MovieChat Forums > Brokedown Palace (1999) Discussion > Why ALICE did it... (spoilers, of course...

Why ALICE did it... (spoilers, of course)

posted 16 years ago by melanieknaack
27 replies | jump to latest

Okay, obviously this is just my opinion, and yes I've read the article where the writer says that the story "transcends guilt or innocence".

Personally, I believe that Alice did it.

Why?

First of all, we know that only the guilty sleep, right? That's interrogation-scene rule #1. (My father in law, a retired cop, says that it is actually very very true to life.) Alice sleeps in the interrogation room. Darlene does not sleep while in the cell.

But let's back up. In the hotel, when they are getting into their cab (I know, a lot of people have the cab-trunk-switcheroo theory), Alice gives an uncomfortable look back toward the trunk when she is no longer holding the bag. Of course, the obvious questions are how could she not notice all that extra weight & what was she doing in the hotel room for so long while she claimed to be "washing her hair"?

But, I think more than anything, if you look at the movie very mechanically, the fact that she sleeps in the interrogation room is THE dead giveaway. I mean, that is WHY they show that in movies. Its foreshadowing. If you know anything about crime movies, you know that sleeping means you are guilty.

Next time you watch Law & Order or something, see if I'm wrong about the sleeping thing. :)

But anyway, I think that, although the writers didn't want to directly implicate one character or another, they placed a little 'tell' in there for those of us who just HAVE to know.

[–] melanieknaack 16 years ago

Also, I gotta add that yes, sometimes these overseas drug-bust stories do involve government or police conspiracies, and this movie alludes to that as well... However, I think that the key element is that Nick seduces the girls, as the junkie girl explains.

If you like this movie, watch Ganja Queen (about Schapelle Corby) or Locked Up Abroad... I think once you see some other stories of a similar nature (true ones), the pieces of this movie fall into place and point to Alice.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] melanieknaack 16 years ago

But I think you might be missing the gist of what I'm saying. Its not about how REAL people react in REAL life... its about devices for telling a story in a movie. There are certain devices that are used, whether you know about them or not.

One example is that once you see that someone has a gun (if they're not police, military, etc) then you KNOW someone will use it eventually. Its known as "weapon introduction" when you see the weapon for the first time.

Or if a character is talking about something & its going from normal to kinda crazy/scary, the angle of the camera will be tilted -- its called "canting".

Sleeping in an interrogation room is a sign of guilt in a movie, period.

(Also, my father in law is an ex-cop & he says its almost universally true in real life as well.)

And, by the way, the movie is not based on any one story in particular. It is an amalgam of many stories that one of the writers/producers (I forget which) heard while traveling on the backpacking/youth hostel circuit.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] kennyross 16 years ago

No. It's not so obvious. Clearly the movie leaves this question up in the air. A child can comprehend that. I do not think that the SLEEPING thing is a dead giveaway; however, I believe that Alice is very guilty and that she feels guilty in this movie, and she really, really thought that, by being American, she'd be sent home.

Also, she's not a pathologically lying heroin smuggler. She was more than likely a victim of a heroin smuggler. She lied because she thought she could get out of it. She told the truth because she knew that she couldn't get out of it. She attempted to do a favor for a heroin smuggler and she got caught, and when she figured out that they were in it for the long haul, she came clean and Darlene was able to return home.

It's about honesty.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Dragoneyed363 16 years ago

Well, I still think it is IMPOSSIBLE to come to a 100% true conclusion.
Alice might have done it, because you also see the man talking to her right before she goes back to the hotel and gives Darlene the bracelet, which in that time he could've popped the question.
Then at the end when Alice realized what she was doing she saved her best friend by telling the truth.
THEN AGAIN - Darlene was the one who suggested going to Hong Kong in the first place, and before she's taken away from the prison darlene says she KNOWS Alice didn't do it... You could debate back and forth on whose actions gave away that they did it, could've been Alice, Darlene, or neither, but the fact is someone did and these two BEST FRIENDS had to pay the price, and what Alice does at the end is really thw whole point of the movie.
It shows that friendship is never broken no matter what the circumstances.
As far as who did it, I don't care THAT much to know, because it was an amazing movie without knowing.

I am addicted and obsessed with the most random things!!!

[–] thisismynick 16 years ago

I'm watching this for like the 5th time on Cinnemax right now. I just caught something I missed before.

While the girls are speaking with Yankee Hank and he asks to have a word alone with Alice he shows her a picture of the girls together and says a maid that worked at the hotel Nick Parks was staying at picked her (Alice) as the girl that was seen with Nick. Alice then says that she did in fact go to Nick's hotel and he came on to her but that she turned him down because he was too sleazy.

Okay.

