Georgia Rule: Why The Title Of The 2007 Lindsay Lohan Film Was Actually Brilliant – And How The Movie Wasn’t Actually About Georgia’s Strict Rules, But About ONE Life Hack For Rachel To Live By

Getting to write about Hilary Duff’s 2009 film, According To Greta, heavily reminded me of another film made in the 2000’s: Georgia Rule. It starred Lindsay Lohan, another Disney mania superstar like Duff, Felicity Huffman, and the legendary Jane Fonda. The reason why I was reminded of the film was because Duff and Lohan were involved in the millennial love triangle of the 2000’s when they both dated troubled teen star, Aaron Carter, who tragically passed away in 2022. Today, the feud between them is a thing of the past. Since those days, both actresses have publicly acknowledged the media’s portrayal of a rivalry between them, particularly during their early careers. Lohan was even present at Duff’s album release party for Dignity, indicating a level of interaction and a possible friendship between the two. 

Lohan, like Duff, got her beginnings on Disney. She first gained recognition in the 1998 hir movie, The Parent Trap, where she played twins. The film also starred Dennis Quaid and the late Natasha Richardson. Lohan went on to star in several hot teen movies of the 2000’s including 2003’s Freaky Friday, which is getting a sequel in August, and 2004’s Mean Girls. It was her starring in that role that led to her troubled life and career. She became a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, but it all came at a price. She captured the hearts of audiences with her talent and charm. She became a household name, and everyone knew her name.

Signs of trouble began to arise as Lohan experienced the pressures of having to be perfect in the Hollywood limelight. The pressure to maintain her image and cope with the demands of fame took a toll on her well-being. Reports of Lohan’s substance abuse and problematic behaviour began to emerge. It suddenly became evident that Lohan’s life was spiraling out of control, and her once-promising future was at risk. By mid-2000’s, Lohan garnered a reputation of being unprofessional, particularly on the set of Georgia Rule. Producer James G. Robinson wrote her a letter in which he reprimanded her, calling her “irresponsible and unprofessional”. He told CBS, ‘She missed a day of work without telling anybody and you can have a whole crew and cast standing around—plus the cost of half a million dollars a day lost.’ Years later in 2022, Logan admitted to her wrongdoings.

Like According To Greta from the previous blog entry, Georgia Rule portrayed a dysfunctional family, but a different kind. The film explored themes of forgiveness, communication breakdown within families, and the challenges of dealing with past trauma. It followed a teenage girl named Rachel, played by Lohan. After giving her much trouble – more than she could ever handle – Rachel’s mother, Lily, played by Huffman, sent Rachel to a place she never thought she’d ever encounter again in her life – her mother’s home in Idaho.

Lily’s estranged mother, Georgia, played by Fonda, lived life by a few definitive rules—God comes first and hard work reigns—and whoever was under her roof must do the same. Lily thought this type of structure in her life would do Rachel good. The first thing Georgia did for her granddaughter was get her a receptionist job for a local veterinarian, Dr. Simon Ward, played by Dermot Mulroney. Rachel also befriended Harlan, played by Garrett Hedlund, an unmarried virgin who followed The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, during her stay with Georgia.

Though certainly not happy about the fact, Rachel obliged to Georgia’s rules. That said, she showcased some concerning behaviour towards others. From the very beginning, Rachel wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and do exactly what she wanted. Most of what she wanted was sexual intercourse, and she wasn’t shy about it either. She practically threw herself at Simon, but he didn’t show any interest in her, which was a first in her life. She automatically assumed he was gay, but it was later revealed to her that his wife and son passed away years prior in a car accident and he was still reeling from the loss. It was also revealed that Simon prevented dated Lily.

Knowing that Harlan was a virgin and saving himself for marriage, Rachel offered herself to him and they had oral sex. Feeling guilty about the entire ordeal, he confessed to his girlfriend, June. She was shocked, and began to spy on him and Rachel with a group of girls to make sure that they didn’t have sex again. This didn’t get past Rachel. She chased them using Harlan’s truck and explained to them that what happened is over and they can go back to having their summer fun. The group of girls agreed, but when they told Rachel to go back to where she came from, Rachel was led to threaten the girls by telling them that if they had anything to do with her and Harlan again, she’d find all of their boyfriends and ‘f*ck them stupid’. That was the last time the girls ever bothered her.

Rachel continued to sow her ruthlessness and rebelliousness in her to others. One day, while trying to make a point to Simon about survival, Rachel bluntly revealed to him that her stepfather, Arnold, sexually molested her from 12 until she turned 14. Seeing his reaction, she lied and tried to convince him that she made it up. Simon told Georgia of the abuse, who later told Lily. Heartbroken, Lily came to Georgia’s and begged Rachel to tell her that none of what she said happened actually happened. Rachel did as she was told, but Lily knew her daughter well enough that she was telling the truth when she revealed the abuse.

