My thoughts

1. The personal relationships between all these characters are complicated. There is no way I cannot feel sympathy for each of the four main characters.

2. Cal was a complicated young man. I believe that deep down Cal wanted to be good. He wanted to get along with his family and be loved and accepted. Unfortunately, Cal also had a very dark side to him. When angered, he was downright cruel, and had no remorse about it until the consequences were apparent.

3. Adam favored Aron over Cal and this was very wrong of him. He should have realized that each son was different, and each one had to be loved, nurtured and disciplined differently. He was wrong to reject his son's birthday present. He was wrong to not love Cal the way he should have. This does not mean that he was a bad person. Even Cal, who had always been brushed aside by his father, was able to see the good in him.

4. Aron was decent throughout most of the movie. He loved his brother regardless of what he was. It was only after he realized that Abra and Cal had been together that he was angry with Cal. And then Cal slapped him, and punched him out. I can't really blame Aron for being hurt and angry with his brother. All of this after he had been struggling with depression, and then to find out that Abra had fallen for Cal, and that his mother was a whore, running a whore house... It's no wonder he lost his mind.

6. Abra.... she was wrong to let herself fall for Cal. When Aron was on that train, she did nothing. I strongly believe that her obvious affection for Cal hurt Aron further. Yes Aron was depressed, and probably was not the most loving boyfriend during this time, but that does not excuse her actions. Maybe the fact that she was young and didn't know how to help Aron anymore had something to do with it. I think she wanted to love Aron forever, and she wanted to be a good wife to him, but after a while, she just didn't have it in her anymore. I don't think she wanted to break Aron's heart, but that's exactly what she ended up doing. She needed to be stronger, and keep temptation at bay, but she didn't, for whatever reason.... But I've got to give her credit where it's due; she was there to talk sense into Cal and Adam after he had his stroke. She helped mend the relationship between father and son. Unfortunately, it came only after a tragic turn of events.

There is probably more I could say about these characters, but my mind is a bit mushy right now. In closing, let me say that I find no clear villains or victims in this story. Each individual was hurt by the actions of another, and each one was responsible to an extent for the way things turned out in the end.


"Everyone you lost, and saved...
Nothing will remain. Cradle or grave."