Nocturnal Animals : The Daughter

The Daughter

Are we ato assume that the dauhter is Edward's? She's old enough to be in college, so the time line fits. I'm just confused about whether or not she had the abortion.

I dont mind living in a mans world as long as I can be a woman in it.-Marilyn

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The daughter is 16. She had an abortion.

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How do you know the daughter's age?

I dont mind living in a mans world as long as I can be a woman in it.-Marilyn

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It's in the script.

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And having sex?

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You can't be serious?

A rich, beautiful, young, nubile girl in LA?

I think 16 might be considered over the hill in LA.

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I mean I know it's normal for teens to have sex at that age but it looked like she does it every weekend and doesnt even care about her mother

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A lot of teens, particularly ones that come from wealthy backgrounds, could give two craps about their parents.

Beauty and materials is all they care about.

#JesseRebelTakeoveriBB11

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It's not the sex that's throwing me off, it's the clearly lives far away and alone thing. Makes it seem like she's at college, which would make her at least 17, but more likely 18/19. Which means she got pregnant pretty quick after that abortion.

I don't care if the script says she's 16, details like that change easily, and based off the information given in the actual film, it's highly unlikely. It's a weird ambiguity in the film I guess.


What's the ugliest part of your body?

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i think it's your mind

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unfortunately, script isn't telling me anything. scripts change all they way up to the final edit. the girl could be any age no matter what the script says

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So that daughter was supposed to be Armie Hammer's character's daughter? No way in hell he looked old enough to be her dad. Also Susan said she had not spoken to Edward in 19 years at one point, so are Susan and husband supposed to be 45ish by now because there did not seem to be any age difference between the flashbacks and present.

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I think a lot of people are overthinking the whole age thing.

First off the script does say 16, so not really sure why anyone would even argue that point?

Second, Hammer is 30 and could pass for 40, who could easily have a 16 year old daughter, so wtf?

So he married an older woman?

Do some people need to go back and take remedial math?

GET OVER IT. It's a great film.

btw, if you still think it Edward's daughter, go for it! There is nothing to prove you wrong except the fact he left 19 years ago and the script says the daughter is 16. a duh.

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No 16 year old would dismiss their mom over the phone as 'it is sunday mom'. That is obviously a college girl, living afar, has her own life and sees her mom very little.


LOL. You don't know anything about rich kids in Beverly Hills.

Private School. Hello!

The daughter is not imagined. Silly notion.

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Call me whatever you like. Doesn't bother me you want to call people names. That's a you problem.

The daughter was real and she was 16. Not sure why anyone would question her age so much. Trying to make an argument out of nothing.

And Hammer looking 40ish? Again, that sounds like a you problem. He looked just fine to me.

One day, when you grow up, you'll see how wrong you are.

And John Hamm? Where did you pull that douche out of? John Hamm??? LOL I've heard so many rumors about how much of an azz that guy is. He would never be considered for a film of this caliber.

"Oh no, he didn't look any older than 36." LMFAO!!

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From the script:

INT. BOARDING SCHOOL DORM ROOM, OJAI CALIFORNIA. MORNING 4 2
CONTINUOUS.
SAMANTHA MORROW, 16, pale white skin and long red hair is
lying naked on a bed. The white arm of a boy is draped across
her. They are still. Sams phone rings and she turns to
answer it.

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Good point, Farshnoshket..not only that, in the flashback scene with her mother (Laura Linney), it is established that Adams is a debutante and comes from an old money family. Sending kids to boarding schools is very common amongst the old money class. There is nothing unusual about the situation at all.

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Thanks. And yes boarding school. What was I thinking? Oh yes, private school, that movie with Betsy Russell. lol

Not sure why anyone would think her daughter didn't exist? Remember that her mother also said that Susan would become her one day, same as she did and the same that Susan's daughter would one day.

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I'm all for alternate interpretations of a story, as long as they are based on something in the story. As you said, there is no reason at all for anyone to conjecture that the daughter didn't exist. After all, Amy Adam's character is not supposed to be mentally ill or delusional.she is firmly grounded in the world of reality. She aborted her first husband's child, and had a kid with the second husband. As they say, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

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Exactly. She read something from her ex and felt that maybe he was making a threat, so she called her daughter, possibly thinking Edward was seeking revenge. Her phone call shows he was working on her. She was breaking down. Anyone who believes she didn't exist is totally reaching for straws. This film lends itself to interpretation, as you said, but intelligent interpretation eliminates this theory of a non-existent daughter.

To solidify the daughter does exist Hutton said to Susan in the car after the abortion he would make it up to her. Deducing properly is the film viewers choice.

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Did she not see the face of a character from the story on her co worker's phone? She was so frightened that she dropped the phone and it shattered. Edward's story was definitely sinking into her consciousness.

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This is very true, but each scene shows a different level of concern.

Susan just reads that's both Tony's wife and daughter are dead. She drops the book. She thinks that just maybe Edward may be up to something and calls her daughter fearing for her well being. Her daughter picks up the phone and Susan is relieved.

Now that's how I see it from what happened in the film.

Now you go through that part of the film and give your interpretation.

I really don't see Susan calling an imaginary daughter, the film showing that imaginary daughter and them having a conversation. I don't see this as a dream sequence. If it was we would have seen Susan wake up.

While it might be a possibility, going through the motions seems to make it a very unlikely one.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and each will be judged on their conclusions.

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Lol. Calling an imaginary daughter? Doesn't need to be that stupid. She isn't sleeping much and Ed's story has taken over her mind. If she shuts her eyes for a moment and dreams of what her daughter would be doing if she wasnt aborted, we are left with a much more broken, damaged, and lonely Susan in the final scene.