Lily started drinking heavily to cope with her new reality, and while drunk, called Arnold to tell him she wanted a divorce. Arnold came to Georgia’s to talk through it. When he arrived at the door, he was denied entry, and when he still refused to leave, Lily hit him with a baseball bat and threatened his new Ferrari. Seeing how Lily couldn’t accept the truth, Rachel lied to her by telling her that she made the entire thing up. Rachel then came to the motel where Arnold was staying and threatened him, telling him she had videotapes of him molesting her from when she was 14. He didn’t believe her, but went along with what she wanted either way. She demanded $10 million USD if he didn’t keep her mother happy. She also told him that she lied to her mother because she wanted to see her happy again. Lily did eventually agree to go back to San Francisco with Arnold, but while on their way there, Arnold revealed to Lily he was giving Rachel his Ferrari. That was when she realized that he did, in fact, molest her daughter. After she attacked him, he admitted to molesting Rachel, saying she seduced him and blamed Lily’s alcoholism for it happening.

Lily left the car, and Arnold drove off. As she walked back in the direction she came from, Georgia, Simon, Rachel and Harlan caught up with her in Harlan’s pickup truck. A tearful Rachel ran to Lily, hugged her, and apologized for her actions. Harlan then told Rachel he was in love with her, and that he planned to marry her following his two year mission.

Georgia Rule was practically banned by critics and movie-goers alike. It only made $25 million in the box office against a $20 million budget. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a rating of 19%, and its consensus was that the movie was comedic and dramatic in all the wrong places, and called the movie a confused dramedy that wasted the talents of its cast. Those few that did actually see the movie, however, gave the movie a B- rating, which I personally agree with.

The movie wasn’t a masterpiece by any means, but it certainly deserved a much better reception than it initially received. There was a lot that could be taken away from the movie, and surprisingly so. It was initially labeled as a sex abuse comedy, but much more than that. It was a retrospective piece into the worldview of women and teenage girls by adults. The official website for the movie, which is still active today, described the movie as the following: ‘Georgia Rule is the lively, inspiring tale of three generations of women finding that the ties that bind are stronger than the tests of time.’ The official trailer for the film described it as being a feel-good movie.

I remember distinctly being excited to see the movie in theatres for Mother’s Day… with my mom. We specifically chose to see the movie based on the themes that were marketed to the general public. I was a fan of Lindsay Lohan. My mom was a fan of Jane Fonda. It was perfect. So you can only imagine how shocked we both were when we realized the movie’s twist in direction of its plot. It was during that scene where Lohan’s Rachel revealed to Simon that she was molested by her stepfather. And yet, it was a good type of shock. The movie offered an eerily parallel narrative about the ways women and girls in crisis are unheard in their cries for help, and exactly what happens when a support system completely fails someone who desperately needs it.

Throughout the film, Rachel is portrayed as a wild child; a hopeless case, so to speak. At first, you think she’s just a typical teenage girl going through hormonal changes. But she’s much more than that. There’s much more depth to her and everything that’s made her the way that she is. Rachel is consistently slut-shamed throughout the film; constantly called out to be irresponsible and unreliable. We’re all supposed to believe that. But we see that she showed up to her new receptionist job at Simon’s office on time, and she’s actually very good at her job. She was always more than capable of being great, but didn’t have anyone to believe in her; even those that were supposed to – unconditionally and all.

Rachel’s sexual intercourse with Harlan was, in plain sight, sexual abuse; one that was at her very hands. She initiated, he continued but wanted to stop, but she insisted on going all the way. Harlan was trapped in a rowboat in the middle of a lake with no escape route. He repeatedly told Rachel he wasn’t comfortable with her advances. He tried to bring up both his girlfriend and his Mormon faith as reasons he’d prefer not to have sex with her, and he even used the phrase ‘We should stop’ VERY CLEARLY, and yet Rachel insisted on continuing. Harlan was confused by what had happened to him, and when he came to Rachel later to take her with him to tell his girlfriend, she was the one who got mad at HIM and told him, ‘Maybe I was just looking for someone to say no. And I thought you were it.’ No one could blame her for it. After all, it was the only way she knew how to love. When she described being molested by Arnold, she said that she hated the sex, but the only time she felt loved was when he held her.

I was a teenager when the movie first came out. I didn’t have the life experience to fully grasp the complexity of Rachel’s story. Then came my own tale of sexual abuse and everything that came with it. I suddenly understood where Rachel’s hostility and anger towards everyone that knew her, or tried to get to know her, was coming from. It all made sense to me. My own story was different than Rachel’s. I wasn’t abused by someone that was supposed to be a father-figure to me; someone who was supposed to protect me. I was raped by someone who claimed to be my friend; someone who claimed to care for me. And yet, I felt the same loneliness that Rachel had felt in her life. When Lily found out that her husband molested her daughter and that it went on for years, she drunkenly shamed Rachel by making the snarky ‘You slept with my husband’ remark, as though her daughter had the power to even say anything that even remotely sounded like a no at the age of 12. It was utterly disgraceful. My own my mom called me easy when she found out I’d lost my virginity. For context, my rape marked the first time I’d had sex. In the aftermath, my period was more than two weeks late, which led to a pregnancy scare. My mother didn’t know it was rape. She assumed it was a friend that blew me off following me giving him what he wanted. Before I could tell her it was rape, she slut-shamed me.

