Franco: Right, but that right there is motivated. Dismissing her claims is a way of covering up her abuse. As the grandmother says, “She’s always been difficult. She’s always been crazy. She was always a complicated child.” Then it’s easy to conceal everyone else’s bad behavior. It’s such a common thing in life. Dementia is common. Abuse, even incest, is extremely common. And just as commonly not dealt with.
Filmmaker: It’s their way of crushing her, keeping her in her place, denying her reality. It’s also a way her character and Saul are connected. It’s something they both have in common — being consistently doubted by their loved ones.
Franco: In the case of Saul though it’s trickier. I think Isaac, Saul’s brother [played by Josh Charles], means well. But that’s what I try to do. I try to write things where every character in the room is right. Where there’s no clear bad guy. In this case, Sylvia’s mother is on her own level, she’s wrong, but I wouldn’t say she’s evil. Isaac is doing his best for his brother. Who is this woman? A stranger, and what does she want with Saul? And what are the chances for this couple? Live day by day, or plan years ahead?
Filmmaker: In a way, Saul picks her, but it’s unclear what sparks his initial interest. It’s almost inexplicable. Does she remind him of his wife, or is it something else?
Franco: Mainly I think he spots her across the room at the reunion because he sees she’s alone, and they connect because they’re both having a hard time connecting. For Saul, he sees that right away and that’s why he’s drawn to her and makes his approach, why he follows her.
Filmmaker: There’s a truly powerful moment where you illuminate their similarities, that recurs twice in the film. In both, they’re sitting, watching Julian Schnabel’s Basquiat. The first time, Saul confesses he can’t understand the narrative, or movies in general, because of his condition. Sylvia is shocked and tells him if she had known, she wouldn’t have put it on. They laugh it off. Then the second time, they’re watching it again — obviously she’s put it back on and he’s agreed, but now, Sylvia is crying at the scene onscreen. When she turns it off, it’s clear Saul too is crying, but it’s unclear whether it’s because he’s frustrated that he can’t comprehend the on-screen proceedings, or if he’s empathically connected to Sylvia, and senses her emotion and is then drawn to feel the same thing in a sort of compulsive sync with her. It’s a really poignant moment where you show how wounded they both are and how much they both have desires they can’t comprehend, how alike they are in turn.