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Plain Dirty Flaws * Contains Spoilers *

posted 19 years ago by fireheart412
7 replies | jump to latest

I just watched "Plain Dirty", a.k.a. "Briar Patch". I am a huge Dominique Swain fan, so I had to see this. In my opinion, the movie wasn't very convincing at all and there were many stale moments in it. It did give a realistic portrait of the poverty in the south, and the cinematography is done quite well, but there were some flaws that I found within the film.

*** Spoiler Alert ***

The first flaw I found was when 'Flowers' was strangling 'Edgar'. 'Edgar', a very violent and strong man, just lied there, while he was being strangled, not putting up much of a fight at all. I know he was drunken by alcohol, but even so, he would have at least tried to push 'Flowers' off top of him. Also, 'Flowers' grip on 'Edgar's' neck was very loose, and Edgar's face didn't turn blue/red of anything. I was not convinced at all during this scene, there should have been more of a struggle.

The second flaw I found was the fact that the sleepy-town police found Edgar's body directly the next morning after he was dead. Considering this was out in the middle of nowhere, where there is a swamp, and considering that nobody cared about Edgar or his whereabouts because he was a loser, didn't seem convincing either.

Finally, the third major flaw I found, was when the police officer came to arrest Inez's lover. He didn't defend himself at all when she made the accusation that he killed Edgar, even though he knew the truth!? I know he was depressed, but come on!

The whole murder investigation/process of this film was unrealistic and didn't add up at all, and I think it truly took a lot away from a film that could have been much better and believable.

[–] elgatolocorojo 19 years ago

Can't really argue w/ your first point. But remember it was dark out, so even if Edgar had changed colors, I doubt you'd have seen it. For your second flaw, the police weren't out looking for Edgar, some hunters found him, they were standing on the left side of the screen as Officer Avon walks up and says "Good Morning, Morning Glory *orwhateveritisshesays*". And for the third flaw, I felt that the lover didn't argue because he had really just given us a reason for not caring. He felt lost and that his life had no point w/o Inez, and he realized that she wasn't going to be with him, he figured, "what's the point?" AND she didn't make the accusation, Flowers called Officer Avon in the middle of the night...

[–] psully-1 19 years ago

I agree more with your assessment than the first one. Look, anyone who had just drank nearly a whole 5th of whiskey in a few hours should be almost dead, anyway. That lawyer (Urbiank <sp?>) had some psychiatric disorder, like alienation, but worse, more acute. By his own description, he was nearly totally dissociated from his own life and body.

no more "reality" shows

[–] mehinemi 19 years ago

Also, if you watch the strangling scene, Flowers clearly straddles Edgar and pins his arms down. He wouldn't have been able to do much in that position. Believe me, I know, my older brother used to do the same thing to me when he was torturing me by dribbling loogies on me. Believe me, it's a difficult position to get out of.

[–] LordEmeryStanfordMerloe 18 years ago

I completely agree with the original poster on everything except #1. Flowers was a stronger man, had vile intentions, and strangled an thinner, very intoxicated man.

[–] v_babe10 18 years ago

On the third point made: I thought that he gave himself up as Edgar's killer because he knew that this was the only way for Inez to go on with her life and be happy. He was finally able to give her something valuable...her freedom. It was the best gift he could give her and the best way to show her how much he loved her. Flowers could kill for her, but he would take the blame and give up his own life. There is one point in the movie, where she locks herself up because she is embarrassed about the "goose incident" when his friends came over, where he says "I will always save you." I thought it was pretty clear that that was exactly what he was doing in the end. Especially after the fight that they had where she told him he was going to get her killed. He was showing her how much he loved her by taking the fall for her.

[–] jeantaylor60 17 years ago

The "third flaw" is not a flaw at all. It's a reality in the mind of Inez's lover that there is no more life without her. What better way to escape a love lost even in being a sucessful, wealthy, yet empty human being. There was no more existence to this man without the life that Inez gave him. Remember he wanted to drank Inez, wear Inez and consume her inside of himself to give him weight, wholeness and life. A life behind bars to this man, after what he had lost, was in the true sense what is called poetic justice.

[–] katdussell 8 years ago

The point of the movie was not to show yuppies the "poverty of the south"..watch it again w an open mind
1. He was drunk as hell and flowers was sober, stronger, and had him in a pretty good strangle hold with arms pinned down.
2. Hunters found him and called the cops.
3. This point was intentional. Dru suffered from a disassociation of sorts..at that point in time he did not care, just like he hadnt cared about his life in general before Inez. And we have no idea how the charges and trial worked out after the movie ends. He's a lawyer so I'm sure he was ok.

Plain Dirty Flaws *** Contains Spoilers ***

Plain Dirty Flaws * Contains Spoilers *