MovieChat Forums > August: Osage County (2014) Discussion > Resonates, especially if you have a prob...

Resonates, especially if you have a problematic mother


I loved this film from when I first saw it in theaters about a year or so ago, and recently re-watched it. I really think people who have problematic relationships with their mothers will understand and identify with the film much more than others. Granted, my mother is not exactly as much of a personality as Violet, but there are a lot of parallels between Barb and Violet's relationship that I saw in my own relationship with my mother.

The conclusion is especially hard-hitting with Barb leaving her there alone—there have been moments in my life where I've had to completely detach myself from my mother as well, and as painful and sad as that is, sometimes it's necessary. I think anybody who has had a troubled relationship with their parent(s), specifically with their mother, understand this film on an entirely different level; how the selfishness, the substance abuse, and the fundamentally broken spirit of a person can lead them to drive away even their own children.

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I totally agree.. I really saw my mother and I in this.. as well as my 2 daughters...my mom was exactly like Violet... and I can be at times... I can see myself in Barb and Karen...I see my daughters in Barb, Karen and Ivy...and also the little girl...who sassed her mother...I can really relate to this...my dad didn't kill himself.. but he died a long time ago and left us to deal with my mom... my sister died 30 years ago, also.. but she knew what it was all about.. she was 16 years older than me...

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I'm so glad I found this. I came to this board with the purpose of asking if anyone had a similar relationship with their parents (specifically their mother). You have no idea how relieved I am to know I'm not alone.

The first time I saw this movie in theaters, I was honestly pretty disturbed at how much Violet reminded me of my own mother. She isn't quite as openly hostile, but she's manipulative and twists all of the relationships in her life to follow this delusional narrative in her mind.

It's been hard coming to the realization of just how toxic she is because it seems like we're surrounded by this portrayal of how family -- and mothers -- should be in the media.

That, at the end of the day, no matter how dysfunctional they might be, your family will be there to support you and get you through hard times. That, or they're two-dimensionally abusive, so leaving the relationship seems pretty easy (in fiction at least). Despite knowing that these are huge generalizations, it's hard for them to not get into my head when I look at my own toxic relationship with my mom and not feel a disturbing discord.

Sorry for the vent. I'm just really glad I'm not alone in this.

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Barb's relationship with Violet reminds me of my relationship with my mother and my mother's relationship with her own mother. Both of them abused prescription pills and the family suffered for it, but my mother and grandmother are/were not nearly as toxic as Violet. No one will stand up to her. She is truly a crazy b i t c h.

I also can relate to Barb's daughter Jean. Being a little different in a family and getting picked on a little bit for it.

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Yes, too close to home but still enjoyed watching. My mother has been gone long enough now that the wounds are beginning to heal over. I didn't realize until this movie that they have started to heal, otherwise I'd have to turn the movie off

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That's exactly how I feel about this movie. It was like a sucker punch. I see so much of my mother in both Violet and Mattie Fae. There were so many similarities to the toxic relationship both my sister and I had with our mother. These characters weren't the typical dysfunctional movie family. They were more realistic. And to top it off, the first time I saw this movie, it was in the movie theater with my own mother. It was an... interesting experience, to say the least.

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