MovieChat Forums > Good Behavior (2016) Discussion > Letty's mother

Letty's mother

posted 8 years ago by filmgrad-09746
15 replies | jump to latest

I still can't get a handle on Letty's mother as a character. I get she's conflicted and Letty's put her through hell, but she seems unhinged herself. Is she supposed to also be an alcoholic or bipolar or what? She's said some truly horrible things to Letty, is forcing her to pay $1000 each time she wants to see her son, is dating a former friend of Letty's and is all over him during the HS reunion, then stands up for Letty to Tif, brings her things to her, waits up for her, and seems genuinely sorry that she can't stay with them. I just don't get her in writing or portrayal, she seems all over the place.

[–] Dejay 8 years ago

Oh I guess this contains SPOILERS FROM EPISODE FOUR which I haven't seen yet :/

[–] exatera 8 years ago

You shouldn't visit the message board if you haven't seen an episode that has already aired.

[–] Dejay 8 years ago

According to the episode guide it hasn't aired yet. So how would I know it has already aired?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4855114/episodes?season=1&ref_=tt_eps_sn_1

[–] kevin_oconnell76 8 years ago

After letty gave her the 20 grand, I think her mom saw the opportunity to extort money from knowing she could get her hands on some of it.

Her mom is a straight up beotch and I think she's jealous of her looks and youth and uses anything possible to hurt her.

I think her mom has the attitude, 'only I can treat her like sheet, no one else can', hence the reunion scene.

[–] exatera 8 years ago

I had the same questions you did while watching the last two episodes.

I also wondered about the high horse she seems to be on in regards to Letty considering what a lowlife she is herself.

[–] filmgrad-09746 8 years ago

I've since read an article a user garethvk posted here with the actress, and she goes into her backstory. Apparently her character is supposed to have been a mess herself and had Letty at 15 and feels conflicted and guilty, and now is trying to do a better job for Jacob (and I guess Letty...kinda...sometimes lol). She describes their relationship as "primitive" and half mother/daughter half sisters. But none of this background has been touched upon yet, so it all just feels very weird tonally and all over the place. The interview was definitely helpful in understanding some of the character's actions, but she just seems off.

http://sknr.net/2016/11/18/talk-good-behavior-actress-luisa-strus

[–] LoBo_77018 8 years ago

I also wondered about the high horse she seems to be on in regards to Letty considering what a lowlife she is herself.

This is America - where you don't have to be perfect just feel superior to someone else.

As far as her being a basketcase, she's at least better than a junkie convict in the court's eyes because she is functional. Its not like there are a bunch of Daddy Warbucks ready to take on a trouble kid. At least she has a familial connection with the boy whereas a foster parent could just be in it for the check.

[–] Taco_Lips 8 years ago

Yeah she definitely seems Bipolar or mentally unstable. I hardly see how she is fit to look after the child!? Does she even work herself? How on Earth did she get custody?

The courts/Child Services would surely still be keeping an eye on G'Ma and her house, finances, influences etc, for her ability to take care of the boy.

Exorting Letty for Money, while ditching the kid for a day just because she wants to screw around with a boy-toy old enough to be her son, surely doesn't bode well for the stability or healthy household the kid needs!

I get that they are trying to show the entire family has generations of messed up stuff behind them, but it's quite hard to swallow at times with the characters flip-flopping around.

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[–] filmgrad-09746 8 years ago

I hardly see how she is fit to look after the child!? Does she even work herself? How on Earth did she get custody?

Lol, I wondered about that too. How is she able to raise Jacob?! I picture this poor kid helping up Grandma from the floor after her latest bender every other night.

I get that they are trying to show the entire family has generations of messed up stuff behind them, but it's quite hard to swallow at times with the characters flip-flopping around.

Agreed. One minute she's the boozy/floozy mother spewing vitriol and acting like an out of control teenager and the next she's the sympathetic mother just trying to clean up Letty's messes...but neither is that convincing. It just seems like bad writing.

[–] Tuppance76 8 years ago

Her mother is 'interesting'.

She charges her $1,000.00 to spend time with her son. Says cruel things to her. Yet has her daughter's name and infant footprints tattooed on the back of her neck, and threw down for her at the reunion when that horrid bitch Tiffany was telling her that she would be better off dead.

I actually teared up when she hugged Lettie & told her that she 'breaks her heart'

She also kept Lettie's room exactly how she left it when she ran away, and Jacob said she often goes in there and shuts the door.

I am interested in finding out more about her.

Don't f@ck with me fellas! This aint my first time at the rodeo.

[–] neverstandinalone 8 years ago

I like the character. She adds depth to the story. I agree on wanting to find out more.

[–] Naneki1 8 years ago

The Gilmore Girls they aren't, that's for sure. Probably a more realistic take on a teen Mom, who has her child turn out to be a teen Mom. I think she was very young when she had Letty and possibly resents having to be tied down. Also Letty didn't turn out to be 'perfect' and that can set some people off. She probably loves her, as much as she can love anyone...I think that's why she stood up for her and also why she keeps her room like a memorial and goes in there and cries. And for a couple of episodes I kept thinking she was being played by Tatum O'Neal, but when I checked imdb I saw it was Luisa Strus! Quite a change from the character she played in "50 First Dates"!!!

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[–] filmgrad-09746 8 years ago

The Gilmore Girls they aren't

LOL, very true. Yeah, you definitely get the resentment that Estelle has towards Letty. Hopefully, her character gets fleshed out some more.

[–] Flyingskunk 8 years ago

The character confuses me... which is good.

Unlike some people in this thread, I don't think she is a complete "wreck" or "b*tch".

So what if she is dating a younger guy, the guy doesn't seem COMPLETELY stupid and is harmless. She seems to sincerely care about Jacob. Spending time with him (playing board games), not allow him to rot his mind of tv, picking him up from school. Also, unless she is lying (and daughter seem to believe her), putting HIS money aside for college. Come to think of it, she wouldn't be asking for a $1,000 here and there if she was keeping/spending the kids money.

Just because she doesn't dress like an old lady and is hanging with a younger (likable!) guy doesn't make her a bad grandmother.

What confuses me about her is the idea that she would/could SELL the Jacob to his mother.

[–] Naneki1 8 years ago

I think the 'selling' part was the only way she knew how she could control Letty and the situation? She's a flawed character, but very interesting...no telling what she was doing with the $$$.

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