Sydney/ Jimmy Gator

I just watched "Hard Eight" for the first time at IFC today. I thought the movie was very good, especially well-acted. I think in this movie, when Jimmy character was planning to black-mail Sydney for not telling John. Which Sydney killed John`s father for which reasons as we the audiences, we don`t never know why. When the Jimmy character says to Syndey: i am John`s friend as long you pay me $10,000 to keep me quiet. There was a quick scene when Jimmy is talking to the Gwyneth Partlow character, he was telling how he meet John. There`s quick flashback of the beginning of the movie, seeing him from his rear-view mirror looking at John before getting out of his car. U had a feeling that Sydney reconized him but not still not so sure why.

When Jimmy mention to Syndey, you are all those old hoods like Jimmy Gator. I laughed at first because that`s the character that Philip Baker Hall played in Mangolia. I think it is just a coincidence that Baker Hall went on to play the Jimmy Gator character three years later. I think Jimmy also mention Floyd Gondolli, the porn fiancier character in Boogie Nights. Which Baker Hall also had a small memorable supporting role in that movie. I think Paul Thomas Anderson had his mind on Baker Hall to play these complex, memorable characters.

"Hard Eight" at the end, when Sydney kills Jimmy to get his money back and also protecting his long dark secret to John. Because Jimmy does really love John as a son. Which John feels the same way, when he talking to him on a pay phone. I do like the final scene, when he`s sitting alone in the resturant drinking his coffee and smoking his cigarette. Which he realized he has some blood on his left shirt but he quickly hides it. I think it just says at the end, that Sydney cannot be doing this forever and it is for the first time, he is truly afraid what is he going to be happen to himself in the future.

As for "Mangolia", He plays a man who abused his drugged-up damaged daughter. When he finally told the truth to his wife, why their daughter is like that. We never know why he did that, which Jimmy Gator did that. Especially he had a good life once, especially with the TV Show he has. The last time, we see his character he tried to kill himself because of what he did (and especially he`s dying himself) to his daughter. When the "rain of the falling frogs" scene, when the frog hit hard on the top of the roof and going through the house by killing Jimmy instead of killing himself. Especially the house burns after that, although we never see it in the movie.

I think the Sydney character had some redemption of saving John for the real dark truth of himself. For the Jimmy character instead of killing himself (He might go to Hell as some people believed in regilion) and he dies accidentally since he might be forgiven by God.

I noticed Baker Hall in other movies, where he plays supporting roles or bit parts. Where he is a great character actor. Writer/Director Paul Thomas Anderson certainly respected this actor and it was a rare chance for Baker Hall play the lead character in the movie. Which he`s gives an excellent performance.