What a beautiful letdown...

I’ve often wondered what happened to Large and Sam after the Garden State credits rolled. The conclusion of that movie leaves so much to be desired. Here they are, standing at this “crossroads,” and Large makes a decision to commit. He says, “This is it. This is life. And I'm in love with you, Samantha. I think that's the only thing I've ever been really sure of in my entire life.”

At this point, he’s known her for four days.

I’m not discounting his feelings or his decision, but I’m pretty sure a month or so later there’s been some fallout. Large’s withdrawal symptoms finally catch up to him and he realizes that he has considerable work to do on his unresolved emotional issues. This puts a great deal of burden on Sam as she valiantly tries to stand by her man but ultimately cannot relate. She isn’t entirely honest about her feelings of regret about jumping into something with Large because she still cares about him and doesn’t want him to worry. Somehow, though, her lies reveal themselves nonverbally and Large must try to sift through the past to try to understand which part of this woman standing before him is actually his girlfriend and which part is a fictitious image she projected to make him happy. Things are so jumbled that, at this point, a break up looks like a pretty attractive option.

According to my Interpersonal Communication book (and personal experience), all human relationships experience some degree of conflict. The difference between relational success and failure lies in how each party handles the conflict. Sometimes this struggle actually enhances a couple’s bond. What can Large and Sam do to salvage their mangled relationship?

I'm open to any ideas.