Question: The clips shown in the credits of the movie; is the child featured in their now happy lives Witherspoon's real daughter Ava?
Question: At one point, Melanie mentions that Jake got her pregnant several years ago. Was the baby stillborn or did she get an abortion?
Answer: She says something to the effect of "mother nature had other plans" leading audience to believe she had a miscarriage.
Answer: She had an abortion because she said it would have altered her future plans and admitted to feeling so ashamed.
Melanie did not have an abortion. When she's talking to Jake's mother, Stella Kay, at the bar, it's mentioned that Melanie had a miscarriage. Melanie felt ashamed because after losing the baby, she ran out on Jake and their marriage to pursue her own goals in New York.
Question: In the scene where Jake is driving Andrew to find Melanie, he tells the story about the cat. The cat had cancer and Melanie wanted it to die a "humane" death. What is humane about blowing it up and if it was gonna die of cancer all those years ago why is it still roaming around town?
Question: How old was Melanie when she married Jake?
Answer: We can assume 17 or 18. Jake tells Andrew that she 'got pregnant and married some loser right out of high school'.
Question: Given how organized she's supposed to be why didn't she sign those papers prior to going home for Jake's signature? That and why not tell her boyfriend the truth? He looked like he'd understand.
Answer: Melanie didn't sign the papers because, deep down, she still loved Jake, and probably, subconsciously, hoped they'd get back together. She didn't tell her fiance' because she mostly was in denial about the state of her feelings and her marriage. She'd fooled herself into believing she had signed the papers.
Answer: If Melanie was happy, why did she take her engagement ring off when she stopped by Jakes and it's obvious he was still her everything seeing as she went there first before her parents.
Answer: Also the director made a point it was never about rediscovering herself or Jake, it was choosing between what she had planned and what she truly wanted. The director also talked about how she did not pack enough clothes, so she wore her old clothes, she was supposed to be there for a long weekend but she wanted to be there, so it was obvious she wanted to stay.
Answer: She didn't sign the divorce papers on purpose. That is why Jake never signed them because then he might have to face the fact that it was over. That is why Melanie never went home, she might have to accept that it was over and Jake might have moved on, that is why she said yes to Andrew's proposal. Also when Melanie did not sign the papers at the wedding, when she dumped Andrew, that was the first time that Melanie was honest to herself and the people around her about how she felt and what she had longed for, for the last seven years.
The only reason Melanie said yes to Andrew's proposal is because she did not know that Jake felt the same way. The reason that Melanie did not sign the papers at the wedding because she had to be honest with herself and the people around her about how she felt and what she had longed for since she left.
Question: In at least one scene of the NYC mayor's office/residence, the flag on the other side of her desk from the U.S. flag appears to be the flag of Mexico. Is this correct?
Chosen answer: That's the flag of New York City - see http://flagspot.net/flags/us-nyc.html. While it does look similar to Mexico, the Mexican flag is green, white, and red instead of blue, white, and red.
Question: Why did Mackenzie and Jake split up because Lurlynn said he knew he needed more than an apology to win her back and when she visits the dog's grave Jake says he told Bear it was his fault? Was it just the pregnancy that split them up?
Answer: I believe you mean Melanie, not "McKenzie." A variety of factors split them apart. They had married barely out of high school because Melanie became pregnant. The marriage and pregnancy had derailed Melanie's career goals and plans to move to New York. Jake was content with where he was. He also never felt he was good enough for Melanie and that she would not have married him if she hadn't gotten pregnant. After Melanie miscarried, Jake believed he was only holding her back if they stayed together. He blamed himself for not fighting hard enough to prove that he loved her and was worthy. That motivated him to start his successful business.
Question: Why is Carmichael on her divorce papers when her name is Smooter or Perry?
Answer: After moving to New York to start her fashion career, Melanie changed her maiden surname from Smooter to Carmichael, and that became her legal name. She initiated divorce proceedings without any intention of resuming her old life, which embarrassed her and she tried to hide. Like many women, she did not use her married name (Perry) after ending her marriage and may never have used it. Also, using "Smooter" on her divorce papers would have exposed her lie.
It did not embarrass her, Melanie never wanted to return to Pigeon Creek if her and Jake were over, she kept hoping they would get back together. That's what annoying, people assumed she was ashamed but as the meaning of the film is 'Home is where the heart is'. That feeling of where she longs to be never left even when she was in New York and obviously that was to be with Jake.
Answer: She had a miscarriage.
raywest ★