when he said that, I thought "this is the end of something". In the movie it was treated as though 'oh good, dad is opening up.' I found the statement shocking and very much a door slamming. After that, the movie did not go along as merrily as the movie makers seemed to want us to believe. To me, it was a bomb dropped.
shareWhen the scene first happened I was in the same boat as you but due to the fact that at the end the father changed his stance on motorways and also was actually allowing them to go to Warsaw made me realize that what I initially thought was not accurate. I think his "I hate you" was not one with malice behind it. I think him saying that was a 3-word explanation of him admitting that he does have feelings and he's starting to "tune into them", as Ross was telling his mother to do earlier, and because we know that he does not enjoy expressing emotion, "I hate you" was the most fitting thing for his character to say in that moment. Plus as is evident on Ross' face after his father says it, it is an emotional breakthrough for Allister because in the past his father would have never even said that, that was how closed off he was from sharing his emotions.
shareI too was stunned at that simple statement, and the cold empty silence afterward. Seeing the outcome of the film's ending, was a relief. But I waited and waited for the son and the mother to react....not seen in real time. Could've been more clear, less suspense....
shareYes, so cold. I have to think that the "hate" was hate that she was making demands on his emotions -- and that she was getting through to him -- not hate for her. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to get back in the van with that man.