My mother’s words shattered me. They silenced me. They made me feel ashamed of what had happened to me. Nevertheless, life went on. I continued living and went on with my life by Rachel’s words of wisdom: ‘You can’t stop what’s done to you. You can only survive it. We all survive, you just don’t have to be damn sad doing it.’ This became my life motto. In hindsight, I pretended like it never even happened. I was fine with it…until I wasn’t. For so long, I was hiding behind a mask. I was surviving – just like Rachel – and I was in excruciating emotional pain doing it. But to the outside world, I wasn’t sad about it, because being sad would’ve been the death of me. Unlike Rachel, I wasn’t seen as a wild child or a troubled teenage girl. It was more like I was seen as a being an overly dramatic teenage girl. That continued on throughout my 20’s. I was certainly misunderstood; misguided.

I guess, in a sense, the frenzy surrounding Georgia Rule could be compared to that of It Ends With Us, except 2007 was a time where social media wasn’t as big as it was in 2024. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok didn’t even exist at the time. We’re now in 2025, and we’re still talking about the drama that was unfolded during the release of It Ends With Us, mostly because of the ongoing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Nevertheless, the idea is the same: both movies were marketed as one thing, but turned out to be completely another.

I spent much of my time since the release of It Ends With Us criticizing Blake Lively. It wasn’t for her lawsuit against Baldoni that gave her a bad reputation (at least on this blog), but her performance and confusion of her character, Lily Bloom. The same couldn’t said about Lohan’s performance. I thought she was absolutely phenomenal in her performance as Rachel. I truly believed she was the troubled teen that she portrayed herself to be. Maybe it was because she herself was troubled at the time. During the shooting of this movie, Lohan was about 20 years old, and dealing with her alcohol and drug abuse issues being made public. In hindsight, Rachel was like a parody of the persona the media created of Lohan. She was of the rebellious, and promiscuous young woman with self-destructive tendencies, who never learned her lesson. She handled herself as a confident young woman, but was also desperate for attention.

What Rachel wanted, and needed, most was to love; to be loved; to feel love. But she was looking in all the wrong places. She looked for validation and sought out for love in all the wrong places. She seduced a man who was her boss who was once in love with her mother, and she sexually assaulted a man who was a virgin and in a vulnerable position. In her mind, that was love; because that was the love that she’d experienced at the hands of the person that was supposed to protect her.

Rachel was looking for love and attention from a man through sexual relationships. It was because she defined love only through sexual relationships as that was how it was brought on to her from a young age. But what she really needed was love and attention from her mother; one that she didn’t have in her younger years because of her mother’s addiction. And because of her mother’s addiction, she was too oblivious to see what was really happening to her own daughter in her own home. Rachel didn’t feel like she was worthy of love; real love; the kind that she truly deserved. But she DID deserve it. She just needed the adult figures in her life to show her that she deserved it.

Throughout the film, we saw that Rachrl was insecure, and she deflected those insecurities by lying to and manipulating the people around her. Arnold took everything away from her when he began to molest her. He didn’t just take her virginity away from her. He took away her innocence. He took away her trust in people. He took away her spark; her light. But most importantly, she lost control. That loss of control was the reason for her behaviour and mistreatment of others. When someone, particularly a man, was nice to her, she automatically assumed he wanted to have sex with her, but that just wasn’t true. The one person who got her to see that was Simon, when she laid with him one night with the intention to have sex and he said no. She thanked him for it. Beforehand, she’d continuously tell herself she was fine; but she obviously wasn’t. It was something she desperately wanted to believe; that the abuse hadn’t affected her as much as it did; and that what was done to her was, indeed, done out of love. But it wasn’t in love. It wasn’t love at all. It was abuse. It was exploitation. It was a grown man taking advantage of a child.

More than anything in her life, Rachel desired to be accepted. But more than anything, she desired to be accepted by her mother. But even more so, she wanted to see her mother happy. When Rachel saw how much her truth hurt Lily, she lied to her and told her it never actually happened just to keep her happy. Lily couldn’t bear to look at her daughter at that moment because she couldn’t fathom the idea that she’d lie about something like this and accuse her husband of something so despicable. Rachel asked for forgiveness and told Lily to tell Arnold she was sorry. In turn, Lily said Arnold was ready to forgive her, but she wasn’t. Before she left to go back to SAN Francisco with Arnold, Lily wrote Rachel a letter. In it, she wrote: ‘My mother always told me the hardest things to do in life are to trust, to have faith, and to forgive. So I want you to hear the strength in my voice when I say I forgive you, because I love you. That simple and that complicated. To forgive is to move forward.’

