Focus on analyzing the character and mental journey of Tom's character. First of all, his character characteristics: he can sit firmly in the position of the number two figure in the underworld, and he has no ability to find both sides, deliberate, and decisive. Then there are personal hobbies: gambling, alcoholism, fashion, women. A standard dude. Cohen's films don't show a virtuous chivalrous person, although in real life it's the same. Next, let's experience the protagonist's vivid chameleon tricks.
Tom's first move, which is at the beginning of the film, Caspar proposes to kill Bernie, Tom instigates Leo to let Caspar go, in order to protect himself.
Tom's second move, persuading Leo to give up Verna, has a very clear motive, he wants to swallow this woman for himself.
Tom's third move was to persuade Verna to give up Leo.
Tom's fourth move, threatening Mink, forces Mink to kill Rug who is tracking Verna.
Tom's fifth move, telling the truth to Leo, revealing his private relationship with Verna, trying to make Leo give up his love for this woman.
Tom's sixth move, beaten and expelled by Leo, defected to Caspar, and wanted to use C's hand to kill Leo. Questioned by C's second-in-command Eddie. Was tested by C by killing Bernie.
Tom's seventh move, let Bernie go. Helpless, because of Verna.
Tom's eighth move, designed to kill Eddie who was aiming at him, gained Caspar's trust.
Tom's ninth move, which is also the ultimate move, learned that it was unrealistic to kill Leo, so he turned to design to kill Caspar and borrowed Bernie's hand. Then kill Bernie with his own hands, destroy the living mouth, and create the illusion that the two sides will die together. This can also reunite with Leo.
All of the above are basically Tom's various strategies, no matter what happened in the middle, how many beatings, how much money you lost, etc., the results are tragic after all, since Leo said the words "we are getting married" . Because this sentence represents that all Tom's efforts have come to nothing. Probably because of jealousy. When Leo opened the door to him, Tom was disheartened and flatly refused. At this time, the psychology of both parties should be the climax moment of the film. I believe what Leo is thinking is: to lose such a "wise and brave" and "upright" man, sad and regretful! But what Tom was thinking at the moment, only God knows.
After all, human beings are not as good as heaven, and almost every step of these changes is beyond Tom's imagination, even though he can connect freely every time, Jin Chan escapes. But there is still no escape from the final bitter fruit: loss of career, loss of love. As he asked Leo at the end of the film: do you always know when you do things? The words that seemed to have something to say were actually a helpless statement of Tom's desolation.
This is another noir journey that the Coen Brothers brought us, like the other thirteen.
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