The heartwarming ending: Hawk ruins his son's life

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Okay, the truck crashing through the house aside, one could argue that the grandfather wanted Mike more for his own best interests than his grandson's. Mike is his only living family so he's trying to hold on to what's his for himself. If the grandfather really cared about Mike then he wouldn't be cut off financially. If the way you present it is true then Cutler only uses his money to manipulate people just like he more than likely manipulated Christina.

Outside of the money, I don't really see Mike's life as being all that great. I'm sure his private school education is just fine but for as much as Lincoln was out of his life, how much were his mother and grandfather around?

Now about the truck; especially compared to today's standards of coddling children this looks like extreme recklessness. And to some degree, it is. But I think about that scene after Mike loses the first arm wrestling match to the kid at the diner and that almost symbolizes the turning point where we stopped treating young people like helpless invalids. In the end, Mike ended up being capable of driving the truck and that probably did more for him than anything he learned at the military academy.

In the end, he finally was reunited with his dad. So what he doesn't grow up in a mansion. For all the money he probably won't make in his future he also won't have to spend on therapy.

Hawk made $140,000 betting on himself ($7K @ 20:1) plus an additional 100K for winning. In addition to a top of the line semi. So he had financial means to start a trucking company and provide for his son. Also based on who Michael was, can you really say he was happy in his old life?

Cutler may have provided for his grandson financially, but he was a terrible person and influence. I mean what kind of person makes up lies about a kid's father telling him that his father's a drug dealer, or purposely hides countless letters that Hawk wrote to stay in his son's life? Not to mention him making family life miserable for his daughter to the point where her husband has to leave to spare her and their son. In the end, you can tell that Michael will be much happier being with his dad and helping with the trucking company.

Hawk admitted that he messed up badly by leaving his family. The grandfather was a selfish person who only cared about what made him happy. He treats everyone as if they are beneath him. He sent Michael to that military school not only to give him a quality, high discipline education, but also to keep away from Hawk, and in doing so, he also kept him away from his mother, who was very sick. Christina told Michael that there is more to life than what he has seen. I thought that Hawk letting his son drive the truck in an empty, straight stretch of highway was fun and endearing.

I find the scene at sunset with Hawk sitting on the truck, after Michael decides to go back to his grandfather, the most poignant in the film. He had given up on his family before, and now, he was willing to fight for his son. He had had it with the grandfather. In a house that big, I doubt anyone would be that close to the door, especially at that hour of the night.

Now that Hawk has a new truck and money he can buy a small hauling company like he always wished, hire more drivers, and only do local transportation himself to be near Michael. Living, and sleeping on the road wasn't doing it for Hawk anymore. He is ready to start over.

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It was a weak story for sure. Let's 'save' this poor kid from his grandfather who has more money than most small nations, puts his grandson into private school and gives him whatever he could ever want. Will be able to provide the best education for his grandson, and then probably hand over the family business to the grandson someday .... Jesus, someone please help this kid, NOW!

I know - the grandfather was selfish and apparently didn't approve of Hawk, and got in-between he and his daughters marriage/relationship. But they give him goon bodyguards who are complete douchebags, and so ole Papa is a bad guy! They could have made grandpa some mob kingpin or something so that maybe the kid was in some sort of danger being with him. Instead, he goes off with dear ole dad for a life on the road. So, home (road) schooling for Mike then I guess?

And what does it say about the mom here that she lets her rich daddy interfere with her marriage, and push out her husband? Because she dies we're supposed to feel sorry for her, and forget that she dumped her husband and kept their kid away from him for 12 years?

The OP completely missed the point of the movie. Hawk's son had a nice life, but Hawk taught him how to LIVE life.

Yeah, because Robert Loggia's nearly psychopathic character is perfect to take care of a child. WTF?!