If throwing the jewel away keeps the bad guy from killing him? I'd throw it too!

He threw it away because he didn't have a certificate. That explains it, lol. On the other hand he could have found a disreputable establishment and given the proceeds to charity or maybe build a hospital.

Because he's not a thief, maybe? Because a gem doesn't magically transform itself into a pile of money? Where would he sell it, anyway? No respectable establishment would buy a gem of that size just out of the blue with no certificate or something of the sort. How would he explain that sum to the IRS?
He'd basically have to sell it at a black market, to some very shady individual or organisation, actually becoming a criminal himself.

He doesn't really seem to need money anyway. That nice apartment, his office. He's a psychiatrist and the kid at the beginning was wearing a suit, implying that he's expensive. Money not an issue, especially considering all the threats to the things that actually made him happy. Those tend to distract.

Don't blame the actor, blame the bald arse head Klavan who wrote the pulp book.

"Movies are supposed to be as realistic as possible" = most idiotic sentence ever written.

He obviously couldn't have benefitted from it, and didn't care too much what happened to it. And when he threw it into the trench he didn't know it would get buried: he just wanted to taunt Patrick.

There was a lot of blood on that stone. Sometimes a good night sleep is worth more than money.
For me, I don't sleep anyway, I would have kept that sucker. haha

There was a lot of blood on that stone. Sometimes a good night sleep is worth more than money.
For me, I don't sleep anyway, I would have kept that sucker. haha

Well said Susy!
"A real man would rather bow down to a strong woman than dominate a weak one"

Darn. I thought this thread was about Michael Douglas the actor being an idiot. 'Cause he is.

Uh not be rude or anything but WHY are you discussing and speculating about a movie you haven't even seen? (If we are on the subject of characters in films not making sense people in real life seem to be on the same track, lol.)

The forensic guys would have dug it up along with Koster's body for evidence. Unless Conrad didn't tell them about the ruby & made something up.

"but movies are supposed to be realistic as possible"
Where the hell did you get that idea? movies are about escapism
Don't worry, I saw Lord of the Rings. I'm not going to end this 17 times.

When has a character in movies ever make sense.
"Death is too easy for you, BITCH!I want you to suffer."

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if it was originally stolen from someone else before evil people got their hands on it. that's my opinion having not seen the movie. because i haven't seen the movie, there are different ways to interpret 'thrown away'. there's literal and there's figurative.
if he literally threw it away, that's selfish. that's bad karma. why should he have his life back plus some, while someone else continues to experience loss?
if he figuratively threw it away by giving it back to its original owners, or donating the gem to a good cause, that's good karma, that's completing a circle.
which is what happened in the movie?

true, but the gem has caused a lot of problems for the family; if he'd kept it it would be a constant reminder of what happened, he wouldn't be able to sell it anyway because he doesn't own it; it was originally stolen; even if he did its blood money and he'd be living a privileged lifestyle funded by his daughters kidnapping; somehow i don't see him taking that option!

any agreements here?