The Ending *MASSIV SPOILERS*
First of all: I had to watch the ending twice before I got it.
At frist, it seemed extremly superficial. As one reviewer wrote before me:
"My only beefs are for a scene in which an Italian boy takes to the Tiber to elude the police; the actual outcome of his swim is not made clear, indeed I had to see the thing twice to understand. And two ... when the villain, the murderer, is caught, it is without any twists - he was simply one of the suspects and he did it. There are no red herrings, no surprise innocence or guilt."
That's wrong.
The fact is: Because he lied/didn't say all the truth in the first place, one of the two boys died.
The first time the murderer is interviewed by the police, he tells them his story up to the point where he sees the boys walking past the prostitute. Then he gives the names of the boys to the policeman.
Cut to the surviving boy: He tells his story, which goes further in time than the main story. His friend dies because they were looked after by the police. And that's the murderer's fault.
Cut to the murderer: He admits the crime, which comes totally unexpected because the viewer still doesn't have the missing link (the interview of the man who was robbed by the boys).
I hope somebody followed my argument until now. Thanks!
Anyway, the point is, as the other reviewer put it before me:
"We all lie. So do they. The suspect's lying versions of events are depicted; reality as they would have it. All it happens, are guilty of something, as is everyone in this world."
Yes, but with all other suspects, their lies didn't do any harm. Only the murderer, who is already guilty of a crime, commits another one by not telling the whole truth from the beginning. And that's the point of this film.
Now, either:
1. It was totally obvious for everyone but me
2. What I write is total crap
3. I really understood the whole thing, and you will be forever thankful to me for telling you this... :-)
And yeah, great great film!
Cheers
David
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