The film lacks LGBTQ+ characters and does not explore non-heteronormative identities. The narrative focuses exclusively on the dysfunctional bond between the two central protagonists.

Helen is portrayed as a flawed, autonomous agent rather than a nurturing archetype. Her arc is driven by personal trauma and addiction rather than her relationship to men.

The setting depicts a largely homogeneous, impoverished white population. While avoiding harmful caricatures, the film lacks significant racial intersectionality in its Great Depression-era focus.

The film offers a profound anti-capitalist critique of Western institutions. It deconstructs the American Dream by framing survivalist, anti-social behaviors as responses to systemic decay.

Mental health struggles and the physical toll of alcoholism are depicted viscerally. These conditions are central to character identity rather than being used as mere plot devices.