The book defines communication as a message that one person sends and another receives. (Intimate Relations, Marriages & Families, 2011) I refer to the communication with the film because there have been many instances where problems could have been resolved if the family could have communicated better. There were moments where the characters could have felt like they were communicating, but they might not have done so as effectively. Some good examples were Miriam complaining that things weren't getting done at home or that Rodolfo's salary wasn't enough. Rodolfo heard her complain but didn't care to take action because of the way Miriam communicated her wants or needs. With this scenario, Miriam brought Rodolfo into combative listening. He didn't care to follow up on her complaints because he felt that she wasn't working and that what little extra money they had, she would spend on going out with her friends. In turn, this would make the situation worse, as Miriam would feel like her feelings were being ignored when communication was not addressed properly. Towards the end of the film, when they both want the relationship to work, they listen and communicate more effectively about their wants and needs. With the ability to work on their listening and communication skills as well as having more empathy for each other, Miriam and Rodolfo were able to give their relationship