Venice Gomez

Reflection Paper # 3

Last week, we watched the film Everybody’s fine starring Robert De Niro. It’s a drama

film and I was really excited to watch this film because I haven’t seen it before. The film is about

Frank Goode, an old man who travels to different states to check on the lives of his four children.

I know that these types of film will make me cry because it touches on family. A subject that is

really close to my heart.

As the film started, I felt sad for Frank because he is a widower and alone in his house. He was

expecting his kids to show up for the weekend which he really prepared for but then they all said

that they can’t make it due to personal reasons. When Frank decided to pay his children a visit, I

got excited and curious because I want to know what kind of person his children are and why

can’t they visit their father. But of course I felt worried given his health condition and the fact

that he is going alone. When he first visited his son, David in his flat in New York, unfortunately

he was not around so he passed by the art gallery downstairs of the apartment and saw David’s

painting. When it seemed that David’s not going to come home soon, Frank dropped a note and a

photograph then he left. I find it disappointing that Frank wasn’t able to see his son after the long

ride.

Frank’s next stop was her daughter Amy, who lives in Chicago. I was touched with Frank’s

bonding moment with his grandson because it makes me remember my grandparents. I tell them

how I feel and update them with my life. Sometimes, I share the troubles in the family so that my

grandmother can help them. I also got touched when Frank told Amy to tell him everything

whether it is good news or not. Like Amy, I pick whatever news I’m going to tell to my parents

especially to my father. Even if we’re close, I have a tendency to keep my problems from him
because I think it’ll just disappoint him. But I realized that I shouldn’t be doing that because I

know my parents are always willing to help.

Frank’s next visit was for his son Robert, who is a percussionist in an orchestra. Robert lied

about him being the orchestrator of the band. Robert told his father that he’s happy and contented

with the way things are in his life even if it disappoints his father. I relate to this because one

time I lied to my parents about having a big role at a play when in fact I was only a backup

dancer. When my parents found out, they weren’t disappointed and instead they told me that

whatever role it is big or small they will always be proud of me.

Frank’s last stop was her daughter Rosie, who pretends to be a dancer in Las Vegas. She also

brought Frank to a nice apartment but in the end Frank discovers that it’s not her flat and that she

has a baby and currently in a relationship with the same gender. I really felt sympathetic for

Frank because of what he discovered from his kids especially David. It was really emotional

when Frank was dreaming that he was talking to young David. I think it’s really heartbreaking to

lose your own son/daughter. I remember my grandmother who went through the same stage

when my aunt passed away. It was hard to deliver the news to my grandma given her old age and

of course we don’t want to surprise her. When I saw her reaction, she was calm but I know that

she’s hurting inside.

I’m happy with the way things turned out for Frank’s family. They were able to celebrate

Christmas together as per Frank’s wish along with Amy and Rosie’s kids and partners. It all

looked like everybody’s fine and they are going to live their lives from then on without keeping

secrets to each other.

I was really touched because the story is pretty much relevant with today’s generation. Some

parents are really pushing their child to be the best without realizing that they are already

pressuring them and that might cause them to fail instead to succeed. I have a friend of mine

whose parents are like Frank and it really made a huge impact on her social life. She hasn’t made

any friends in high school and was bullied because of too much studying. I’m lucky to have

parents who accept me as I am and what I can do. I am free to choose whatever career I want to

pursue and rest assured that I will always have their full support. I’m really close to my father

and I’m blessed to have him because he never pressured me to do something I can’t or I don’t

want to do. My only regret is that I didn’t pursue singing when I know he wants me to. I know he

felt disappointed in me because I let him down. My father saw a potential in me but I didn’t even

give it a try.

This film made me realize a lot of things. First of all, I will never ever abandon my parents when

they grow old even if I have my own career and family I will always make sure that I still have

time to visit them because I don’t want them to think that I’m too busy to pay a visit or that I

forgot about them. I’ll take care of them on my own if I have to. Second, it made me realize how

my mom and I’s relationship is alike with Frank and Amy. I never disclose my secrets to my

mom. I’d rather be sharing it to my father than to her because my mom tends to have a

judgmental comment whenever I try to open to her. Also, I have this tendency to use my mom as

my emotional punching bag and push her away when she wants to talk. Like when my decisions

go wrong, I blame my mom. I realized that it’s not fair to my mom and she doesn’t deserve the

kind of treatment I give her sometimes. This film gave me a new perspective of how I want my

relationship with my parents to be especially when I grow old and have my own family.