| Charlie Fineman is lonely, suffering from | | | | about his family would make him feel worse, so he |
| post-traumatic stress, and an altered/depressed | | | | avoided most people altogether. He is a very weak |
| mindset. It is nearly impossible to completely recover | | | | at social interaction, and only talks to a few people. If |
| from such a tragedy, and Charlie is greatly behind on | | | | you don't up to others about a tragedy, it will |
| the recovery process. A mental dilemma causes him | | | | continue to torment you. This also led to sudden |
| to remodel his kitchen every few months. Also, he | | | | strikes of anger, and a general feeling of social |
| believes that everyone who interacts with him wants | | | | rejection for Charlie. |
| to obtain information about the tragedy. Finally, he is | | | | Seeing his family every day made Charlie even more |
| haunted daily by his lost loved ones, but does not | | | | upset. He saw himself and his family through the |
| mention it to anyone. Charlie is attached to the life | | | | happy couples on the street, with kids and a dog. |
| that he once had, and seems unable to let go. But | | | | This does not allow him to live anything resembling a |
| Alan Johnson enters his life, and makes Charlie | | | | normal life, and Charlie is unable to do anything about |
| confront his unfortunate situation. | | | | it. Then, Alan sees him and recognizes Charlie as his |
| Why does Charlie remodel his kitchen so often? As | | | | roommate in college. Charlie is in complete denial |
| he reveals later in the movie, it is because remodeling | | | | about knowing Alan, until he finds out that Alan will |
| the kitchen is the last thing his wife wanted him to | | | | not ask about his family. At a club, Alan makes an |
| do. Charlie felt so bad about refusing to change the | | | | inference to Charlie about starting a new relationship, |
| kitchen, that he began to do it obsessively every | | | | which marks the beginning of Charlie's healing process. |
| few months. Charlie is unable to let go of the final | | | | He eventually agrees to see a psychologist, and |
| words he said to his wife, so this is how he tries to | | | | opens up to Alan about his family. Charlie has |
| rid the guilt. But just because Charlie's last words to | | | | immense difficulty through the healing, but is always |
| his wife were not so nice, does not mean it is what | | | | supported by his best friend, Alan. |
| she will remember at the end of her life. A positive | | | | By the end of the movie, Charlie starts to live his life |
| notion has so much more weight than a negative | | | | again, all because of his ability to confront a terrible |
| one. The order of events in life is not important. It is | | | | tragedy. He lets go of the last words he said to his |
| most important that you perform good deeds in life, | | | | wife, and moves out of his apartment. Charlie's social |
| out of love and kindness. Charlie was loving an kind | | | | relations improve, and he continues to be best |
| to his family, but he was so preoccupied by the last | | | | friends with Alan. Although it took several years, |
| thing he said to his wife, that he forgot about all of | | | | Charlie was able to turn his life around with the |
| his other loving actions towards his family. | | | | support of the right people, and his own willingness. |
| Charlie believes that everyone who previously knew | | | | |