what the heck was that all about?? Explain someone please!
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Kharnaxe — 21 years ago(December 01, 2004 04:03 AM)
Some very good summaries here. I just watched the movie on the TV (it finished not five minutes ago) and another possible interpretation occurs to me.
When Henry becomes fully aware that Chantel is convinced he is guilty, he confesses to ratify her conviction - something like a final, pyrrhic gesture of love.
At least, that seems consistent to me, particularly in light of Victor's line to the effect of "you love someone who doesn't love you back." -
beavis_el_bunghole — 21 years ago(January 30, 2005 08:49 PM)
No. Those pictures were found in an unknown person's car. Henr was utterly innocent. That is why the woman looks odd as she is hearing his onfession and showing Victor the cd wallet. It is the wallet of another man whom we never see.
B -
sockscats-1 — 18 years ago(April 18, 2007 08:05 PM)
Sidnee i agree completely. Normally a guy like henry hearst isn't a sympathetic character in movies but here he is the ultimate victim. This was a fine film but everyone wants to make an issue out of who did the crime when the movie explains that clearly to the viewer at the end..
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biwat — 18 years ago(June 21, 2007 01:30 PM)
Very good analysis by Sidnee. Thanks.
At the ending after Victor tells Herry he can "go home now",
and states we found the killer or words to that effect,there
appears a "pause". By turning the volume WAY UP one can barely
make out amoung the ambient noise the following words by Victor
"It was Hector". This was Henrys wifes sisters husband. The
clincher incriminating the killer was the photos found in Hectors
car shown to Victor when the woman informed Victor the killer had
been caught in the act. It appears the photos were copied by
Hector and planted in Henrys stack of photos at his house.
I only watched the movie once, but I believe this box of photos
was hand-labeled, whereas others in the stack had printed
labels. Assuming the above correct, then Chantel (Henrys wife)
could gave been having an affair with Hector (as Henry suspected
Hector wanted to do) and Chantel and Hector set Henry
up by planting copies of the photos in Henrys dark-room. I'd be
interested in opinions of the above. -
Steve_Y2K — 18 years ago(September 29, 2007 02:21 AM)
She wasn't jealous of any of the girls, (her niece, or the photo girls) she was just really creeped out by the attention her husband gave them. So much so that she became frigid and distant, which becomes suspicion of more than just perverted inclinations once Morgan Freeman contacts her.
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bhaubeyy — 17 years ago(October 05, 2008 09:28 AM)
People call this an analysis, when its a recap with an opinion. Sidnee, you missed the entire point. Henry did not confess out of love, or regret, or any crap like that HE ACTUALLY BELIEVED HE WAS GUILTY.
Understand, Henry just spent HOURS in the station having the "evidence" that he was a rapist, a pedophile, and a murderer POUNDED into his head.
Freeman's chatacter DESTROYS a man. just by following the evidence, and using a damned effective method of interrogation. So effective, that by the end of the movie, after he has an old friend calling him a monster, drilling the evidence home, being forced to review his life and his marriage, which has become a joke (due to his wife's uncontrollable jealousy), Hackman's character falls victim to a proven psychological phenomenon:
"IF YOU ARE TOLD SOMETHING ENOUGH TIMES, NO MATTER HOW LUDICROUS, IF IT IS PRESENTED IN A CLEAR LOGICAL FASHION, WITH "FACTS", IF YOU ARE TOLD SOMETHING ENOUGH TIMES, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY BELIEVE IT."
Need more proof? the name of the book this movie is based on is "BRAINWASH"
"God, I hate temporal mechanics." - Chief O'Brien, DS9 -
p-vangelder — 21 years ago(October 03, 2004 12:31 PM)
A movie which keeps you puzzled.
I was quite puzzled by the words of the main character "I didn't know that she could go this far". As if his wife wanted to set him up for these murders. Then he continues pleading guilty. It seems in order to protect his wife.
A beautiful role for the main character's wife: Monica Bellucci. I think we'll see much more from her in the future. -
Expresso79 — 21 years ago(October 16, 2004 01:56 PM)
The most important quote by Gene Hackman is when he says "she really thinks i did it ?" and then he starts to confess the crimes even though he didn't commit them.
His wife always accused him about his "relationship" with her cousin and she was always extreme jealous of him.
She didn't trust him and that was very painfull for him.
But i really don't understand how some people came up to the idea that his wife killed those girls that's too excessive!! She had no motive and no reason to do it. -
oOoBubblesoOo — 21 years ago(December 01, 2004 09:10 PM)
the reason why Henry "confessed" was probably because he thought Chantal really thought that he did it, and in addition to the photos, he probably wont be able to convince anyone he was innocent. However if the police had paid attention, Henry was only recounting the facts they had told him.
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atasolata — 17 years ago(January 06, 2009 11:20 AM)
-The most important quote by Gene Hackman is when he says "she really thinks i did it ?"-
Agree with Expresso79 in this point.
I would like to add a few things Confession was suicidal and unbearable for the policeman (Freeman) to listen because he was in the same boat (emotionally).
I saw the complete 'rape plot' as a frame for a story about a man in his mid-fifties, who (finally) gave up seeking love. He could forgive his wife of course but it would not matter anymore
Final renouncement reminds me a lot to Tarantino's 'Jackie Brown' ending.
Very good and underrated film.