What an idiot.
1. Say the lighter is for clients. He personally uses matches only.
2. Say the matches are for cigars, lighter for cigarettes.
Also quite unrealistic that in the middle of the night, with no cars around, they could put a tail on him to the drug hideout without being discovered. The mobsters ran a red light or two...
I thought he could have said, " my lighter hasn't been working well". The fact is, when under stress people don't think quickly or clearly. It's easy to be a Monday night quarterback. Our house caught fire and all my mother could say was to remind my brother that he didn't make his bed. This is while the firemen were running into the house. I think his character was very plausible.
"a malcontent who knows how to spell"
i saw this lighter-matches thing as soon he lit his cig with the matches in the club.
but man, that whole scene going to the building where the drugs were was intense. i could feel the pressure bobby was going through, you seriously don't want to mess with the russians.
"i saw this lighter-matches thing as soon he lit his cig with the matches in the club.
but man, that whole scene going to the building where the drugs were was intense. i could feel the pressure bobby was going through, you seriously don't want to mess with the russians."
Me too! Very intense scene, I was really scared for Bobby because he was acting SOOO nervous the whole time, I just knew he would screw it up somehow. I'm not blaming him, I would've been scared out of my mind too, but dang... lol.
I realize Bobby didn't have time to think, but when the Russian questioned him about the matches and the lighter(secret microphone), he could have detracted the Russian's attention from the lighter by saying "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you...could you speak into the matches please?"
This plan wouldn't have worked, but it would provide a much needed "zany moment" in an otherwise stressful scene.
Ha ha too funny. They should'v had a reason for both matches and lighter, just in case. But a lot of people have both, sometimes you just pick up a pack of matches in a store or club.
shareHe was under stress, so he couldn't come up with anything quick like that...he'd already been nervous, which is what prompted them to search him in the first place.
There was really eerie use of music in that scene!
I agree with you about the tail though, with all the streets so empty and the red light running etc a tail probably would have been noticed.
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This is easily the best scene in the film for me, and Bobby's awkwardness is in part why I appreciated it so much. He was nervous going in and he later panics, I thought his fear and very human mistakes were so refreshing to seee in a film--I can't be the only one who finds it ridiculous that the everyman in some movies happens to know how to behave and respond in any terrifying or unusual situation. I think Bobby reacted how a real person would have.
"Why would a banana grab another banana? Those are the kinds of questions I don't want to answer."
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I thought that scene was a bit of a cop-out as well. I didn't think it was that unusual for Bobby to have matches & a lighter on him at the same time. The guy's a smoker. Back when I was a smoker there were plenty of times when I'd have both a lighter and a book (or books) of matches in my pockets. Hell, the matches were usually complimentary with the purchase of a pack of cigs anyway. In reality, I don't think Vadim would've ever questioned it. That was done sheerly for dramatic effect.
"I'm confused...wait...maybe I'm not."
That scene was inspired by a real case involving an undercover whose cover is blown by his awkward use of his safe word, sneaker, and he had to escape by jumping out of the window. I'm not sure if the other events in the scene happened as well, but I thought the lighters and matches were a realistic human mistake by a novice.
"Why would a banana grab another banana? Those are the kinds of questions I don't want to answer."
Bobby's ineptitude as an undercover operative gave this film realism.
As for the matches+lighter. Vadim was already paranoid. He would be likely to question even the slightest perceived discrepancy once his suspicions were aroused. Bobby did what most people under stress do; He didn't think of a plausible response.
This was a truly suspenseful, frightening scene.
"a malcontent who knows how to spell"
i agree. it lent such a sense of panic and helplessness
shareI don't smoke anymore but I always carry my zippo and a decent pack of matches. I also carry a pocket knife, razor blade, pen, mini-flashlight, mini-tool (with scissors, screwdrivers and bottlecap opener) and pocket change. I know, its seems like a lot, but they always come in handy. Better to have them and not need them.
I was never a boyscout, but I'm always prepared!
The cop who was prepping him should have thought of everything, and should have made sure that Bobby didn't have matches on him, as that would surely have raised suspicion...which it did.
shareThis is easily the best scene in the film for me, and Bobby's awkwardness is in part why I appreciated it so much. He was nervous going in and he later panics, I thought his fear and very human mistakes were so refreshing to seee in a film--I can't be the only one who finds it ridiculous that the everyman in some movies happens to know how to behave and respond in any terrifying or unusual situation. I think Bobby reacted how a real person would have.
Yeah, I saw this problem before he went undercover. He was handed the lighter and almost immediately lit his cigarette with matches and neither he or the cop thought this was a bad idea. He could have just said that the matches were for when the lighter didn't work. Not the best device for him blowing his cover.
shareHE WERE NERVOUS
AND DRUGGED !!
imagine ur self in drugs nest with gringos with ak47s around ya
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It's got nothing to do with him being afraid, Vadim shouldn't have questioned why he had matches and a lighter, and if he was so paranoid, why didn't he notice Bobby both hiding the metal prang, and pulling it out clear as day.
What I though was going to happen and what I think would have made it better is after Vadim says "You're breathing heavy" and Bobby replies "I just took a hit", Vadim responds "No you didn't..." and reveals that it was 90% laxative or some *beep*, Bobby probably wouldn't notice the immediate difference in that situation. Or after Vadim says "Are you nervous" I would have admitted it and said "Well yeah, a little paranoid too, aren't you?".
It's got nothing to do with him being afraid, Vadim shouldn't have questioned why he had matches and a lighter, and if he was so paranoid, why didn't he notice Bobby both hiding the metal prang, and pulling it out clear as day
I agree. This was an easy question to BS.
He could've said, "I just bought the Zippo tonight. Beofre, I used matches."
But he was scared and not a pro. Not everyone is that quick when they're terrified of being killed--and have reason to be since they're hiding something.
"Why would a banana grab another banana? Those are the kinds of questions I don't want to answer."
It was much more believable to see his character stumble at a crucial moment than to see a more theatrical response. This was a genuinely scary situation and he was convincingly bad at coping.
"a malcontent who knows how to spell"
What bothers me is that he tries to make conversation with the Russian, even after the policeman had specifically warned him not to do that. It's because of his question about were the drugs came from that the Russian got suspicious.
Not that I think it's really unrealistic though. Like everyone's said, he was really nervous.
"The Love you take is equal to the Love you make" The Beatles.
I liked that aspect of it. As dumb as it might have been, Bobby really wanted to put Vadim away, so he ignored Solo's advice and tried to get more information about Vadim's operation to (in his mind) strengthen the case.
As for the lighter/Zippo question, Vadim is already suspicious when he empties Bobby's pockets. I figure that in Vadim's world, once you're suspicious you're already dead unless you're Lawrence Olivier or something.
In any case, I thought the best response to "are you nervous?" would've been the truthful one: "yes Vadim, I'm nervous, I rode here with a potato sack over my head and now there's a guy with a machine gun starting at me while I make my first major drug deal."
definitely taking a hint from another movie. i do not smoke, but it makes plain sense to me. it's like a difference between a gas grill and a charcoal grill.
he could have said the lighter is for cigarettes, and the matches are for cigars (to help preserve the flavor). strangely enough, the other movie i am referring to features the same character at the beginning of the movie lighting up his cigar with a lighter (many readers probably know what movie and character i'm talking about). a small but forgivable inconsistency, given other qualities.
can't comment on the red lights and mobsters. somehow it was not significant enoguh to my own watching experience.
It's New York. If you buy cigarettes, they always give you matches. Always. When I used to smoke I would use a lighter and decline the matches, but now and then I would forget and I generally had a few packs of matches floating around in my various jackets...
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