But, during the part right after Darlene Asks Alice to go with her to Hong Kong and Alice reluctantly agrees she leaves the room and goes shopping. While out Nick finds her and Alice says the line: "You have no idea what you ultimately turned down" or "missed out on", or something along that line.

What Alice told Yankee Hank and what she said to Nick Parks are absolutely two different things. She still lied to Hank even after telling him that that was the complete truth, so to me that adds to her being the one that did this, or at the least, not being as street smart and headstrong as she comes across.

I usually can't watch a movie over and over again, but there is just something about this movie that keeps you guessing and wanting to re-watch it.

Just something I caught and thought I'd share.

Also, I have no idea why people are resorting to name calling because they have differing opinions as to who or how it happened. I like debating and value others thoughts and opinions. Wouldn't call someone stupid because they didn't agree.

Anyway, thanks for reading.

[–] alapm89 16 years ago

THISISMYNICK; i see that youre onto to something, but im not getting what youre saying.. how do those two scenes prove anything? (not trying to be mean, im just not on the same train of thought as you are..)

anyway, i noticed that line as well, the "you missed out on the ultimate" whatever, and i took that as to mean that she was better than Darlene... when she walked back from the bacthroom and saw Dar and Nick/Skip kissing....

[–] alapm89 16 years ago

ALSO: and i just thought of this...

Hank's wife, Yon, caught on that the other 6 women on the place were also mules-- because the tickets were paid for by the same stolen credit card. so here's my point: if you KNEW you had what, 13 lbs of heroin on you, and you KNEW u were the bait so others woudlnt get caught, would u do it??? even if ti was some aussie hottie? i dont think so. Also, if u were the druglord or whatever, woudl u tell the two girls, "hey, youre gonna get busted... heres my smack".. i dont think so either... they woudl either a)tell, or b)say no anyway. therefore, i now believe none of the girls actually knew about anything. as for the "guilty people sleep" thing... yeah i guess its a clue (clue to what, idk...) but also think this way: alice is clearly the more badass one, as others have said. she's been in trouble tons fo times before, as darleen's dad mentions. also, she honestly thought they'd get out because "oh, we're american. OF COURSEEE we're gonna get out". she had that whole "americans=god" thing going on... and im not dissing americans now, i am one. bu you have to admit... some people do have that mindset, especially sicne she yells later that theyre in a BS third world country.

[–] FrouFrouFoxes 13 years ago

@alapm89
If one of the girls agreed to smuggle the packages, I doubt they were told they'd be set up to take the fall. I doubt they'd agree to such an idea, and there's absolutely nothing typically American about the attitude you're suggesting.

--

I personally think Darlene agreed to carry the packages, but I think she is naive enough to not have suspected it was drugs. She packed the bag, and she was more smitten with Nick, having spent a night with him. He targeted her, since she was clearly the naive one, and he played both to create tension between them so she would not tell Alice.

The other alternative is that the guy at the hotel who took the bags put the drugs in, being paid by Nick to do so. Since Darlene packed it, but did not carry it, she would not know of the extra weight.

Since Alice did not pack the bag, it also would be easy for her to not know how heavy it should be. It's very believable for someone not to notice such a thing anyway when in a hurry to get to an airport in a foreign country.

I don't think Alice knew. To me, a point of the story was that the friend who was the good girl was the one this time to get them in trouble, but no one wants to believe her (her parents, for example) because Alice was pegged as the "wild one". I think Darlene, being naive, was the most susceptible to Nick's suggestions. Alice was more street smart, which is also why she knew not to sign the confession in Thai.

The reason Alice takes the blame is a sort of atonement for her PAST mistakes that got them in trouble. Even if she was not guilty this time, it was a way of making the past right.

[–] EmilylnWonderland 13 years ago

I love reading all your theories! That's why I'm so glad movies like this exist, and I'm so glad we can discuss them on imdb.com.

I think you put up the better argument, so far, but I still can't help but feel that Alice is guilty.

[–] Prom_Queen_Carrie 14 years ago

While the girls are speaking with Yankee Hank and he asks to have a word alone with Alice he shows her a picture of the girls together and says a maid that worked at the hotel Nick Parks was staying at picked her (Alice) as the girl that was seen with Nick. Alice then says that she did in fact go to Nick's hotel and he came on to her but that she turned him down because he was too sleazy.

Okay.

But, during the part right after Darlene Asks Alice to go with her to Hong Kong and Alice reluctantly agrees she leaves the room and goes shopping. While out Nick finds her and Alice says the line: "You have no idea what you ultimately turned down" or "missed out on", or something along that line.

What Alice told Yankee Hank and what she said to Nick Parks are absolutely two different things. She still lied to Hank even after telling him that that was the complete truth, so to me that adds to her being the one that did this, or at the least, not being as street smart and headstrong as she comes across.