Forgiveness, on top of acceptance, was something Rachel was looking for from her family. She was even willing to lie about what had happened to her in order to get that. Her search for forgiveness is intertwined with her efforts to confront the truth about Arnold, as well as her own actions. Rachel’s lies were driven by her needing to feel acceptances and forgiven by those she loved most, especially her mother. She didn’t want to hurt her. And even in the hurt that she’d faced, she still begged for her mother’s forgiveness. Georgia, though she didn’t know her granddaughter very well, played a key role in Rachel’s story. She was the only one who saw through Rachel’s lies – ALL of them. She was the glue in Rachel’s journey towards redemption and forgiveness. 

Generally speaking, what Rachel was looking for following enduring such trauma was absolutely normal. Sex abuse survivors may seek forgiveness and acceptance from others, including their community, family, or even the perpetrator, as a part of their healing process. This can be a complex and personal journey, with varying needs and desired outcomes. Some survivors might find relief and empowerment through restorative justice processes, while others may prioritize personal healing and emotional well-being, like Rachel did. To break things down more thoroughly:

Reasons for seeking forgiveness and acceptance: 

• Healing from trauma: Forgiveness can be a powerful tool for processing trauma and letting go of resentment, shame, and anger. 
• Reclaiming power: Seeking forgiveness can be a way for survivors to reclaim a sense of control and autonomy after experiencing a loss of power during the assault. 
• Social reintegration: Acceptance from their community can help survivors reintegrate into society and rebuild their social support networks. 
• Restoring relationships: For some survivors, forgiveness may be a step towards repairing damaged relationships with family or loved ones. 
• Seeking closure: Forgiveness can be a way to find closure and move forward with their lives, even if the perpetrator doesn’t apologize or show remorse. 
• Cultural and social expectations: In some cultures or communities, there may be strong expectations for survivors to forgive and seek reconciliation, which can influence their desire for forgiveness.

Important considerations: 

• Forgiveness is a personal journey: It’s crucial to recognize that forgiveness is a personal choice and may not be the right path for every survivor. 
• Seeking professional support: Therapy and support groups can provide a safe space for survivors to explore their feelings and make informed decisions about forgiveness. 
• Prioritizing safety and well-being: Forgiveness should not come at the expense of a survivor’s safety or emotional well-being. 
• Restorative justice: Restorative justice practices, such as victim-offender mediation, can offer opportunities for dialogue, accountability, and healing, but should be survivor-centered and tailored to their individual needs. 
• Addressing societal factors: It’s also important to address the societal factors that contribute to sexual violence, such as victim-blaming attitudes and rape myths. 

Rachel eventually did get the forgiveness that she was so desperate to get; and she got a written confirmation to prove it. But what she really needed most in her life wasn’t actually the forgiveness of her mother. She needed those three things that, according to Georgia, were the hardest three things to do in life: To trust. To have faith. To forgive. This in itself is the REAL part of the healing journey in the trauma endured by sexual abuse. She needed to find it in her heart to trust again. She needed to find it in her heart to have faith that not everyone that she’d ever encountered would have the same intentions as Arnold. And she needed to find it in her heart to forgive. Not Arnold, but herself. Forgiveness isn’t about the person who’d done the deed. It’s about your own self. It’s an F-You to the abuser. Forgiveness is about personal well-being and not about the details of the other person’s behavior. It takes time, but the reward is uncanny. Forgiveness means forgiving yourself too.

Many of those who watched the movie questioned why the movie was even titled Georgia Rule when it had very little to do with them. It was thought out that the movie was centred around Georgia’s strict rules and disciplinary methods, like not using the Lord’s name in vain and strict punctuality. These rules were part of Georgia’s parenting philosophy, which she believed would help her granddaughter overcome her rebellious and self-destructive tendencies. The strictness of these rules created conflict with Rachel, who was used to a more permissive lifestyle in San Francisco. The movie explored the tension between these two different approaches to raising a young woman. The title directly reflected the core conflict and the central figure who enforced these rules, highlighting the importance of these rules in the movie’s narrative, according to movie reviews.

But it was more than just that; far more than that. It was about Georgia’s rule of life; one that was told to Rachel through Lily’s letter. It’s the rule of like – to trust, to have faith, and to forgive. These were the life lessons Rachel needed to take from Georgia in order to heal her wounds and move forward with her life in a positive way. It’s a life lesson that every sex abuse survivor, including myself needs to take. THAT was why it was called Georgia Rule, and it was actually brilliant. Georgia Rule isn’t for everyone; but is a movie that every rape survivor should watch. It’s a movie that every mother of a daughter should watch. It’s a movie that every mother-daughter duo should watch. Georgia Rule is a reminder to all women and young girls to…trust, have faith, and forgive.

