Review of a movie we watched in class

1. HaroldSowardsII
CJ 440
3/9/16
From the beginning it talked about how Josh Mosher was using the children to get at
Kim Mosher. He would physically abuse them by leaving hand prints on them and putting them
in pressure holds, while also emotionally abusing them so much by calling them stupid they
started calling themselves stupid. Kim felt like she had no self-worth and she felt a sense of
loneliness (using isolation). There was moments where there was restraint occurred, name
calling was common (emotional abuse), he monitored what she bought and even budgeted her
cash (using economic abuse). Whenever she got sick, he refused to help out with the kids (using
children) and even blamed her for getting sick (using emotional abuse). Josh somehow forgot
about all the acts of aggression that he had performed towards the family (minimizing, denying
and blaming). After asking Josh to move back in she didn’t want to have to battle him to go to
work or to finish her schooling (using economic abuse/using isolation). However, I also feel that
the child abuse towards Josh could also be consider emotional abuse to the dad because they
keep putting him down and neglecting his feeling by stating “I wish you weren’t my dad”. Also,
her suicidal thoughts to me could be seen as using coercion and threats to try and get him to
leave.
However, I sensed some patterns from the movie: Josh kept taking out all of his
problems that day on his family. His dad also abused him. During the Domestic Violence
Counseling Program they mentioned that their parents actions was a big part as to why they
abused, while also stating that “It’s my house, my rules” (using male privilege) to justify their
actions.
Questions I have regarding this movie:
1. Why was the girl not indicted for killing her husband?

2. HaroldSowardsII
CJ 440
3/9/16
2. Why is a gender neutral approach to the Duluth Model so bad to the people who are
being shown in this movie?
3. Why was Kim able to keep the public house after she asked Josh to move back in
with her and what happened to their marital house?
4. Is the dog at the end of the movie a comfort animal?