Summaries. Desperate to provide care for her daughter, down-on-her-luck Jean moves in with her father in-law from whom she is estranged. Through time, they learn to forgive each other and heal old wounds.

Einar's son, Griffin, had married Jean years ago. She discovered that she was pregnant with Griff after Griffin died in a car accident, after which the family broke up. Tension exists between Einar and Jean, as both are still grieving for Griffin; tensions build as Einar has always blamed Jean for his son's death.

This bear is supposed to symbolize many things in "An Unfinished Life": The inability to let go of grief and anger, and the need for emotional freedom at all costs. But in the end, he's just a bear, going about the honest business of doin' what bears do.

In a later scene Jean punches him in self-defense. He then backhands her, grabs Griff and drags her to his car. Einar comes to the rescue, shooting out the tires and engine block of Gary's car. He then smashes through the glass with the rifle butt, drags Gary's head through the window and knees him in the face.