Getting to write about Hilary Duff’s 2009 film, According To Greta, heavily reminded me of another film made in the 2000’s: Georgia Rule. It starred Lindsay Lohan, another Disney mania superstar like Duff, Felicity Huffman, and the legendary Jane Fonda. The reason why I was reminded of the film was because Duff and Lohan were involved in the millennial love triangle of the 2000’s when they both dated troubled teen star, Aaron Carter, who tragically passed away in 2022. Today, the feud between them is a thing of the past. Since those days, both actresses have publicly acknowledged the media’s portrayal of a rivalry between them, particularly during their early careers. Lohan was even present at Duff’s album release party for Dignity, indicating a level of interaction and a possible friendship between the two. 

Lohan, like Duff, got her beginnings on Disney. She first gained recognition in the 1998 hir movie, The Parent Trap, where she played twins. The film also starred Dennis Quaid and the late Natasha Richardson. Lohan went on to star in several hot teen movies of the 2000’s including 2003’s Freaky Friday, which is getting a sequel in August, and 2004’s Mean Girls. It was her starring in that role that led to her troubled life and career. She became a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, but it all came at a price. She captured the hearts of audiences with her talent and charm. She became a household name, and everyone knew her name.

Signs of trouble began to arise as Lohan experienced the pressures of having to be perfect in the Hollywood limelight. The pressure to maintain her image and cope with the demands of fame took a toll on her well-being. Reports of Lohan’s substance abuse and problematic behaviour began to emerge. It suddenly became evident that Lohan’s life was spiraling out of control, and her once-promising future was at risk. By mid-2000’s, Lohan garnered a reputation of being unprofessional, particularly on the set of Georgia Rule. Producer James G. Robinson wrote her a letter in which he reprimanded her, calling her “irresponsible and unprofessional”. He told CBS, ‘She missed a day of work without telling anybody and you can have a whole crew and cast standing around—plus the cost of half a million dollars a day lost.’ Years later in 2022, Logan admitted to her wrongdoings.

Like According To Greta from the previous blog entry, Georgia Rule portrayed a dysfunctional family, but a different kind. The film explored themes of forgiveness, communication breakdown within families, and the challenges of dealing with past trauma. It followed a teenage girl named Rachel, played by Lohan. After giving her much trouble – more than she could ever handle – Rachel’s mother, Lily, played by Huffman, sent Rachel to a place she never thought she’d ever encounter again in her life – her mother’s home in Idaho.

Lily’s estranged mother, Georgia, played by Fonda, lived life by a few definitive rules—God comes first and hard work reigns—and whoever was under her roof must do the same. Lily thought this type of structure in her life would do Rachel good. The first thing Georgia did for her granddaughter was get her a receptionist job for a local veterinarian, Dr. Simon Ward, played by Dermot Mulroney. Rachel also befriended Harlan, played by Garrett Hedlund, an unmarried virgin who followed The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, during her stay with Georgia.

Though certainly not happy about the fact, Rachel obliged to Georgia’s rules. That said, she showcased some concerning behaviour towards others. From the very beginning, Rachel wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and do exactly what she wanted. Most of what she wanted was sexual intercourse, and she wasn’t shy about it either. She practically threw herself at Simon, but he didn’t show any interest in her, which was a first in her life. She automatically assumed he was gay, but it was later revealed to her that his wife and son passed away years prior in a car accident and he was still reeling from the loss. It was also revealed that Simon prevented dated Lily.

Knowing that Harlan was a virgin and saving himself for marriage, Rachel offered herself to him and they had oral sex. Feeling guilty about the entire ordeal, he confessed to his girlfriend, June. She was shocked, and began to spy on him and Rachel with a group of girls to make sure that they didn’t have sex again. This didn’t get past Rachel. She chased them using Harlan’s truck and explained to them that what happened is over and they can go back to having their summer fun. The group of girls agreed, but when they told Rachel to go back to where she came from, Rachel was led to threaten the girls by telling them that if they had anything to do with her and Harlan again, she’d find all of their boyfriends and ‘f*ck them stupid’. That was the last time the girls ever bothered her.

Rachel continued to sow her ruthlessness and rebelliousness in her to others. One day, while trying to make a point to Simon about survival, Rachel bluntly revealed to him that her stepfather, Arnold, sexually molested her from 12 until she turned 14. Seeing his reaction, she lied and tried to convince him that she made it up. Simon told Georgia of the abuse, who later told Lily. Heartbroken, Lily came to Georgia’s and begged Rachel to tell her that none of what she said happened actually happened. Rachel did as she was told, but Lily knew her daughter well enough that she was telling the truth when she revealed the abuse.