I disagree with you. The scene Alice described to Hank was not shown to us, but it happened. She said it was back at his hotel. We saw them talking at the market, after talking to him at the market, we can draw the conclusion that they went back to his hotel room and then she turned him down. I thought that was obvious.

"I'm f'ing busy-or vice versa" -Dorothy Parker

[–] alzanden-1 13 years ago

Thisismynick,

I disagree with your interpretation. Darlene spent the night with Nick and came home to find Alice waiting up for her, that's when Darlene asked her to go to Hong Kong, Alice didn't want to but agreed when Darlene pointed out that she's always doing what Alice wants.

Alice then went shopping and Nick approached her. I haven't watched it in a while, but I believe he said something about an ultimate sacrifice, and Alice responded with "You have no idea what you've ultimately sacrificed". I took that to mean Darlene lost her virginity to him and thought it was so wonderful and that she was possibly falling for him, when Alice knows it did not mean the same thing to Nick.

Later while talking to Hank, Hank implied that he thought it was Darlene that fell for Nick's charm and agreed to smuggle the drugs, but then later realized it had to be Alice, plus the maid identified Alice as the girl with Nick. Alice then admitted to Hank that she was with him, but he was too sleazy and didn't fall for it....I am not sure if she meant she turned him down completely, or if she did sleep with him but didn't fall for his proposal to smuggle the drugs. I personally beleive she did sleep with him (the bracelet gift to Darlene seemed like she was trying to make up for something) but that she did not fall for his "favor".

I'm not sure who said this, but I do not agree that Darlene's signing the confession was a sign of her guilt. She was obviously naive and signed it thinking they were really looking out for her. The police knew this, which is why they handled her with kid gloves...she felt like they were being so nice so of course she could trust that they were translating what she said accurately.

I also don't think Darlene's line about always doing *beep* like this for Alice was her talking about smuggling the drugs. Obviously Alice is the dominate one in the friendship and Darlene goes along with everything Alice wants to do. Darlene wanted to go to Hong Kong and finally decided to put her foot down and throw out the fact that she always did what Alice wanted so the least Alice could do was let her have her way this time.

Ultimately, I do think both girls were innocent. I think Alice took the fall in the end because A. she was feeling guilty, perhaps because the Thailand trip was all her idea and maybe she felt like she deserved this punishment for all the things she'd done wrong throughout her life. And B. I think she felt protective of Darlene and knew Darlene couldn't handle being in prison, so she lied and "confessed" so Darlene could go home.

[–] lush-33 15 years ago

You know I've always thought that Darlene was the guilty one. She even says to Alice how many times have I done things like this for you..alluding to the fact that she has been the partner in crime with Alice and that now she owes her something. I always thought that that was how Darlene knew that Alice did'nt do it but didn't want to sacrifice herself. That makes Alice the better friend by pleading guilty though she is innocent.

[–] brighteyes-debbie 15 years ago

Oh! Your father in law is an ex-cop! Well, why didn't you say so?
Now,the evidence you provided makes sense and is unquestionable!

Anyway.

[–] ashvanauken 15 years ago

"First of all, we know that only the guilty sleep, right? That's interrogation-scene rule #1"

That doesn't make sense to me. If you're guilty and are in a situation where you could possibly get caught you have something to worry about. It causes an internal chemcial reaction, heart rate increase, sweating as an example, an adrenaline rush which would keep a person awake. Unless of course you're a sociopath, which it's very clear Alice is not. That interrogation scene rule #1 needs to look at the medical aspect of the fight flight response!

I'd always been under the impression it was Darlene because she'd signed that paper that was in a different language. Not the actual signing of the paper, but because she believed them when they'd said it would be for the best. Alice simply said she didn't know the language and wouldn't sign it. That pretty much said it right there for me. You never sign something you can't read, everyone should know this, especially a high school gradute! Darlene could have easily been persuaded by the guy to carry the package, especially if she was trying to get one up on Alice. Alice was too hard headed to do something she didn't want to do hence not signing a foreign document they were trying to shove down her throat!

I've read that post where it says in an interview Claire Danes said both girls were innocent. Had I not read this I would still be dead set that Darlene was the guilty, though I made a post previously saying both girls were innocent. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120620/board/thread/8093309?p=2&d=29691119#29691119

That post just includes reasons why Alice was innocent more.

[–] Prom_Queen_Carrie 14 years ago

I think you're reading too much into stuff. Sleeping doesn't mean anything. She was probably just tired. Both girls were innocent. Their only crime was trusting some cute stranger and being competitive over him. Besides, why would she willingly take 13 pounds of heroin to an airport? She wasn't a heroin addict and she wasn't THAT stupid. I think the guy just played both girls and had the dope slipped in their luggage.

"I'm f'ing busy-or vice versa" -Dorothy Parker