My 1st viewing Lynchian inspired theory
I fell the need to point out the following... 1.I've never seen the original, 2.this was my first time watching VS, 3.I watched it because I ran out of David Lynch movies to watch.4. I was not sober. With that said, here is a quick theory before I rewatch it.
David, a sinner and all around bad person has hurt his wife for the last time, the final straw was watching him try to sleep with his friends new girlfriend in front of her. She drives them off a bridge and kills them both. He tries to seek out the devil to make a deal (signs a contract) for a Life Extension, Both God and the Devil answer, and like they did with Job, they make a wager. His soul will lie with the winner.
What will he do when God takes all that matter most to him (his vanity, lifestyle, confidence, and the full memory of the bond he once shared with his wife)? What will he do when the devil gives him all that he wants (his normal life back but with the idealized vision of his sins, his friends girl, David was a very grass is always greener type of husband, which caused the situation in the first place)? The devil even uses David's own relationship with his wife (showing how in love they were at the beginning) as the template for the idealized woman
He is sent to limbo and runs through both scenarios, not being able to cope or admit to himself (McGabe) what he's done, he commits suicide. He is sent to hell and meets the devil, Lucifer (Tilda Swinton) first. Wanting to win, she influences him, she explains that it's what he wanted, he wanted Lucid Dream, he wants a Life extension, and she can give that to him, she can give him all he wants. She even lies about the truth about his death, further influencing him to not admit the truth. But before he can have all he wants, as a formality, he has to see God.
He meets God (Tech Support), who, in his own way tells David about what happened. About the consequences of his actions, about what makes him happy. He then leaves the choice up to David, his free will will decide where his soul will land. If he chooses the superficial grass is greener way he will land in hell. If he chooses to own up to what he's done he will land in the unknown, in heaven. He must jump to face the ultimate fear, not heights, but that he is dead no matter what. God knows his choice, he let's him get closure on his sins and be absolved. David jumps and wakes up in the unknown of heaven. God has won.
random thoughts...
the dream where he is alone in the city is what Lucifer has in store for him in hell. What better way to punish a selfish, superficial, ungrateful, self absorbed aristocrat then to make him live alone for all eternity?
on the flip side, the scene he spends night with "Sofia" is not only a flashback of the first night with his wife, but a glimpse of what heaven could be. What better way to reward a selfish, self absorbed, superficial, ungrateful aristocrat than to give him the one night where none of that mattered and he was truly happy and a good man?
I'm sure there are many subtleties that I have missed or over looked and who knows what I'll think when I rewatch it, just wanted to get these thoughts out.