Fatherhood

After Maddy got stitches following a school fight, Matt felt overwhelmed with guilt for not being there to protect her. This guilt, combined with his ongoing fear of not being a good enough father, led him to end his budding relationship with Swan. He believed his focus should be entirely on Maddy, not on his own romantic happiness.

Earlier scenes show Matt struggling with the overwhelming responsibility of raising an infant alone, establishing his pattern of questioning his worth as a parent.

When Matt received a promising job opportunity in Croatia, he made the painful decision to send Maddy to stay with her grandparents, believing they could provide more stability and happiness than he could as a single father struggling with work demands.

Throughout the film, Matt frequently questions his ability to be a good father, especially when faced with challenges like Maddy's injury.

While at the airport about to leave for Croatia, Matt discovered Liz's necklace that Maddy had been longing for. This discovery, combined with his overwhelming thoughts of missing his daughter, made him realize he couldn't bear to be apart from her. He abandoned the trip and rushed back to Maddy.

The necklace had been established as an important belonging of Liz's that Maddy treasure

Matt experienced extreme trauma at the hospital where Liz unexpectedly passed away following an emergency c-section. When Maddy needed medical treatment after her school accident, returning to that same hospital brought back devastating memories of losing his wife, causing him great anxiety and reluctance.

The opening tragedy establishes that Liz died at the hospital right after giving birth to Maddy.

When Matt prepared to leave for Croatia and said goodbye to Marion and Mike (Liz's parents), Marion became particularly emotional because she was reflecting on how much happiness Matt brought into Liz's life. Despite losing her daughter, seeing Matt's devoted care for Maddy brought her comfort.

Marion and Mike had supported Matt through Liz's funeral and the early difficult months of single parenthood.

Maddy faced ridicule from her classmates about her outfit at school. Rather than ignoring the teasing, she bravely confronted one of the boys who had been making fun of her. This confrontation resulted in a physical altercation where she got injured and required stitches.

The scene occurs shortly after Matt begins introducing Swan into their lives, showing Maddy adjusting to changes.

Matt wore a skirt to support Maddy on the day the school introduced a relaxed dress code allowing jeans. His willingness to participate in this way, despite it being unconventional, demonstrated his commitment to making Maddy feel happy, loved, and accepted for who she is.

Earlier, Maddy had been teased about her outfit, making this gesture particularly meaningful.

Matt was reluctant to pursue romance because he felt inadequate as a single father and believed all his energy should go toward raising Maddy. He worried that pursuing his own happiness would take away from his ability to care for his daughter properly.

His friends Oscar and Rose specifically orchestrated the meeting with Swan at the birthday party to help Matt move forward.

Matt accepted Howard's suggestion to take over his old role because he felt grateful for the opportunity and wanted to provide stable income for Maddy. However, he also felt conflicted because the new position could mean fewer opportunities to spend time with his daughter as a single father.

Howard had earlier offered Matt the Croatia job, showing his investment in Matt's career.

Swan readily accepted Matt's apology and agreed to try again because she understood his decision came from a place of genuine love for Maddy and fear of not being a good father. Her empathy and willingness to see past his mistake showed her genuine connection to both Matt and Maddy.

Swan had earlier formed a warm bond with Maddy, demonstrating her capacity to understand the father-daughter dynamic.