Lily started drinking heavily to cope with her new reality, and while drunk, called Arnold to tell him she wanted a divorce. Arnold came to Georgia’s to talk through it. When he arrived at the door, he was denied entry, and when he still refused to leave, Lily hit him with a baseball bat and threatened his new Ferrari. Seeing how Lily couldn’t accept the truth, Rachel lied to her by telling her that she made the entire thing up. Rachel then came to the motel where Arnold was staying and threatened him, telling him she had videotapes of him molesting her from when she was 14. He didn’t believe her, but went along with what she wanted either way. She demanded $10 million USD if he didn’t keep her mother happy. She also told him that she lied to her mother because she wanted to see her happy again. Lily did eventually agree to go back to San Francisco with Arnold, but while on their way there, Arnold revealed to Lily he was giving Rachel his Ferrari. That was when she realized that he did, in fact, molest her daughter. After she attacked him, he admitted to molesting Rachel, saying she seduced him and blamed Lily’s alcoholism for it happening.

Lily left the car, and Arnold drove off. As she walked back in the direction she came from, Georgia, Simon, Rachel and Harlan caught up with her in Harlan’s pickup truck. A tearful Rachel ran to Lily, hugged her, and apologized for her actions. Harlan then told Rachel he was in love with her, and that he planned to marry her following his two year mission.

Georgia Rule was practically banded by critics and movie-goers alike. It only made $25 million in the box office against a $20 million budget. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a rating of 19%, and its consensus was that the movie was comedic and dramatic in all the wrong places, and called the movie a confused dramedy that wasted the talents of its cast. Those few that did actually see the movie, however, gave the movie a B- rating, which I personally agree with.

The movie wasn’t a masterpiece by any means, but it certainly deserved a much better reception than it initially received. There was a lot that could be taken away from the movie, and surprisingly so. It was initially labeled as a sex abuse comedy, but much more than that. It was a retrospective piece into the worldview of women and teenage girls by adults. The official website for the movie, which is still active today, described the movie as the following: ‘Georgia Rule is the lively, inspiring tale of three generations of women finding that the ties that bind are stronger than the tests of time.’ The official trailer for the film described it as being a feel-good movie.

I remember distinctly being excited to see the movie in theatres for Mother’s Day… with my mom. We specifically chose to see the movie based on the themes that were marketed to the general public. I was a fan of Lindsay Lohan. My mom was a fan of Jane Fonda. It was perfect. So you can only imagine how shocked we both were when we realized the movie’s twist in direction of its plot. It was during that scene where Lohan’s Rachel revealed to Simon that she was molested by her stepfather. And yet, it was a good type of shock. The movie offered an eerily parallel narrative about the ways women and girls in crisis are unheard in their cries for help, and exactly what happens when a support system completely fails someone who desperately needs it.

Throughout the film, Rachel is portrayed as a wild child; a hopeless case, so to speak. At first, you think she’s just a typical teenage girl going through hormonal changes. But she’s much more than that. There’s much more depth to her and everything that’s made her the way that she is. Rachel is consistently slut-shamed throughout the film; constantly called out to be irresponsible and unreliable. We’re all supposed to believe that. But we see that she showed up to her new receptionist job at Simon’s office on time, and she’s actually very good at her job. She was always more than capable of being great, but didn’t have anyone to believe in her; even those that were supposed to – unconditionally and all.

Rachel’s sexual intercourse with Harlan was, in plain sight, sexual abuse; one that was at her very hands. She initiated, he continued but wanted to stop, but she insisted on going all the way. Harlan was trapped in a rowboat in the middle of a lake with no escape route. He repeatedly told Rachel he wasn’t comfortable with her advances. He tried to bring up both his girlfriend and his Mormon faith as reasons he’d prefer not to have sex with her, and he even used the phrase ‘We should stop’ VERY CLEARLY, and yet Rachel insisted on continuing. Harlan was confused by what had happened to him, and when he came to Rachel later to take her with him to tell his girlfriend, she was the one who got mad at HIM and told him, ‘Maybe I was just looking for someone to say no. And I thought you were it.’ No one could blame her for it. After all, it was the only way she knew how to love. When she described being molested by Arnold, she said that she hated the sex, but the only time she felt loved was when he held her.

I was a teenager when the movie first came out. I didn’t have the life experience to fully grasp the complexity of Rachel’s story. Then came my own tale of sexual abuse and everything that came with it. I suddenly understood where Rachel’s hostility and anger towards everyone that knew her, or tried to get to know her, was coming from. It all made sense to me. My own story was different than Rachel’s. I wasn’t abused by someone that was supposed to be a father-figure to me; someone who was supposed to protect me. I was raped by someone who claimed to be my friend; someone who claimed to care for me. And yet, I felt the same loneliness that Rachel had felt in her life. When Lily found out that her husband molested her daughter and that it went on for years, she drunkenly shamed Rachel by making the snarky ‘You slept with my husband’ remark, as though her daughter had the power to even say anything that even remotely sounded like a no at the age of 12. It was utterly disgraceful. My own my mom called me easy when she found out I’d lost my virginity. For context, my rape marked the first time I’d had sex. In the aftermath, my period was more than two weeks late, which led to a pregnancy scare. My mother didn’t know it was rape. She assumed it was a friend that blew me off following me giving him what he wanted. Before I could tell her it was rape, she slut-shamed me.

