The Mom
The Mom made a different choice than Ally. Everything comes with a sacrifice. I feel bad for the Mom that scene is heartbreaking.
shareYes, and it does give you a different perspective on her, giving her more humanity than we previously thought she had.
Meanwhile we see that, in the end, Noah had redeeming qualities that Mom's old BF did not. And if you read the book (which I did, only after seeing the movie) you see that it is even more. You see that he was such a good, loyal worker that he became like a son to his Jewish boss at the lumberyard, so much so that he left him the business. Which is why he actually did have a lot to offer Allie.
What we can't know in that scene is:
(a) is she looking at him with full/complete regret in that she wishes she had chosen a life with him (construction worker)?
or
(b) is she looking at him with half regret in that she misses the part of him that she loved but is still comfortable with her decision to marry for money/security?
or
(c) Is she looking at him with regret in the sense of not knowing whether or not she made the right choice with either man and should have found someone else entirely?
Lots of different ways to interpret that scene and none of them are right/wrong. It's just left open ended.
I think it's a combo of (a) and (b). But her warning to Allie is clear: yes, love is sweet, and she misses that, but, marry Noah, and you will be choosing a life without any of the perks that money can buy. Clearly a matter of personal values.
shareShe was balling so bad she was sniffling. She missed out on a life that Ally will have. Passion, love, fights, fun. She settled for a comfortable companion.
shareThanks Pinkdaisy, I'm going to go back and look at that scene a little closer and reexamine it.
I'm glad you picked that up.
I believe he was her Noah and she held onto it her whole life. Why was she still driving by - as she explained - whenever she was in town. She never got over it.
Its heartbreaking.