Bev, your take on this film is so valuable. I struggled with this story, not having read the book. I will now.
For me ,as a 70 year old man ,one of the most moving scenes was Fern visiting the empty shell of her 'home.' Her previous life. I saw it as a metaphor of our hollowed out 'American culture.'
The futility of materialism . An economic system that strips away most human dignity and inherent value debasing most things worthwhile.
We are thrown into desperate impoverishment and loss on a very deep level.
We are left with a vacant and echoed remembrance of the persistent delusion that ' the future is always going to be better than the past'.
What was, is no more and can never be again.
Great read and review. Thank you