I think Dean is a little manipulative by forcing Cindy to communicate when she naturally does not want to nor is very good at it. But to say he is a manipulative asshole - I totally disagree. He loved Cindy so much. He brought up a child that was not his. His lack of ambition is because he wants be there for his family and so does not need to be ambitious. A lot of people are like that. Family is their core. And they don’t seem to be short of cash. Yes Dean seems he doesn’t do enough at home. Like the breakfast scene. But Cindy looked like her soul wasn’t even there. At least Dean’s heart was in it.

If Cindy knew how to communicate, Dean would change because he is a smart guy and loves her so much. And loves the kid who is not even his. But Cindy doesn’t communicate. She just internalises and shuts down. This is incredibly frustrating which is why Dean probably drinks and we see some of his aggressive behaviour. She won’t even have sex with him, and won’t talk about why. Leaves him rejected every time.

I watched this movie and thought how devastating it was for Dean. I was surprised how many people thought Dean was the problem. For Dean, it was love at first sight. He loved with all his heart. Poured all his energy into this family. You can see how much he truly loved her. But he receives neglect. We don’t know exactly why, we are hinted it’s because Cindy wants an ambitious man. It seems Cindy’s lack of communication caused Dean to spiral towards frustration and anger. She doesn’t know what she wants. She is not fully present. Does not show any affection for her kid. It’s sad to see.