MovieChat Forums > Exotica (1995) Discussion > Interaction between Thomas + Christina

Interaction between Thomas + Christina

posted 15 years ago by HikerBoy57
2 replies | jump to latest

One of the subtle things in the action/direction of this film (and all the actors are at their best in EXOTICA), that I love, is the connection between Thomas & Christina when he questions her in the club.

Obviously Thomas initially doesn't want to be there, for various reasons. But the more he talks to Christina, the more intrigued he becomes. He has no desire for her sexually, but he seems to be fascinated by her and her story.

And mutually, Christina seems to relax and reveal secrets about herself to him, almost as if he's her psychiatrist... and perhaps she's needed to unburden these things for years. Although she & Francis share a special history, she can't discuss FRANCIS with Francis. And when we cut to the car, Francis is obviously shaken by rehearing/reliving the trauma about his daughter & wife, but on another level (upon rewatching) I think he's also saddened that Christina is revealing things to Thomas that she couldn't share with him personally.

Overall, all the character relationships in this film are intriguing-- but this is one that I always found unique. I also like the way that Thomas gradually gets pulled into the story. Even though he is initially coerced into the circumstances, he grows fascinated by the people he's dealing with.

The war is not meant to be won... it is meant to be continuous.

[–] 666Night999 15 years ago

Yes, I agree, and I like your commentary on their relationship. Christina seems to want to unburden herself to a stranger, as most people will be more honest with a stranger than their acquaintances/friends/family. Francis is depressed about having to relive his family's past aloud and also that Christina would reveal this information to his 'informant'. He sends Thomas in for critical information, and then the tables are turned and Christina reveals intimate details about his past!

And the later scene when Thomas asks about if Francis knew that she knew about his daugther,(which is obvious to us that yes, he knew she knew and this is the reason he sees her at the club..etc.etc), but he does not answer and starts devising his plan to kill Eric. I love the subtlety to many of the scens in this movie. A lot is kept a mystery, like the customs agent angle.

This is my favorite movie, by the way.

There is no night as deep as this
Inevitable mind's abyss
Where I now dwell with foes alone

[–] paramitch 12 years ago

I agree -- I was actually just commenting on this in another thread here, that I love Thomas's immediate friendship and rapport with Christina.

What's kind of terrific and even funny is that Thomas, normally such a cool and controlled character elsewhere, looks so ill at ease and young in the strip club. Which makes Christina's immediate approach to comfort and reassure him kind of sweet. She seems to intuit immediately that he's not really there for sexual reasons, but perhaps for connection.

The fact that they do immediately connect makes for one of the nicest and actually least complex relationships in the story. I got the sense that they might actually become friends, and without all the baggage and psychosexual drama of Christina's other relationships (which are all so tangled and layered).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I keep thinking I'm a grownup, but I'm not."