business and the local community and most important of all her long term boyfriend had shown no signs of serious commitment. If Paul had been serious about her and their relationship from the start they may well have had their own place and maybe even their own family.

"Our critique began as all critiques begin: with doubt"

[–] WackyKacky 8 years ago

I didn't find it ridiculous. They obviously lived close to their business up in the mountains. These aren't city people. They have a large home, she's single (long ago women actually DID live at home until they went to a new home with a husband), and she works the family business. Coming from a similar family, young people lived with parents. She wasn't living off them, it was a conscious decision. Remember she said she decided NOT to work in the city because she loved the business? Why would she have a home built when she had that strung out relationship with Paul going on. I think she may have been wasting her time waiting for him to make a move ("like Job waiting for him to take things to the next level").

[–] SayNoToRemakes 8 years ago

I'm from a farming family, and my brother lived at home until he passed away at 30. He worked hard to help my father run that farm. I was the "bad" one who moved out at 18 because the small town got on my nerves and I had to drive 30-45 minutes one each day to college. Now I'm 57 and wish I had stayed at home. I could have saved so much money, and I wouldn't have been an idiot and married at 18 to a guy I barely knew. But I have 2 decent children, and the husband passed away at 30. I was able to raise the kids and obtain a master's degree at night while working full time without living with my parents. I don't know how I did it.

So where am I now? Right back here on this farm. Both parents are gone now, and I had no other siblings. It's nice and peaceful out here but such a long drive to town. I plan to stay on the farm I believe.

So I kinda get the chick staying at home to help in the family business. I just wish I had stayed home until I finished college.

[–] maureen_fara 8 years ago

There is nothing wrong with adults living with their parents in some cultures, and not just for financial reasons. If she is not married yet, I don't see anything wrong with her living with her parents, especially how close they all were.

[–] kisses5050 7 years ago

Only strange if you never tried to find an Apartment in New York..generational living has become more popular... and is only "negative" in this country ...some places a women living alone would be looked down on...
I myself would love to still have my grand mother living with us. We had my parents, my grand mother, my two kids.