The Roads Not Taken (2020) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film primarily takes place in New York City, with key scenes set in a Costco, a cemetery during the Day of the Dead celebration, and a tavern by the sea. These locations contrast the mundane chaos of everyday life with profound moments of emotional reflection and nostalgia.

• new york city
• locations
• costco
• cemetery
• tavern

The story is set in modern times, specifically addressing contemporary issues related to aging and dementia. The inclusion of the Day of the Dead celebration provides cultural context that grounds the narrative in a specific tradition focused on memory and remembrance.

• modern era
• contemporary
• aging
• dementia

Dementia serves as the film's central theme, exploring how memory loss affects identity and relationships. Leo's struggle with his condition creates a dreamlike atmosphere where he oscillates between present-day confusion and vivid memories, profoundly impacting his daughter Molly who witnesses his decline while grappling with her own future.

• dementia
• memory loss
• identity
• caregiving
• cognitive decline

Loss permeates the film, centered around the death of Leo and Dolores's son, Néstor. This unresolved grief drives much of Leo's emotional state and influences his fractured memories. The cemetery scenes during Day of the Dead illustrate how love and memory remain connected to the experience of loss.

• loss
• grief
• death
• Néstor
• memory

Escapism emerges as a recurring motif as Leo navigates his disoriented mind. His wandering through celebrations and hailing taxis represents a desire to escape the constraints of his current life shaped by dementia and grief. This theme creates tension between seeking comfort in memories and confronting painful realities.

• escapism
• reality
• memories
• disorientation

Leo is a man grappling with dementia whose fractured memories reveal alternate versions of his life. Despite his confusion, he embodies both vulnerability and a deep longing for connection with his daughter, Molly. His emotional depth is revealed through his relationships and the memories that dominate his altered state of mind.

• Leo
• father
• dementia
• memories
• connection

Molly is Leo's devoted daughter who manages her father's decline while facing her own life challenges. She embodies resilience and compassion as a caregiver, balancing love and duty while confronting the inevitable loss of her father. Her journey reflects the emotional burden of watching a loved one fade away.

• Molly
• daughter
• caregiver
• resilience
• Elle Fanning

Dolores represents Leo's past, embodying love intertwined with sorrow over their deceased son, Néstor. Her presence during key emotional moments illustrates the lasting impact of their shared memories and grief. Despite Leo's condition, their connection remains profound, showing how love persists through memory loss.

• Dolores
• past
• love
• grief
• Néstor

The Day of the Dead celebration at the cemetery serves as a crucial scene that grounds the narrative in cultural tradition. It provides a context for memory and remembrance, directly connecting to the film's themes of loss, grief, and the enduring connection between the living and those who have passed.

• day of dead
• cemetery
• tradition
• memory
• cultural

The film uses a nonlinear narrative that interweaves Leo's present-day struggles with dementia and his alternate life scenarios in Mexico and Greece. This fragmented timeline requires viewers to piece together his fractured reality, reflecting how memory works in disorienting and non-chronological ways.

• nonlinear
• fragmented
• timeline
• memory
• alternate lives

The film carries a consistently melancholic tone established by themes of memory loss, regret, and the quiet tragedy of a fading mind. While the intensity remains medium rather than high-stakes, the slow, reflective pacing creates an emotionally taxing experience centered on love, loss, and human connection.

• melancholic
• emotional
• tone
• slow pacing
• reflective

The ending is bittersweet, with Molly offering her father love and support in his reality, acknowledging the profound sadness while providing a thread of human connection. It hints at the unresolved nature of his alternate lives while emphasizing the importance of presence and compassion despite inevitable loss.

• bittersweet
• ending
• resolution
• connection
• love