Interpersonal Communication is defined as the theory that claims people make relationship decisions based upon comparing cost and rewards. In the movie “Over the Hedge," the raccoon, RJ, started his relationship with the other animals because he needed them. RJ tried to gain the trust of the animals by introducing them to ideas and food that they knew nothing of. Although Verne, the turtle was skeptical, RJ’s “know it all” and new and innovative ideas had an appeal to the other animals. In the beginning, RJ weighed his cost and rewards. He saw a relationship with the other animals would be beneficial to his cause. RJ had to have a wagon filled with food within one week to repay a bear that he had tried to steal from. He knew that the only way that he could fulfill this order is if he had the help of others. On the other hand, the other animals weighed their cost and reward as well. They saw that RJ knew how to get food. His ideas would help them fill up their winter storage within one week instead of the 200 plus days that it usually took them. Verne saw that a relationship with RJ wasn’t beneficial. He saw that he was just using them and that a relationship with him would bring harm to the “family”. For example, in the beginning, when Verne was sent to see what it was like “over the hedge” he came back and told the “family” a big tale. Meanwhile, RJ was up in the tree listening. He was probably weighing his cost and rewards because after this he decided to introduce himself to the family. He had already decided that he would benefit from a relationship with the animal. The animals also saw a reward in a relationship with RJ because he could help they get food. A unit made up of any number of persons who live or have lived in a relationship with one another over time in a common living space who are usually but not always , united by marriage or kinship is defined as a family. The characters, Verne, Hammy, Stell