SPOILER.
-
Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Color of Money
cultfilmfreaksdotcom — 11 years ago(December 15, 2014 02:35 AM)
SPOILER.
So Vincent threw the match and Eddie didn't win. Vincent then lost money after Eddie forfeited the match due to the fact he didn't feel he deserved to win. And Vincent lost the money. I get that. But when Vincent yelled "You Used Us!" I never fully understood what he meant for that particular moment.
Movie Reviews
www.cultfilmfreaks.com
FBK
www.facebook.com/cultfilmfreakcinema -
Dresden7 — 11 years ago(December 19, 2014 07:01 AM)
I have thought about this too. I think what Vincent meant was that he felt used when Eddie took him around Atlantic City and exploited his skills in order to "use" them to make a profit. Or maybe he was referring to the fact that he forfeited at the end of his match, causing Vincent to lose a lot of money since he was "betting" on Eddie winning his semi-final match.
-
rshettybar — 11 years ago(January 06, 2015 02:19 PM)
I think it refers to the fact that Eddie used Vincent to help him get his scent back to play pool and hustle/win money although by the end Eddie just wanted to play and win pool. Eddie dressed it up initially that they were partners but he was using Vincent as a business asset.
-
maturity — 11 years ago(February 20, 2015 01:12 PM)
Vincent reminded Eddie of himself and was the best player Eddie knew of. He used Vince to hone his game skills and get his confidence back, then got some glasses and got in shape and so on. He may not have realized he was using the kid at first, but Vincent helped him to get his game back and get to Atlantic City as much as he helped Vincent.
-
Xevious550 — 11 years ago(January 23, 2015 06:49 AM)
Vincent reignited Eddie's passion for the game. Eddie then plays a single match and gets embarrassed. Instead of moving on with it and sticking with Vincent to Atlantic City, he drops them and goes to work on his own game.
That's how I took it. -
maturity — 11 years ago(February 20, 2015 01:06 PM)
I believe Eddie deliberately let himself get hustled by Amos. He got drunk just like in The Hustler. He was putting on a show for Vincent to have an excuse to dump him. It was a lesson, he had nothing left to teach him.
-
wierdo_artist — 11 years ago(January 29, 2015 01:35 PM)
Here's what I think (having watched it for the first time last night), When they arrived at Chalkies Eddie told Vince NOT to play/beat Moselle (tall black guy w/ the nose ring) because it would scare away all the people (including the rich guy) and no one would be around anymore. I beleive he told him this KNOWING FULL WELL that the cocky, young Vince would play him ANYWAY, AND WIN, and scare everyone away just like he said, and THUS emptying out Chalkies to make way for Eddie to slowly fill his spot, become the number 1 man in town, and before you know it, Eddie had people lining up to play him, and the rich guy was back. He used Eddie to get himself back into a good slot in Chalkies. Then after that, he got his "game" back. He got glasses, got healthy, and started winning!
-
maturity — 11 years ago(February 20, 2015 01:02 PM)
I think Vincent meant Eddie was using him to get back in the game himself. You can see his enthusiasm in the game he runs at Chalkie's after which says he is going to get the nine on the break. He said he had not played serious pool since before Vince was born. Vince reminded him of himself. He said it was like watching home movies. Maybe he didn't realize he was using him until they were on the road.
-
gamehulk — 11 years ago(March 20, 2015 07:09 PM)
Eddie saw huge untapped talent in Vincent and wanted to stakehorse for him and take him on the road to hustle for money. Eddie saw Vincent's potential and wanted to get to him before someone else did, or they left their little small pond and ventured out to greater pastures. At first Vincent was reluctant to go, so Eddie went and spoke to Carmen. Eddie learned how they met and that she was helping manage Vincent. Eddie convinced Carmen that Vincent was capable of so much more and tempted her with the allure of life on the road making money, learning the life, and developing Vincent to his true potential. She was happy to do so because she loved Vincent and felt that she owed him for staying quiet about the necklace and helping her out of her old life of petty crime. Eddie even showed her his fancy new Cadillac, a tangible representation of what Vincent was capable of.
Next, Eddie approached Vincent at work and convinced him that Carmen had "one foot out the door" and that he could wow her and keep their relationship together by leaving his job selling baby carriages and taking her on this exciting road trip. That evening at the bar Eddie even gave Vincent a Balabushka cue and sent Carmen across the street for cigarettes when Vincent was distracted, which sparked the argument that finally convinced Vincent that maybe their relationship was having problems forcing his decision to go on the road trip.
Eddie played Vincent and Carmen against each other to get what he wanted pretty much the whole movie and made a lot of money doing it.
Eddie getting hustled was a shock to him and made him realize just how long he had been out of the game. It rocked him to the core and forced him to make the decision to either crap, or get off the pot messing around with Vincent and Carmen. Eddie pretty just abandoned them there, he was done with them and dropped them like they were nothing. The house of cards he had built up how he would lead them to greatness fell apart and informed Vincent and Carmen just how much they really meant to Eddie, mostly cheap thrills and an easy mark.
They way he used them and dumped them was sad, but like Eddie said in the end, it was a wash. Vincent and Carmen figured things out on their own and eventually made it to Atlantic City making way more money on their own hustlingthey made into a world they would never have found on their own without Eddie taking them on the road with him.
While those of you who say Eddie used them to get back to a life of hustling, it wasn't really about that. Carmen and Vincent were the means that justified the ends for sure, but it was more about the journey Eddie took to actually transcend that hustling life. It wasn't about money anymore in the end, it was about redemption and Eddie getting back to a fulfilled life achieving what he always wanted but was taken away from him in The Hustler, pool excellence.
I really love this movie and watch it once every couple of years. There is so much depth to each character that it really takes multiple viewings and feeling the performances to get. Reading some of the responses convinces me that some of you might need to watch it again, just like me. I think I'll go and watch it now! -
zee944 — 11 years ago(March 21, 2015 07:48 AM)
It meant nothing. It makes no sense, neither some other things in The Color of Money. Anyone who are looking for the answer, don't blame yourself. It is just not a well written movie, that's all. It may have meant something in an earlier version of the script, but not in the final movie.
-
courts0 — 10 years ago(September 04, 2015 01:32 PM)
Eddie told Vince he was going home because he "couldn't teach him anything more", but the next time they see each other, Eddie's turned right back around and is in Atlantic City playing in a big tournament. At this point it's now obvious that Eddie's time on the road wasn't contingent on Vince, and so Vince now knows that Eddie just "used him" to regain his love for the game as opposed to helping Vince hone his game and make him money.
Game of Thrones - Best Show on TV -
jmrex — 9 years ago(November 06, 2016 08:52 PM)
If Vince wasn't such a slow learner, he'd make money. Eddie would make money. Win win. And if Eddie found new life and started playing again himself, so what? That wouldn't hurt Vincent. I explain half of it away by saying Vincent was just lashing out because he's still hurt for being cut loose early. But Eddie copped to the accusation. You're rightmakes no sense.
