Group Project Dicussing Albert Brooks Movie

The impact of culture has a significant role in the movie. This is most evident in the differences between Sausalito and Los Angeles, the two towns in which characters reside. Sausalito, a small town, is homogeneous in almost every social aspect, including race, financial status and marital status. Los Angeles is a major city that represents a wide range of social levels. The population of Sausalito is largely white families from the upper middle class. Although, parts of Los Angeles have the same demographics as Sausalito, the city is generally diverse in many social aspects.

Beatrice's role as mother changed immediately when she became a widow and a

Another applicable theory is Urie Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory. This theory states that development occurs through complex processes of regular, active, and two-way interactions between a person and his environment. The way the person interacts or neglects to interact shapes the way he perceives his surroundings (Papalia et al., 2001). This relates to the movie because Jeff has a lack of communication and interaction within several of his systems, which hinders his relationship with his family. The only relationship he seems to care about is the one with his mother, even as other relationships and systems are falling down around him. Jeff does not have an emotional conversation with his wife or children. He is so concerned with the way he is perceived at his job that he does not attempt to relate with co-workers and his constant chatter about his job erodes his family life. John, on the other hand, seems to have a firm grasp of interactions. He communicates with several different people. He has steady friends, family, and a work life. He makes an effort to keep things within each system flowing by not bringing unnecessary stress from one micro-system to another. For example, he doesn’t tell his mother or brother any unnecessary information of the divorce because it would bring up more stress for both John and the family. Beatrice has interactions with many systems but has a very ambiguous line between them. She feels it is necessary to share information from one realm to another even though it may not be appropriate. An example of this occurred be when she was talking to the TV men about her son’s divorce. Her interaction with different micro-systems in the past was suppressed either by her childhood or by her late husband, so now that she has the freedom to do as she pleases she is very socially inept.

As the movie closes, John has assimilated and accommodated all the new information that he has come in contact with, thus he walks away with a changed view of his mother and himself (Longres, 2000). John’s scheme has changed to make a better fit for himself and his perception of his relationships. John has reached self-actualization; he realized and strove for his full potential ( Vander Zanden, 1987). Beatrice, at the close of the movie, appeared to have moved up the rungs of Maslow’s hierarchy. It seems Beatrice has reached the lowest level of growth, acceptance of self and others (Haber & Runyon, 1986). Throughout the movie, it is evident that Beatrice has difficulty not worrying what others think. She is constantly asking John to keep his voice down. Beatrice was extremely embarrassed during the scene where Jeff and John are confronting each other in the front yard. However, as the movie closes she appears to be more accepting of John as an author and a son as well as herself as an author and a woman. Jeff appears to move very little within the stages of Maslow’s hierarchy. It seems throughout the movie Jeff is continually operating within the Social stage and the Self-esteem stage. He is constantly seeking his mother’s love and affection so much to the point where his wife’s acceptance does not appear important. It is important for Jeff’s self-esteem that his mother acknowledges his achievements and status.

The scene where John meets Beatrice’s boyfriend is not only awkward for the characters, but enlightening, as well. John now perceives his mother as a woman. The roles that all the characters portray within the movie are very clear. The mother has expended a great deal of energy in not allowing any of her different roles to blend or to be seen by her two sons.

angry when she changed her mind about visiting him on the weekend. Jeff was also confronted with another problem when his wife thought that he was a "mama’s boy". He bought a picture phone to seek acceptance f

Some topics in this essay:
Jeff John, Urie Bronfenbrenner’s, Beatrice John, Henderson Blank, John Jeff, Brooks Johnson, Los Angeles, Vander Zanden, Examples John, Development Maslow’s, single parent, interpersonal relationships, throughout movie, characters movie, means resiliency, maslow’s hierarchy, los angeles, movie jeff, et al 2001, papalia et al, beatrice’s boyfriend, brooks johnson 1996, meets beatrice’s, john meets beatrice’s, meets beatrice’s boyfriend,