The ever-changing plot

Imogene 2022-03-21 09:02:54

For this film, my evaluation is: the actors are superb, the plot is ups and downs, the plot is constantly reversing, and you can't guess what will happen next, or even what the ending will be. After watching it, you can only be amazed: the shooting is so good!

The film tells the story of a battle of wits between the famous detective writer Andrew and a young barber, Milo, who is the lover of the writer's wife. There are only four actors in the entire film's cast list, and only two appear on the screen, Michael Caine and Jude Law. The acting skills of the two are really superb, showing the writer, the barber and the police. Lifelike, especially Jude Law, the barber being teased by the writer, the police questioning the writer, the expression of the barber trying to stay to please the writer... every scene is too vivid.

The writer lives in a large manor with luxurious decoration and many high-tech facilities, such as an electric ladder hidden in the roof and a wall that can be lifted by remote control. The barber goes to the writer's house, hoping that the writer can sign the divorce agreement, and the writer asks the barber to steal the jewelry from his safe and sell it to the writer's friend in the Netherlands, so that the writer will be compensated by the insurance company, and the barber can talk to the writer His wife flew away and lived a luxurious life, because the income of the barber could not afford to support the writer's wife. Although the hairdresser was suspicious, he did not resist the temptation and went into the house to steal the jewelry according to the writer's instructions. Unexpectedly, the writer suddenly repented, holding a gun and saying that the barber robbed, and said viciously: "My wife will always be mine!" The writer shot twice on the wall, no matter how much the barber begged for mercy, the writer still fired the third The gun, the barber fell to the ground... Seeing this, I sighed at the writer's scheming, and wondered if the writer would be caught by the police? The writer is personable, sincere and friendly at the front, but suddenly turned into a vicious man at the back. Could this be a horror movie? I don't dare to watch it... This is the first plot reversal.

Two days later, I couldn't help but open it and continue watching. Unexpectedly, the writer was sitting at home and watching TV leisurely. At this time, someone came to visit, it was a detective from London, investigating the disappearance of the barber, the detective had a lot of evidence, and thought that the writer killed the barber. The writer said that it was just a game, and no one died. The detectives questioned layer by layer and found the victim's clothes in the house. The detective undressed and tore off the wig and beard, which turned out to be the hairdresser's disguise. The barber suddenly robs the writer's jewelry again and makes him wear it to shame him. This is the second plot twist.

After humiliating writers, barber thinks they've drawn a tie. But the writer said, "Who will win the third game?" The writer let the barber live in his guest room, fulfilling the barber's desire to travel the world and meet celebrities and politicians from all over the world; Decided to leave the writer, just as he was about to leave, the writer shot the barber again, and the barber fell off into the elevator. At this time, a luxury car stopped in front of the door, and the doorbell rang... The movie ended. I can't help but sigh, as the barber said, the writer was a person with criminal tendencies and unsound mind, and finally killed the barber and won the third game. But after a while, I suddenly thought that the barber was lying in the elevator, is it really dead? The person in the luxury car should be the writer's wife Maggie. What will happen when she comes? Will there be a sequel?

The movie keeps reversing, making me unsure about the ending, is the barber dead or not?

Interestingly, Michael Caine played the young barber in the 1972 version of "Footprints", and 35 years later, played the author again, acting more maturely and calmly. The 1972 version of "Footprints" is a British gentleman as a whole, while the 2007 version is more modern, close to the life at that time, and the conflict is more intense and attractive. At the end of the 1972 version, the writer became angry after being deceived and shot and killed the barber. The barber can be seen bleeding. At the end of the new version, only the barber is seen lying in the elevator, whose life and death are unknown.

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Extended Reading

Sleuth quotes

  • Andrew Wyke: In this day and age, is marriage absolutely necessary? Isn't it a bit old-hat?

  • Milo Tindle: Maggie never told me you were... such a manipulator. She told me you were no good in bed, but she never told me you were such a manipulator.

    Andrew Wyke: She told you I was no good in bed?

    Milo Tindle: Oh, yes.

    Andrew Wyke: She was joking. I'm wonderful in bed.

    Milo Tindle: I must tell her.

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