The film really doesn't dictate either way, and is barely changed by either being true.

I definitely like my interpretation better the more I think of it. Maybe he should have shot a waking up scene ;)

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Every scene has a particular meaning and there's no need to be redundant.

Calling her daughter shows a concern, perhaps a grave concern.

Later in the film

Seeing Ray in the phone shows she's losing it.

It's a progression, first concern and then losing it.

btw, your dream sequence shows Susan seeing her 16 year old naked daughter with her boyfriend. Yeah, that's what Susan would dream.

I think if she dreamed that, as soon as she saw the boyfriend she'd awake and scream!

You need to add up all the pieces. Not just a choice few that makes your story make sense.

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Yes, in my sequence she imagines her daughter (now 19 and off in college) naked in bed with a boy and wanting to go back to sleep. Maybe mixed with memories from herself at that age. Regardless, the nudity and posturing of the two was more reminiscent of the previous scene than being a graphic depiction of her daughter having sex.

You are now putting your own reactions into Susan's head. If her daughter wasn't alive, then why would she react that way to seeing her with a boy.

If you are dreaming of a life for your daughter who was aborted at birth, is there no way you'd imagine her with a boy? I certainly could, but I'm not a parent. You seem like one tho based on your condescending tone.

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State of denial.

You've backed yourself in a corner and there is no escape. Your argument is dead.

I'm done with this nonsense.

Go back to the South Park board and have fun with the other kids!

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State of denial? Hah nice try! My first post on this topic was that it easily could have been Hutton's daughter!

Im discussing differnt ways to interpret the scene, and you are denying that there are any other ways to interperet the scene than what you saw.

So, if you are paying attention, I have not backed myself into anything.

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You've spent a good number of posts postulating something that, to anyone with common sense, seem nonsensical.

I've pointed out many reasons, included picturing her daughter in the nude with her boyfriend, why this is not a dream sequence. Anyone with common sense would eliminate that possibility. Sure it's find to wonder, but you also know when it's not a good idea. Something you continue to deny.

Hey kid, it's your choice. You will judged as such. I think your dream theory is ridiculous, once I consider everything that was exposed in the film.

So continue to go with that whole dream thing. lol

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To anyone with common sense? 5 ppl on this board agreed with me. Most had no opinion or agreed that it was at least ambiguous. 3 agreed with you that there was no other interpretation.

Theorizing is literally what this board is for you fool.

Looking around here tho I see you own this board. You are on every post. My apologies to the king

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You're just digging your own hole. Anyone else who thought the same, if they considered everything, which they did not, would see the falsehood. You prefer to live with blinders on, being stubborn to the end, so be it. It's your funeral. One day, when you're older, maybe you'll also be wiser.

South Park is waiting.

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Lmao you are a fool.

But, you are king.

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Just felt like she was dreaming. Not that outrageous of an idea. The film gives nothing to support this however, I was not the only one who thought this. The film gives no other mention of Susan and Hutton's daughter.

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Waste of time.
Direcred well.
Awful movie on all levels even deep
Hollywood has lost its touch

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I've not read the book or script, and I think it was confusing at that point in the film as we had not known she had an abortion, but my interpretation of that scene looking back was that she was imagining or dreaming that she had that child (a daughter because that's what Edward wrote) and could call her to make sure she was safe. I don't think she would be thinking of what her child would be at that age if Edwards book hadn't showed up, and that was one of the points of Edward even writing it.

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I took the same from that scene, that Susan was imagining her 19 y/o daughter if she hadn't aborted her. But the scene easily could have been Susan's daughter with her new husband. I think I just like the former more because it makes Susan even more lonely and regretful of her decision.

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I agree with this thought. Also, during the flashback scene regarding the abortion, she says she thinks she'll regret it one day. That, coupled with the complete lack of sleep, may have caused her to have realistic, vivid fantasies.

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Does anyone know who played the real life daughter?

The ultimate truth: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com:443/data.filmboards/images/upload/zdEXAf5.jpg

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I left the theater slightly confused to whether or not the daughter actually existed. But after a little thought it dawned on me the fact that at no other time is the existence of the daughter mentioned, PLUS the fact when she 'calls' her daughter to see if she is okay we see her in the same position as the discovery of the bodies in the novel.

This made it clear to me that it was definitely just her imagination fueled by the guilt of the abortion which we don't learn about until later.

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No. it is Armie Hummer daughter! She didn't and wouldn't imagine anything in reality, she only imagine what she is reading. It would be very out of place to see her dreaming alternate reality just for once. I think the confusion coming from Hummer's age. He appears as a man who is barely 30 y.o. And he looks way younger than Adams in present timeline. Which was intentional but created confusion were it shouldn't be. Director should made it clear and obvious that they have teenage daughter. No neeed to made any mystery out of this fact. Tom Ford's mistake. Still, movie is very good.

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I do agree with most, but I don't agree that Hammer can look, at the most, 30. There are plenty of smart looking guys out there who look great at 40. From the comments I've been seeing you'd think 40 is near death. lol

"I'm sorry Mr. Ford, but we've been working on his face for the past 13 hours, but no matter what we do the guy just looks 30!!"

HAMMER smiles and brushes off his right lapel as a dust ball had accumulated.

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I thought Adams age difference in present and past were made very convincingly. Not so much in Hammer's case. I dont't care how old is he in life, we don't see his ID on screen. He looks the same in past and present to me. Which creates unnecessary confusion. And by the time of abortion flashback I totally forgot it was 19 years ago. I understood it was intentional to show that Hummer is younger than Adams, and that's why he was cast. They just need to be more specific about his daughter.

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Armie Hammer is 30. I don't buy him as a father to a 16 year old.
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