My mother’s words shattered me. They silenced me. They made me feel ashamed of what had happened to me. Nevertheless, life went on. I continued living and went on with my life by Rachel’s words of wisdom: ‘You can’t stop what’s done to you. You can only survive it. We all survive, you just don’t have to be damn sad doing it.’ This became my life motto. In hindsight, I pretended like it never even happened. I was fine with it…until I wasn’t. For so long, I was hiding behind a mask. I was surviving – just like Rachel – and I was in excruciating emotional pain doing it. But to the outside world, I wasn’t sad about it, because being sad would’ve been the death of me. Unlike Rachel, I wasn’t seen as a wild child or a troubled teenage girl. It was more like I was seen as a being an overly dramatic teenage girl. That continued on throughout my 20’s. I was certainly misunderstood; misguided.

I guess, in a sense, the frenzy surrounding Georgia Rule could be compared to that of It Ends With Us, except 2007 was a time where social media wasn’t as big as it was in 2024. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok didn’t even exist at the time. We’re now in 2025, and we’re still talking about the drama that was unfolded during the release of It Ends With Us, mostly because of the ongoing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Nevertheless, the idea is the same: both movies were marketed as one thing, but turned out to be completely another.

I spent much of my time since the release of It Ends With Us criticizing Blake Lively. It wasn’t for her lawsuit against Baldoni that gave her a bad reputation (at least on this blog), but her performance and confusion of her character, Lily Bloom. The same couldn’t said about Lohan’s performance. I thought she was absolutely phenomenal in her performance as Rachel. I truly believed she was the troubled teen that she portrayed herself to be. Maybe it was because she herself was troubled at the time. During the shooting of this movie, Lohan was about 20 years old, and dealing with her alcohol and drug abuse issues being made public. In hindsight, Rachel was like a parody of the persona the media created of Lohan. She was of the rebellious, and promiscuous young woman with self-destructive tendencies, who never learned her lesson. She handled herself as a confident young woman, but was also desperate for attention.

What Rachel wanted, and needed, most was to love; to be loved; to feel love. But she was looking in all the wrong places. She looked for validation and sought out for love in all the wrong places. She seduced a man who was her boss who was once in love with her mother, and she sexually assaulted a man who was a virgin and in a vulnerable position. In her mind, that was love; because that was the love that she’d experienced at the hands of the person that was supposed to protect her.

Rachel was looking for love and attention from a man through sexual relationships. It was because she defined love only through sexual relationships as that was how it was brought on to her from a young age. But what she really needed was love and attention from her mother; one that she didn’t have in her younger years because of her mother’s addiction. And because of her mother’s addiction, she was too oblivious to see what was really happening to her own daughter in her own home. Rachel didn’t feel like she was worthy of love; real love; the kind that she truly deserved. But she DID deserve it. She just needed the adult figures in her life to show her that she deserved it.

Throughout the film, we saw that Rachrl was insecure, and she deflected those insecurities by lying to and manipulating the people around her. Arnold took everything away from her when he began to molest her. He didn’t just take her virginity away from her. He took away her innocence. He took away her trust in people. He took away her spark; her light. But most importantly, she lost control. That loss of control was the reason for her behaviour and mistreatment of others. When someone, particularly a man, was nice to her, she automatically assumed he wanted to have sex with her, but that just wasn’t true. The one person who got her to see that was Simon, when she laid with him one night with the intention to have sex and he said no. She thanked him for it. Beforehand, she’d continuously tell herself she was fine; but she obviously wasn’t. It was something she desperately wanted to believe; that the abuse hadn’t affected her as much as it did; and that what was done to her was, indeed, done out of love. But it wasn’t in love. It wasn’t love at all. It was abuse. It was exploitation. It was a grown man taking advantage of a child.

More than anything in her life, Rachel desired to be accepted. But more than anything, she desired to be accepted by her mother. But even more so, she wanted to see her mother happy. When Rachel saw how much her truth hurt Lily, she lied to her and told her it never actually happened just to keep her happy. Lily couldn’t bear to look at her daughter at that moment because she couldn’t fathom the idea that she’d lie about something like this and accuse her husband of something so despicable. Rachel asked for forgiveness and told Lily to tell Arnold she was sorry. In turn, Lily said Arnold was ready to forgive her, but she wasn’t. Before she left to go back to SAN Francisco with Arnold, Lily wrote Rachel a letter. In it, she wrote: ‘My mother always told me the hardest things to do in life are to trust, to have faith, and to forgive. So I want you to hear the strength in my voice when I say I forgive you, because I love you. That simple and that complicated. To forgive is to move forward.’

