What's up with the ending!!!!!!

This movie is based on a book. The book's ending is less rushed and more realistic.
After Brad's accident (his name is Todd in the book), he reflects on his life and realizes that he doesn't love Sarah, he just loves the way she fits into his life. Oh, and his wife finds out about the affair and is a bitch about it, not because he's cheating on her, but because he's cheating on her with someone who she feels is beneath her, and goes out of her way to prove she's better than Sarah by performing better in bed and being cocky about it.
Sarah's husband divorces Sarah and hooks ups with Slutty Kay at a swingers club, (the perv) but he promises to take care of Sarah and Lucy money-wise.
Ronnie doesn't castrate himself, he just gets really upset and cries on Sarah's shoulder. It's also revealed that he killed a girl for some bitch mother that didn't want to be responsible for her daughter anymore.
Larry feels bad about the death of Ronnie's mother, but he still shows hatred for Ronnie, even wanting to kill him when he saw him at the playground, but mellowed out when he saw how upset the guy was.
Sarah doesn't lose Lucy, instead she's left heartbroken at the park with Ronnie and Larry thinking how foolish she was for expecting a happy ending.

I don't think that is implied that they realize they have responsibilities.Actually,besides the fact that Brad doesn't take his child(and Sarah does)and the odd encounter with the teens in the skate park in the end,i saw the ending as a credible alternative resolution to a secret love story:instead of running away like Romeo and Juliet,they both realized that in the end,although their strong sexual relationship was rewarding psychologically ,staying with the ones you care about and care abut you is more comforting.(at least that is suggested by the encounter between Sarah and Ronnie,otherwise the whole discussion and scene is pointless).

Just a thought.

I'm thinking the reason they are running away at night because Brad's kid would be with his mother at nigh. Whereas in the day time, the mom would be at work and would not be there to care for him. It was a cowardly move...he'd leave at night and his wife and mother and law would be forced to look after the boy. However, you make a good point regarding how his characters seems very unlikely to leave his kid behind because he was so hands-on. But then again, that would be kidnapping if he snuck away with the boy. So even though his attempt at abandoning his family was wrong, his choice to leave his son with his wife was a better choice than snatching the kid in the night.

I always felt Sarah loved Lucy, even though she as distanced and irritated by her. That is why the scene near the ending made sense to me. Only when she thought she lost Lucy was when she realized what jerk she had been by not being a very good Mom. Also, I could see Sarah not leaving Lucy behind with her husband. Even though we don't see him interact with Lucy during the movie, he seems like he'd be a worse parent than Sarah (whacking off when it was his turn to watch Lucy). I got the impression he could care less if he woke up to find Shara had run off with Lucy. I think he'd be relieved.

It's more dramatic if it's at night, albeit more cliche also.

It's obvious that Sarah and Brad didn't really love each other. My interpretation was that Sarah was mostly dissatisfied and annoyed with her husband (especially after she caught him masturbating to slutty Kitty); this is most obvious in the laundry sex scene when she tells Brad that she doesn't feel bad about the affair. I believe she doesn't have any remorse because it's a way to not feel cheated and betrayed by doing the exact same thing. She is also bored, obviously; the same can be said about Brad. It's a dull life spending the majority of your time with a young child and your communication is limited and there is a lack of intellectual stimulation. Also, I think most people think about sex more often when they're bored.

As for Brad, I mentioned in another post that he was confused; his character was weak, unmotivated, lacked discipline, diligence and had no personal, career or economic goals. He was under the control of his dominant wife and obviously wasn't attracted to her because of her success, controlling and ambitious nature because it was so different to his own lazy and passive ways so he found someone in the same situation as him to validate his incompetence as a husband.

Right on!

''I think people over-analyze too much and just need to enjoy the damn film. It's fiction bro.''

think you missing the point in that these type of films are made to be over-analysed.

Remember Brad didn't leave the goodbye note. He still had it with him when he fell off the skateboard. So, he was probably not planning on running away anyhow.

Thanks, you nailed it for me. The ending seemed rushed and arbitrary to me but your take on it makes sense.

While I'm here I have to say that watching the dinner and car scenes with Jane Adams as Ronnie's date was heart-crushingly sad. What an actress! She nailed the scene perfectly.

And go figure, I'd never ever seen Jackie Earle Hailey before, and today I see him twice. He was in "Shutter Island" which I watched today also. A shame that such a good actor is typecast in creepy character roles, but it's a living, I guess.

Thanks :) Now i dont have to write that much ^^