Through out the movie Guilt Trip, the main characters Andy and Joyce Brewster gain confidence and complete the transition into the next stage of their lives.
In the beginning of the movie, Andy is very much in emerging adulthood. We see this through his unconfidence in his sales pitch, and his attempts to make jokes to cover up his nervousness. When he unites with his mother, he is avoidant of her questions and is annoyed by her attempts to care for him. At one point, he decides to rent a car, previously suggested by his mother, when another salesman gives the suggestion. Andy is very much fighting for independence and trying to prove himself as an adult. After he snaps at his mother in a hotel room, we begin to see a change in Andy. He tells his mom about his unsuccess with his sales, and explains his true feelings for her. This new Andy is much calmer and open to advice from his mother. He uses this new confidence to present a fantastic sales pitch, and close the deal. At the end of the movie, Andy is ready to leave his mother, but he still wants to care for her well being; he has made the transition into adulthood.
The movie begins will many voice mails from his mother Joyce, calling about unimportant details. She offers to buy him underwear in one message, and is constantly checking up on her son. Joyce's identity is very much dependent on her son. She smothers him with questions, food, and too many details about her friend's lives. She is also uncomfortable with getting involved with a man. She becomes awkward and avoidance of any attempts at flirting. After Andy yells at her, Joyce goes to the hotel bar and gets flirty with a patron. A few scenes later, Joyce is hit on by a cowboy, and she is receptive to his wooing. Joyce then begins a new age of self exploration. She stays out all night in Vegas and even gets her ears pierced. She is beginning to find a life for herself apart from her son. Near the end, Joyce is disappointed to learn that her old boyfriend has passed away, but she quickly accepts the reality and doesn't romanticize the past for long.
Both characters undergo many psychological changes throughout the movie. Andy successfully transitions into adulthood, and Joyce gains a life apart from her son.
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