I think I get it. The Dad for whatever reason lost the will to do anything. The parents seem uneducated and probably suffered in their early lives. And I guess that whole "Scandinavian" idea was some kind of socialist dream he has. There's also hints to an alcohol problem. It seems they just kind of chose to not do much of anything and the kids suffered for this. I hope they can break the cycle and take advantage of everything life has to offer.
shareWe don't see the parents 25 years earlier. The father may have had very little English and was overwhelmed by living and finding a job in NYC. 25 years ago, the City was very different. Crime was more prevalent and the East Village was not gentrified as it is today. Drug use there was rampant.
I don't condone the father. He may have had difficulty assimilating but he did not have to abuse his wife, physically and emotionally. The boys allowed that he slapped her and she admitted that "there were more rules for me than them." He was a controlling alcoholic.
The father also exhibited some messiah-complex traits. He thought his "power" was influencing everyone and everything. He was in need of medication.
It's amazing that the brothers survived as well as they did. Thank heavens they had each other and their mother. They're clearly articulate and intelligent. I hope they have very bright futures devoid of fear and self-doubt.
Dear Monolingual English speaker, As a person who speaks 5 languages, I know that sometimes, things get LOST IN THE TRANSLATION! It would have been nice of the documentary film-makers to interview the father in his native tongue. Whether it be Spanish or some indigenous dialect.
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