MovieChat Forums > Seven Psychopaths (2012) Discussion > The Vietnamese storyline (Spoilers)

The Vietnamese storyline (Spoilers)

posted 12 years ago by BobStage
37 replies | jump to latest

I really thought that added a great layer to the movie. It starts out all over-the-top with the guy's declaration that the Vietnam War is still on. Then we find out his sad backstory, seeing why he's doing what he's doing. His small cameo at the 'final showdown' was hilariously random and over-the-top, along with the rest of the scene. Then at the very end, Walken provides an uplifting, hopeful ending to the story which, for me, took me completely by surprise, and felt like it could have been its own little movie.

[–] jtdreamtheater 12 years ago

Yeah, I felt strongly that could have easily worked as a brilliant short film on its own.

[–] flickfix 11 years ago

The Vietnamese's storyline IS this film. A perfect set up of tension that'll lead to violence. Then, some conversations on whether initial violent intent would solve anything. And the last part is letting go of all inclination towards a violent end and burn the film itself instead ( no big explosive revenge ending that was expected ).

[–] froofiedadawg 12 years ago

Agreed. And Christopher Walken's final monologue about it is fantastic.

I also felt the Quaker story could be a great short film.

[–] ragnarok-1 12 years ago

It was the best part of the film imho. Closely followed by Tom Waits big scene and story.

[–] jpowers4667 12 years ago

"And the hooker-who studied Vietnamese at Yale-says..."

I loved how he just added random little tidbits in there and just kinda shrugged any kind of logic off

"It's not important. Anyway..."

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] mikedengler 12 years ago

However, the Viet Nam storyline could not have been about Thich Quang Duc as he self immolated in 1963, and he was protesting the South Vietnamese Gov't not the War as the US was not in a land war there yet, as the first major battle happened at Ia Drang in 1965. The My Lai massacre happened in 1968, so the Vietnamese storyline was of some guy that copied Duc's example years later.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] Showbiz-Babe 12 years ago

Thank you, mikedengler, for pointing this out. I was confused by this storyline because I didn't understand the timing. The monk set himself on fire in 1963, but when he was dressed like a priest it had to be after My Lai, which was 1968.

Can anyone explain this to me??

[–] steven-an93 12 years ago

Hans clearly stated in his tape recording:
"The first monk ever to burn himself to death to protests the war....."
Pretty sure he wasn't copying anybody. Or maybe the movie messed up the years

[–] miqueljacobs 11 years ago

Simple. A psychopath is trying to find a way to write the Vietnamese story and pieces together pieces of information that he knows into a plotline for him. No one said he was a History major so why would you expect him to get the dates or the reason for the protest right?

[–] SampanMassacre 12 years ago

I thought the Vietnam Guy's story was okay at first but then when it tried rewriting history about the famous Monk burning himself, a political agenda (Blame America First) came into light and it was lame. Plus the ending of this movie dragged. It didn't know when to end.

So I vote NO IT DIDN'T WORK on the Vietnamese dude storyline.

[–] napierslogs 12 years ago

I agree with Sampan. I definitely felt that the Vietnamese psychopath needed to be brought into the film's reality in some way, and this was at least one way of doing that, but I didn't like the whole storyline at all.

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[–] CaptainMazda 12 years ago

That's because America is to blame for *beep* all over the world throughout history and beyond. Deal with it.

[–] xxkstar 12 years ago

It was an excellent addition! I definitely nearly cried at the end...

~`you may say i'm a dreamer, but i'm not the only one`~

[–] Flabulous 12 years ago

Me too! It caught me completely off guard. Then when I was retelling it later to family, I suddenly found myself in tears - a most unusual thing for me. I can't put my finger on why though ... I think it was something about the man's tremendous sadness, the boiling desire for revenge and destruction, then the sudden twist of compassionate, non-violent protest. It's something about that flip from 'evil' to 'good' that is feels so powerfully redeeming. Guess it just reflects me feeling guilty all the time!

[–] roseyolo 12 years ago

It actually did make me tear up, very spontaneously. It was definitely an unexpected moment in the film, in a very good way. I thought the Vietnamese guy's storyline was headed in a really dull direction until then. I would have otherwise given the movie a (good) 6 until that uplifted it to a 7.

[–] ShrinkMD 12 years ago

The best part of that whole storyline was definitely the hooker who studied Vietnamese at Yale. Who says you can't do anything with a liberal arts education?

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Trust me, I'm a doctor.

[–] sfwmson 11 years ago

It really added a nice touch to the whole thing. I didn't mind being pulled in that direction at all. It made sense in the context of the rest of the movie, so, yeah. I liked it.

[–] coolaree 12 years ago

It was beautiful...and funny. At the same time! Brilliant.