MovieChat Forums > Red Lights (2012) Discussion > *spoilers* His final monologue

spoilers His final monologue

posted 10 years ago by Steamboy
3 replies | jump to latest

*spoilers*
*spoilers*

I've seen several topics here where people say Buckley didn't know he had powers until the very end. But they're wrong! Buckley ALWAYS knew, he was just in denial. Those people didn't pay attention to his final monologue, so here goes, I copied it for you (it sounds quite silly when not read by a good actor with a long pause every 5 words):

Dear Margaret,

Even today I am not exactly sure when everything ended. I wanted to cry, feel anger, grief. To feel! Just like I used to. A whole life denying myself, searching in silence for someone like me. A whole life looking for an answer. Without finding it. I learned so many things from you. But I forgot the most essential thing. It was me, all along. Wasn't it, Margaret? It was me. All along. Can't deny yourself forever. I did what you'd have wanted. But I'll never forgive myself for not revealing myself. For not at least giving you the consolation of knowing there is something else. But you deserve more. Today you deserve everything. You can't deny yourself. You can't deny yourself forever.

That's why he was working for Margaret in the first place and why he was so insistent on studying Silver, because he thought he may be like him.

The writer's reasoning is that Buckley, just like the audience, thinks the strange things that happen around him come from Silver. Because Buckley's so obsessed with finding someone like him, he forgets he's the one with proven powers. That's why the movie fails, in my opinion: this forgetfulness is too hard to believe and more importantly the movie manipulates us in thinking there's really something going on with De Niro's character. He's too cool during some of the key incidents.

PS: in a weird, topsy-turvy way, this movie is like Unbreakable.

__________________________
www.1up-games.com Last watched: imdb.to/K4tvL9

[–] The_Shortail_Rises 10 years ago

This was an extremely good movie. And very underrated.

And Yes.....I do believe that Tom always knew, but he was just in denial.

[–] araye 10 years ago

He didn't actually forget he had powers. He always knew he had them, he just loses control. For example, in the scene when the bird hits the window and he's trying to convince the student to look at the footage, he's so concerned about Silver that he "forgets" to own it and control himself. And be ok with himself.

In his crazy state, he allowed himself to believe Silver also had powers. And in doing so he got too emotional and let his control slip.

They show his growth through two scenes:
In the beginning scene he blows all the power and whatnot when Silver spots him trying to analyze his act. He is so shocked that his emotions send the theater into chaos.
And only at the end, when he realizes that Silver really is a fake, does he intentionally make the theater go crazy. He does it to show Silver that he does have unique capabilities. And of course Silver is so shocked that he can't keep up with his act.

So he doesn't forget he has powers. He just loses control of them. And loses himself as well. But then he accepts himself, realizes it doesn't matter if he can find anyone else like him, and starts being more responsible about managing his gift.

[–] scifianon 9 years ago

Remember what was sort of mentioned earlier...that we miss the real magic when we focus on the wrong things. We were focusing on Silver...ya know? This is kind of like a supernatural version of "Now You See Me"