Mendes takes a unique view of family in that he seems to question the idea that one must simply accept the members of one's family and love them unconditionally. Jane's desire to get away from her parents, though unrealistic, is certainly understandable. Ricky's desire to stick by his broken mother and angry father is touching in its impossibility. Ironically, the over-the-top antics of the Burnham and Fitts families almost overshadow one of the more interesting questions of the film: where is Angela's family? Where, for example, are Angela's parents during the rally at the gym? Why does Angela always stay at Jane's house, instead of offering her miserable friend a refuge? There is no clear answer, but perhaps Mendes is suggesting that no matter how bad your family may be, it is always preferable to have them there (lest you end up like Angela: a confused, sad, lonely girl). Given the careful, precise nature of the script, it seems likely that this omission was fully intended to underscore the importance of family to an individual's character and development.