A great movie in my opinion,not the usual melodrama-stuff,as some might believe reading just the plot.
The story of Beverly and Ray could be that of anyone of us.
Their marriage enforced by her pregnancy and consequently due to unwritten rules of puritanism governing a small Connecticut community,brought together two rather unexperienced and immature teens. Her behaviour after giving birth to Jason,conflicts to a certain extent to that of a normal mother.But was she a normal mother? We need to understand her! This pregnancy linked her to a unwanted man and brought life unexpectedly to a child.It blocked her dreams of going to high school and college,so her behaviour is justified to a certain extent.
Two scenes,at the end,I consider as masterpieces.
First her meeting together with the grown-up son at Ray's house,after years of separation,finding there a still drug addicted person,physically and even mentally finished.Ray feels guilty for all pain inflicted to her,but the only thing he can do now is to sign that paper authorizing her to publish the story of their life.
Secondly the scene of Beverly and Josua reunited as mother and son for a short while,embracing near Ray's house,before going each one a separate way.Josua to his beloved,she calling her father to catch her up with the car and go to home of her parents.
The last scene is particularly moving,father and daughter driving home in the car,sing that lovely song "Dreams".This might be bout all the unfulfilled dreams of her life,or perhaps an illusion that all her hardships were nothing else than a dream.No dreams whatever,all she lived was true life.And this was a serene,nice end ,after so much drama unfolding in her life!
