Pluto v. Ray in Hotel


This is one of those movies I watch pretty much every time it comes on tv. (I do, however, find myself skipping the parts with Paxton and instead focusing on the stuff with Pluto and Ray.) One of the best scenes is when Ray goes a little too far with Pluto and calls him a "brown turd."

You know that Pluto and Ray have formed an alliance based on their mutual commitment to crime, but that they are not exactly friends. There is usually some tension between the two but their aggression is most often aimed at others unlucky enough to be their way. Ray and Pluto are equally violent, but Pluto is clearly the smarter and more controlled one.

When Ray says Pluto is being a buzzkill and acting like a turd Pluto finally snaps and jumps onto Ray--who is equal in size if not a little taller. Still, Pluto has seized the initiative, has him pinned and tells him that he better watch his mouth before letting him go. Now what? Ray is furious but does not try to rush Pluto. Instead he keeps his distance and yells at Pluto, calling him names. Pluto stands there, ready to fight if Ray comes at him--which he never does. Fantasia finally diffuses the situation but Ray is taught a valuable lesson- don't F with Pluto.

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You could never beat a gun with a knife ( pluto loses ).. hurricane had both their numbers anyway.

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Nice writeup, RSR. Pluto is the dominant person in the relationship between the two. He makes the plans and calls the shots, and Ray (mostly) listens to what he says. Even though Ray is the hothead, and equally violent, he is still afraid of Pluto at some level.

There is some fine acting by BBT in that hotel room scene. After Pluto lets him out of the headlock, Ray sputters various curses and threats toward Pluto. But you can see on his face that it's all false bravado and saving face, as Ray is still nervous and afraid of what Pluto might do.

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Exactly. Well said. There is always a more dominant personality in a relationship and that was Pluto regardless of how many guns Ray was holding. Ray knew he needed Pluto to basically 'think' for him. Pluto doesn't need Ray. Actually he states on several occasions that they should all break up. First Pluto wants to ditch the girl then later Pluto just wanted to ditch them both.

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OK brotha. Any other obvious things you´d like to point out from the film?



"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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When I first saw this movie several years ago, after the hotel fight between Ray and Pluto I remember speculating that the title of the movie maybe referred to the false friendship between Ray, as a white guy hanging out with two black people, regardless of whatever bond alluded to between Ray and Pluto from prison.

Furthermore, it seems implausible that a white person would form any kind of friendship with a black person in prison to begin with. All prisons have deep racial divides between inmates, for anyone to cross that line would most probably mean death.

Although this movie, aside from being a fresh, taught crime drama, also somewhat deals with aspects of race in the south between all the characters.


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Ruined film for me...."yeah Pluto iq of 150 and college graduate."
What are White people afraid of to put this in the script?
An insult to all black Americans!!!!!

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Oh my Lord! Is that so you little worm.

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First time I saw this film I was sure Billy Bob was gonna betray and kill the Pluto character at some point in the film after that scene.

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