First, I've seen comments about how he was disappointed in his wife because she believed it was true. He *beep* admitted it was true himself! that makes no sense.
Second, why didn't he just lawyer up when it was obvious he wasn't going to leave the police station. he could have avoided all the dirty details about his marriage by just filling the place with lawyers.. obviously he didn't do it so no problem there.
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"Second, why didn't he just lawyer up when it was obvious he wasn't going to leave the police station. he could have avoided all the dirty details about his marriage by just filling the place with lawyers.. obviously he didn't do it so no problem there."
I asked myself the same question. I think the answer to both your questions is that he is really depressed with life due to his wife's rejection of him and to a large extent, I think you're expected to believe that he just doesn't really care about the consequences of what he is doing, saying and not saying.
He was brainwashed by the cops into thinking he did it.
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If that's what the audience is supposed to believe, the writers and director did an appalling job. People don't believe they committed a crime just because someone tells them they did it. If he had been tortured, he may confess to get it to stop. Had he been drugged or mentally ill, maybe he could have been convinced, but he wasn't. As it happened, it seemed as though the writers decided to add a "twist ending" that bore no relation to the narrative of the film. I find myself wondering if I've just seen an incomplete cut as it was so tacked on and ridiculous.
shareI disagree. Once he realized his wife actually believed he was a child murderer he lost the will to resist and even to live. That is what is so tragic about this. Why it is a better film than most people think.
shareGene Hackman's character was a total moron. All he had to do was tell the cops "give me my phone call," and he wouldn't have had to incriminate himself with his huge spiel. And he's a lawyer to boot.
And then Thomas Jane says "you're guilty of rape." What? Don't rapists tend to leave DNA evidence behind, like semen? What evidence does this dude have?
Gene Hackman was not just a brain dead oaf, the two detectives were too. In summary, a gloriously entertaining, idiotic movie. The writing was so bad, it was almost good.
~ I'm a 21st century man and I don't wanna be here.