The Glass Castle (2017) is based on a memoir of the same name, written by journalist Jeannette Walls. The film opens to adult Jeannette having dinner with her fiancé, David, and an older, equally upper-class couple. Jeannette is asked about her family, and embarrassed, stretches the truth of her parents.

The film then begins to tell the story of Jeannette and her three siblings, Lori, Brian and Maureen’s upbringing. The story shows the children, along with their eccentric parents, Rex: a charismatic and free-thinking father, who also struggles with alcohol abuse and gambling addiction, and Rose Mary: an artist, who while loving, is shown to be distant at times, an allusion to her possible mental illness.

The film jumps between a more present time and their childhood. In childhood the family moves around frequently, with the children not attending school, and instead being taught physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly by their father. This good side of Rex is often shadowed by his frequent alcohol abuse, job loss and emotional and sometimes physical abuse of Rose Mary. 

In her adult life, Jeannette is a successful journalist, engaged to an equally successful David. She is estranged from her parents and shies away from her upbringing in her professional life. With the upcoming wedding, David is introduced to the family, and is quick to judge. Rex’s constant insistence on making a scene puts tension in Jeannette and David’s relationship, eventually causing it to end.     

The film ends with Jeannette’s amends with her father on his death bed. They reminisce of her childhood and his never ending plans to build “the glass castle”, the home he always promised but never built:

Rex: We had some good times, didn’t we? Never did build that Glass Castle.
Jeannette: No. But we had a good time plannin’ it.

References

Creton, C. (Producer), Netter, G. (Director), & Kao, K. (Director). (2017). The Glass Castle [Motion Picture]. United States: Lionsgate.