Married people often cheat and lose their jobs, when that happens they get divorced. How can anyone see what she did, and why she said she did it, as anything other than psychotic? If this was a film about an insane, dangerous woman, and that's the way viewers saw it, then I have no issue. But I don't think that's what most people who watched it saw or felt.
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I feel like the film ended up being more about how she manipulates people. From the guy she had branded as a rapists, to Desi Collings who she used as in his mind her saviour, but to her, a way out of her supposed death, to Nick who she used to stay out of jail. The last shot of the film intrigues me so much, because she shows such a beauty, innocence and likability, it gives that feel you'd let her get away with anything. The film proves she's capable of getting away with anything, even when there's doubt. Just look at the scene when she, "escapes captivity" and talks to the FBI agents. The detective who had been on the case sees the holes in her story, but the FBI sees a damaged woman. I actually enjoyed this film even more the second time around without the mystery, because it's clear how she used everyone she interacted with. Yes, she's psychotic, but it's shown in such a unique way, you see how she inevitably wins in the end every time.
shareWow, we both got completely different things from that last shot. She looked anything but innocent and likable to me then. She looked like she was staring at Nick, trying to make sure he was still playing along, and if not, well, he's *beep* It looked like the stare of a psychopath.
shareShe felt scorned and wanted to get revenge, but she just took it too far
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Cash - Another factor I didn't see mentioned is that this may be a pattern in Amy's life. We know of at least one accusation and conviction of a previous boyfriend, when Amy falsely reported him for rape. It is conceivable that there are other vindictive, punitive actions if anyone crosses Amy. Of course Nick was wrong to cheat, but if Amy did indeed have Antisocial Personality Disorder, they are impossible to live with and often will not allow a mate to leave without unleashing deadly retribution. We will never know what would have happened if Nick left Amy before cheating on her,but I suspect she would have hatched another plan to make sure he was severely damaged, perhaps enacting the murder scheme anyway.
I agree with you that people sometimes cheat and use their spouse financially, but it is rare to go the Amy route and initiate a detailed revenge plot.
"Married people often cheat and lose their jobs, when that happens they get divorced. How can anyone see what she did, and why she said she did it, as anything other than psychotic?"
It's an exaggeration of what married people sometimes do to each other, hence the dark satire. Go back and watch the scene with Amy recounting her "frame-up" while throwing frilly pens out of the car window: it's comedic.
People on here saying that Nick 'drove her' to being this way are morons. It was CLEARLY established that she was a manipulative psycho BEFORE she met Nick (remember she framed a guy for RAPE??? and lied about her first boyfriend STALKING HER???) And the way she recounts HER VERSION of how they met she was cold and calculated.. from how many bjs to give him to keep him happy, her diet just to be 'that perfect person'. Remember when she says 'I FORGED my dream husband' ??? HOW SEXIST IS PSYCHO IS THAT??
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shareYes but if Nick hadn't had affairs in the first place then the probability of this mess ever occurring would have decreased. So even though Amy is a pathetic excuse of a human being, Nick is still to blame for this.
shareI'm waiting for the movie to come out on Netflix, but only one thing in the book didn't work. Apart from how Desi was, which I think strained belief even on the book's own terms, although parts of it were funny. The part that didn't work was when Amy threatened Nick with the vomit she'd saved when she set it up to look like he tried to kill her with anti-freeze. REALLY? This is a woman who disappeared, and everything she left behind looked like her husband did it. She returns, pretending to have been raped and kidnapped by Desi, and having murdered Desi. So then, if Nick steps out of line, she goes to the police with vomit from a year ago and says "Look, Nick tried to kill me. I saved it in case I felt afraid again!" The police would have said "Get out of here you psycho vomit-saving bitch!" That would have just about PROVED she was a psycho who set people up, otherwise the police would have to believe every man she met tried to kill her.
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