Beautiful Girls and Mothers

My favourite movie is not well known. It is called "Beautiful Girls" directed by the late Ted Demme, who also directed the movie, "Blow"

Despite its All-Star cast, it never got much attention. However, it remains my favourite movie of all time. Although I could watch this movie everyday, I reserve watching it only once a year, with my best friend Ryan on the first snowfall of winter.

The movie depicts a young man named Willie coming back to his home town for his high school reunion. He encounters his next door neighbour, a 13 year old girl named Marty (played by Natalie Portman) who says it all about having a mother in your life.

The scene goes like this...

Marty: Is your mom dead?

Willie: Are you a Cop?

Marty: No.

Willie: (hesitates, sighs and answers) yeah… my mom's dead.

Marty: I knew it. Your Dad's kind of a sad guy, your brother's kind of missing that thing; that thing that having a mom gives you... It's a lonely house you have, if you don't mind me saying..."


When I heard this, I was struck by how profound this statement was. Something so intangible like the statement of "missing that thing, that thing having a mom gives you" was so true. -It can only be said about Mothers. You can't explain that sentence to anyone if they don't get it. -You either get it or you don't.

And if you don't get it, well, you just proved my point...