Family structure is composed of individuals living together in intimate groups for the purpose of mutual care and support. Rules and boundaries, spoken and unspoken, are made by family members. Family rules and boundaries shift and shift over time in order to evolve and grow as a family unit. Some changes are subtle, but some events force major changes within the family system. This article applies the concepts of systems theory to the family system in the film Sweet Home Alabama. Reese Witherspoon (Melanie Smooter) and Josh Lucas (Jake Perry) star in this heartwarming film about a young woman who flees Alabama to reinvent herself in New York as a high-fashion designer. She leaves behind her redneck husband and her white trash upbringing. Melanie finds herself engaged to the most eligible bachelor in town and must return to Alabama to file for divorce from her first love and confront her past ("Alabama", 2002). Boundaries Boundaries are drawn between family systems and everything outside. Boundaries influence the movements of people in and out of the family system and regulate the flow of information to and from outside sources. Boundaries within a family are what distinguishes one family from another. Families have varying boundaries, some more open than others, whereas in other family systems their members are limited in where they can go and who can be brought into the family (“Systems Theory », nd). Boundaries also control what information will enter and leave the family. Some families have strict boundaries and family rules. Two families are referenced in the film Sweet Home Alabama. The first family includes Melanie, her mother and her...... middle of paper ...... oiding her family, friends and husband has left her family system frustrated. When Mélanie returns to ask for a divorce, not once, twice or three times, her husband continues to put her off. The husband's action is positive feedback because the lack of response to Melanie's requests left her feeling out of control. All systems require a balance of positive and negative feedback. Works Cited Becvar, DS and Becvar, RJ (1999). Systems Theory and Family Systems (2 ed.). Lanham, NY: University Press of America. Basic concepts of family systems theory. (nd). Retrieved from http://family.jrank.org/pages/597/Family-Systems-Theory-Basic-Concepts-Propositions.htmlNichols, MP (2010). Concepts and methods of family therapy (9 ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Sweet home Alabama. (2002). Retrieved from http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/sweet-home-alabama/