How Stupid Do the Coens Think We Are?
Let us count the plot holes in the film. I haven't seen plot holes this big since the premise of the film Double Jeopardy:
1. no one calls the local police
Osborne Cox in real life would have availed himself of the rather quick and easy way to put an end to that sociopathic Linda's stalking. There were witnesses to her hit-and-run on his diesel Benz. He also could have phoned in the extortion attempt and what he believed to be a break-in.
2. CIA would never pay Linda off in end
There was nothing for the CIA to cover up. The CIA director admitted not knowing what the CIA did wrong, so why would he pay this woman for her silence?
3. Linda would be tried for treason and either imprisoned for life or executed.
As far as Linda knew, she possessed classified government material and attempted to sell it to a foreign power. As far as the CIA knew, there may have been level 3 clearance data on that disc. So why did no one pursue her arrest and Federal prosecution?
4. Osborne Cox could have fought Katie's maneuver to take control of joint bank accounts. In fact, banks require two signatures on both accounts before they could be completely emptied and closed. Oops!
5. No dating web sites are set up to allow women to surf male photos without males being granted the same opportunity. No man would agree to join such a site. They would insist on being able to see the women they were considering dating. BeWithMeDC.com is absurd. Why the Coens felt they needed to stipulate this is beyond me.
6. How did Harry Pfarer clean up the mess in Katie's bedroom without her knowing someone was shot in her closet?
7. While there are men stupid enough to bring a concealed weapon to a first date, I don't know of many women who would let a gun-toting stranger into their home.
8. Do the Coens expect us to believe people as stupid as Linda and Chad really exist? These are not "morons," but morons. Linda is astounded her HMO will not pay for not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 cosmetic surgical procedures. She is also astounded her employer will not advance her salary. She also is under the impression Cox is obligated by some Good Samaritan Tax to offer her thousands of dollars in reward money for finding his disc. When he doesn't agree, she gets violent with him.
9. The disc itself is worthless. It's the info on the disc that WOULD be worth anything.
Why do Linda and Chad assume that even if the info were valuable that Cox would pay for the disc. It's not the disc that's valuable, it's the information on it. And he has it on his PC.
Some of the critics who reviewed the film praised the Coens attention to detail and realism. I agree I enjoyed the scenes where Cox was terminated and where Katie conspired with her attorney, but no one in their right mind could ignore the gaping plot holes above.
The Coens acknowledged writing this script at the same time they wrote the script for NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. And the lack of focus / discipline showed.