MovieChat Forums > Animal Factory (2000) Discussion > Plot holes?

Plot holes?

posted 18 years ago by ThresholdDweller
6 replies | jump to latest

Just saw the movie last night and really enjoyed it--more than I thought I would. Great cast, with lots of familiar faces which always make the experience that much more enjoyable.

But it seems that some larger plot point was missing, perhaps it was something that ended up being cut out of the movie entirely, and I was wondering if anyone had any insight.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!POSSIBLE SPOILERS POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The whole shower scene where the old crazy black guy cuts Willem Dafoe's character went absolutely nowhere. The old guy was found dead later on and we have no idea who killed him. I figured Dafoe's character was going to wind up getting killed over it, but that never happened. Am I missing something obvious here?

I also kept expecting the movie to turn really dark and end up like "American Me" or something equally down, but the movie just seemed to end after it hit its time limit. I dunno.. thoughts?

[–] grandmast-1 18 years ago

I saw this film last night, and after the shower attack, Earl tells his boys to lay off the crazy old guy 'cuz he was just nuts. But one of his crew says the word is already out, implying they will 'take care' of the old guy. Earl says to spread the word to lay off but, I assume, it was too late and one of Earl's cronies killed the attacker before learning of the 'hands off' order.

[–] DoozeCFH 18 years ago

In the book we learn that Earl isn't really a fan of the race wars and to prevent another one he tells that he doesn't want any retaliation because the bloke is just a bit psycho. I read it a few weeks ago but I think that they let it go.

In this, I imagine that just like the above poster said, word didn't get around in time and he was killed. The black gang knew that Earl wanted to stop it and let it go, I think.

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[–] loveayiti 18 years ago

Something....Did anyone ever trust Dafoe's character in the movie. Maybe I'm paranoid but I thought at any moment he was going to jump on "Decker" in the movie. It just didn't seem realistic that head of this prison gang would take this wimpy naive kid under his wing for no reason. I think the rest of the story is on the cutting room floor.

[–] JeffKaos71 18 years ago

It just didn't seem realistic that head of this prison gang would take this wimpy naive kid under his wing for no reason. I think the rest of the story is on the cutting room floor.

I found it believable. (and it may have been inspired by true events, the author of the novel did time in prison)

The way I saw it was that Earl was a good guy deep down, and he saw a bit of himself when he was younger in Decker. He also saw Psycho Mike running the old rape game on Decker, & sympathized. (also because Ron he was a friend of a friend)

Lastly, how do you think the brotherhood recruits new members in prison? Whites are the minority in prison, & they need as many members as possible, not that I'm saying that had anything to do with it, I really just think Earl took a liking to Ron.

(Ultimatley, Ron got lucky)

"You can't stay in here all day dreaming about heroin & Ziggy Pop"

[–] UnderTaker537 17 years ago

I saw it as Earl had all these things, but he wanted to have a protege/son. That's what he saw in Ron.

[–] lreed7950 12 years ago

Poor direction is to blame. Dafoe has a standard way of seeming as though he always has an alterior motive and this is an asset in most of his roles. Surely he could have been led in another direction here, but the entire film seemed as though no one - cast or crew - was entirely sure what they were supposed to do.