Forgiveness, on top of acceptance, was something Rachel was looking for from her family. She was even willing to lie about what had happened to her in order to get that. Her search for forgiveness is intertwined with her efforts to confront the truth about Arnold, as well as her own actions. Rachel’s lies were driven by her needing to feel acceptances and forgiven by those she loved most, especially her mother. She didn’t want to hurt her. And even in the hurt that she’d faced, she still begged for her mother’s forgiveness. Georgia, though she didn’t know her granddaughter very well, played a key role in Rachel’s story. She was the only one who saw through Rachel’s lies – ALL of them. She was the glue in Rachel’s journey towards redemption and forgiveness. 

Generally speaking, what Rachel was looking for following enduring such trauma was absolutely normal. Sex abuse survivors may seek forgiveness and acceptance from others, including their community, family, or even the perpetrator, as a part of their healing process. This can be a complex and personal journey, with varying needs and desired outcomes. Some survivors might find relief and empowerment through restorative justice processes, while others may prioritize personal healing and emotional well-being, like Rachel did. To break things down more thoroughly:

Reasons for seeking forgiveness and acceptance: 

• Healing from trauma: Forgiveness can be a powerful tool for processing trauma and letting go of resentment, shame, and anger. 
• Reclaiming power: Seeking forgiveness can be a way for survivors to reclaim a sense of control and autonomy after experiencing a loss of power during the assault. 
• Social reintegration: Acceptance from their community can help survivors reintegrate into society and rebuild their social support networks. 
• Restoring relationships: For some survivors, forgiveness may be a step towards repairing damaged relationships with family or loved ones. 
• Seeking closure: Forgiveness can be a way to find closure and move forward with their lives, even if the perpetrator doesn’t apologize or show remorse. 
• Cultural and social expectations: In some cultures or communities, there may be strong expectations for survivors to forgive and seek reconciliation, which can influence their desire for forgiveness.

Important considerations: 

• Forgiveness is a personal journey: It’s crucial to recognize that forgiveness is a personal choice and may not be the right path for every survivor. 
• Seeking professional support: Therapy and support groups can provide a safe space for survivors to explore their feelings and make informed decisions about forgiveness. 
• Prioritizing safety and well-being: Forgiveness should not come at the expense of a survivor’s safety or emotional well-being. 
• Restorative justice: Restorative justice practices, such as victim-offender mediation, can offer opportunities for dialogue, accountability, and healing, but should be survivor-centered and tailored to their individual needs. 
• Addressing societal factors: It’s also important to address the societal factors that contribute to sexual violence, such as victim-blaming attitudes and rape myths. 

Rachel eventually did get the forgiveness that she was so desperate to get; and she got a written confirmation to prove it. But what she really needed most in her life wasn’t actually the forgiveness of her mother. She needed those three things that, according to Georgia, were the hardest three things to do in life: To trust. To have faith. To forgive. This in itself is the REAL part of the healing journey in the trauma endured by sexual abuse. She needed to find it in her heart to trust again. She needed to find it in her heart to have faith that not everyone that she’d ever encountered would have the same intentions as Arnold. And she needed to find it in her heart to forgive. Not Arnold, but herself. Forgiveness isn’t about the person who’d done the deed. It’s about your own self. It’s an F-You to the abuser. Forgiveness is about personal well-being and not about the details of the other person’s behavior. It takes time, but the reward is uncanny. Forgiveness means forgiving yourself too.

Many of those who watched the movie questioned why the movie was even titled Georgia Rule when it had very little to do with them. It was thought out that the movie was centred around Georgia’s strict rules and disciplinary methods, like not using the Lord’s name in vain and strict punctuality. These rules were part of Georgia’s parenting philosophy, which she believed would help her granddaughter overcome her rebellious and self-destructive tendencies. The strictness of these rules created conflict with Rachel, who was used to a more permissive lifestyle in San Francisco. The movie explored the tension between these two different approaches to raising a young woman. The title directly reflected the core conflict and the central figure who enforced these rules, highlighting the importance of these rules in the movie’s narrative, according to movie reviews.

But it was more than just that; far more than that. It was about Georgia’s rule of life; one that was told to Rachel through Lily’s letter. It’s the rule of like – to trust, to have faith, and to forgive. These were the life lessons Rachel needed to take from Georgia in order to heal her wounds and move forward with her life in a positive way. It’s a life lesson that every sex abuse survivor, including myself needs to take. THAT was why it was called Georgia Rule, and it was actually brilliant. Georgia Rule isn’t for everyone; but is a movie that every rape survivor should watch. It’s a movie that every mother of a daughter should watch. It’s a movie that every mother-daughter duo should watch. Georgia Rule is a reminder to all women and young girls to…trust, have faith, and forgive.