Yes it's well made and has some funny lines, but are we supposed to be okay with what Judah does, at the end? I mean, he gets away with it, so that's quite immoral and illegal.
"Did you make coffee...? Make it!"--Cheyenne.
I'd say you've identified the question.
That's the most you'll ever get out of me Wordman. Ever. -Eddie Wilson
Depends on your perspective. This was Allen's. It will either offend you, or make you think he may be correct, and life really does work this way. Look around and you'll see many people who go on with prosperous lives, after committing misdeeds. Maybe not as serious as murder, but many people will agree with Allen's sentiments in this film. It comes down to personal survival. What laws or morals is one willing to violate, and roll the dice on getting caught? It's a risk analysis. In reality, one's self always take precedence over others.
shareThis film did not offend me. I really liked it, but it never made me think that Woody's ideas are correct and that life should work this way. Even though sometimes it does.
share"Even though sometimes it does". Exactly. There are people who in real life commit atrocious acts as Judah did and actually find peace with themselves and their deeds. If you believe in karmic retribution Judah will get his but life doesn't always turn out that way.
shareIt is a strange person that kills without any remorse. Whether they believe in life after death or not.
shareThis film did not offend me. I really liked it, but it never made me think that Woody's ideas are correct and that life should work this way. Even though sometimes it does.WA is not saying that life should work this way. He is simply observing that it does.
I never came away with the perspective that Allen (in real life) supports Judah's actions by letting him get away with it in the story. To me, it's more about what flies in society with money and power, and how that can "fix" things for people like Judah and Lester while others face the consequences. In fact, I think the interaction between the two in the end, in which Allen's character (representing himself) actually challenges Judah's character on the "ending" to his story represents his real feelings on the matter. It also says a lot that he made a character as damaged and flawed as Cliff easily see the moral truth vs Judah.
shareExactly. I also feel Woody Allen was not condoning Judah's actions, nor approving of the idea that people can get away with doing bad things. He's simply observing that life does, in fact, work that way sometimes. In the final voice over comments of the film, the philosopher does say that in the absence of a moral structure to the world, it is up to us to make one, to find happiness ourselves. I suspect that was the world view Woody Allen really approves of.
This was, by the way, a brilliant movie.
This was, by the way, a brilliant movie.
It is just WA's bleak view of human life - he sees examples of how people commit monstrous acts on every level, individually and in groups of all sizes, and suffer no reprisals. History is written by the winners.
"I am always happy to engage in POLITE discourse."
I think Woody is interested in the mindset of a person who seems to be a rational, intelligent person but can still commit an evil act without remorse. It does happen in real life although we prefer to pretend that it doesn't.
shareDid he get away with it? Perhaps he eluded prosecution, but my take is that he will be tortured over this for the remainder of his life.
shareFor us in the audience we wish he would be tortured for the rest of his life, but at the end of the film he seems to have moved on. This is what makes it an interesting yet infuriating film.
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