The marketing of this film makes you believe it is about a man who sends his ex wife a book which vaguely threatens to hurt her as she has hurt him. Cue surrealistic double storylines, character development and twists! Nope.
A rich woman receives a book from her author ex husband who she hasn't spoken to in 19 years. The book is about the disturbing rape and murder of two women and the husband/fathers reaction to it alla Hollywood cliches.
Ok it's a really disturbing story but disturbing especially and in a particular way for women and the fact that it's told through a man-pain perspective (duty of man to protect- what if can't storyline instead of a this is how fucked it is to be a woman storyline) is just fucked up at another level. Made me want to buy a weapon. The cause of death information was excessive and delivered by a seemingly unfeeling cop. Violence against women juxtaposed against the main female lead beginning her romantic relationship with the author, just weirdness. Man pain juxtaposed against her again and again, I suppose to show empathy or shared connection. Noir music and atmosphere at times. Movie description not accurate. Sudden abortion ref which seems unnecessary to establishing how much she had 'hurt' him . Gimmicky feeling. Then he of course goes on a lone hunt them down himself for wronging his family male fantasy cliche. Was expecting something far more intelligent and original. Amy Adams is great in it and she talks deep lines about regret and accepting life's unhappiness but it's just a veneer of intellectuality over another psycho drama. She looks like a rich ghost unsmiling statue. It's impressive?
So the story about rape and murder is a metaphor for her leaving him with another guy and having an abortion? (Story man calls himself weak for not protecting his family, a criticism of "weakness" she has accused him of in their relationship along different lines.) She's not shown thinking of novel as threat. Touches on issues with justice system. She's shown to empathize with male lead in story. She has violent art, security, a bodyguard team which seems like a lot for someone who is rich but not supposedly famous( indicating story happened for real to her and her mother- the shared sadness in their eyes??) The story daughter and her daughter are the same. He called her a nocturnal animal bc she had insomnia but then titles his book seemingly after psychos (and/or those who feel loss/seek justice) implying she's the same? In the end she arranges to meet her ex husband whose work she found quote moving and beautifully written (where is the threatening?) and he never shows and she is devastated as it seems she wanted to rekindle things with him.
This fucking sucked and was really, really disturbing in the beginning when the woman and her daughter are kidnapped from their car off the road. I want to read deeper meaning into this movie and have it have been worth it but all the interpretations I find are either offensive or stupid. Her leaving him felt like a double murder (manbro manbro manbro why is rape involved exactly, oh literally as a metaphor for his fucking man pain???????). Please go fuck yourself.
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