Mr. Hakujin Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 So, if you haven't seen this Oscar nominated film then click off and go watch it now. I've got a lot of things I want to discuss in here that deal w/ the ending and a quasi-big reveal in the film and a thread full of spoiler tags is so 2010. Seriously. Shoo. And here we go . . . So, who do you think killed Jessup Dolly? Some people on the net seem to think his brother Teardrop did it, but as great a twist as that'd make I say there's no way. You could say he was reluctant to help Ree b/c of his guilt, and I'd agree. But it's not guilt over killing his brother, it's guilt over allowing his brother to be killed. This is why he likely reacts so violently to Ree when she initially asks for his help in finding jessup. Also, if Teardrop killed Jessup then why didn't he take that boat ride out to the body to help Ree's family out? Nah, Teardrop as the killer doesn't add up for me. However, I think it's pretty obvious that after the bondsman describes the guy who paid for Jessup's bond at the end of the film teardrop does know who did kill Jessup. And as he stated earlier in the film, that information would in essence be his own death sentence--ie. he'd be unable to let the killer live and thus be killed himself. From what I could gleam off the InterWebs, the book also leaves the killer unnamed. But clues seem to point to a character in the book that wasn't in the film named Sleepy John. The Bondsman said the guy who bailed Jessup out seemed asleep. And apparently the novel's ending also came w/ a job offer from the bondsman for Ree. Not sure why they left that bright spot out of the film. Maybe the director thought Ree's realization that her role as sibling-mother was her true role was happy an ending enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambaytor Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Just picked up the book at the library today so I'll dig into that, they may have taken the job offer out because the Bondsman is easily one of the most unlikeable characters in the movie which is sad because he's about the only legit person that isn't a main character. Could also have to do with the fact that based on the man's accent and something I believe I remember hearing earlier in the film, the bondsman's office was across the Arkansas line and thus she would probably not be able to take care of her family. (Cause let's be honest, nobody else will) Personally I don't think it mattered who killed her father, it was obviously one of the family as they all seemed to be in some kind of crazy mid-west mafia thing anyway. I don't think it was Teardrop, he sounded earnest when he told her he didn't know who it was and he seemed to think the Sheriff tipped off whoever did it. If you do read the book and like it, I would recommend checking out In Broad Daylight, it's a true crime novel about the vigilante killing of Ken McElroy in Skidmoore, Missouri that was was eventually made into a pretty good made for TV movie with Brian Dennehy and Marcia Gay Harden it's a pretty disturbing read and it remains rather neutral on the subject. This kinda reminded me of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 Really, you think the bondsman is the most unlikeable character? I'd put that tag on the sheriff or Jessup. I thought the bondsman was a crucial character--an outsider, but not an unlikable guy. He was honest w/ Ree and helpful in basically describing Jessup's killer to teardrop and bringing her back the bond money. He was just a messenger of bad news, not the creator of it. I disagree though w/ your statement that it isn't important who killed Jessup. I think that's one of the brilliant parts about the ending. The audience doesn't know (and neither does Ree) who the killer is, but we all know that Teardrop knows. And him knowing is assurance that Jessup's murder will be avenged and gives some closure to the struggle Ree went through in the film. And I'll definitely check for In Broad Daylight on Netflix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambaytor Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I don't know, the bail bondsman just annoyed me in the way he delivered the news as if this guy's 17-year-old daughter was somehow at fault for her Dad being a scumbag, he didn't even sound the slightest bit sorry about it. The fact that he's just about the only non-scumbag character she encounters aside from her neighbors and the recruiter just kind of annoyed me all the more. Apparently the In Broad Daylight movie is going under "A Killing in a Small Town" according to amazon. Just look for a movie with Brian Dennehy, Marcia Gay Harden, and Chris Cooper. It's not got the greatest production values but the acting more than makes up for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hakujin Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 ^^OK, I'll look for it under that title as "Broad Daylight wasn't listed on Netflix. And as for our bondsman, I think he was initially rough w/ her at their first encounter b/c he deals w/ people lying to him all day. "No, I don't know where mah dady is cuz he dead." I'm sure bondsman hear that shit all the time. Hell, even the hillbilly don's wife knew enough to cut BOTH hands off, so you know these are savvy criminals (to an extent) the bondsman deals w/ in the area. And you should definitely download "Hillbilly Up!" from iTunes. It's free and listed, I believe, as a podcast, but it's actually a 45 min documentary on the musicians from the film--many of which are extras and one even played the big bad boss, Thump (Stump?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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