About 5 minutes into the film the main character orders a beer. He guzzles it down. His wife then rings. We see another shot, and mysteriously, the glass is now full again, and he guzzles it all down, yet again. But wait, there's more! Wife rings again, and guess what?? The glass is now full, again!! Three beers for the price of one! Where is this restaurant?!
shareI think those were supposed to be jump cuts that showed how long he was ignoring her, but the effect doesn't come off. It's a rare inept moment in the movie. We don't see the passage of time, only a magically refilling beer glass.
...Justin
Not an inept moment at all - in fact it was good handling of time. Why subject the audience to him ordering a second, third, whatever, beer? The audience should be able to infer the orders have been made and that his wife is making him wait and wait.
Quand le doigt montre le ciel, l'imbécile regarde le doigt.
I agree, although it can be a bit jarring at first. The director uses the same technique to shorten the telephone scene, which goes on long enough as it is.
shareI think those were supposed to be jump cuts that showed how longshe he was ignoring him.She was late, which led to him drinking the first and second beers, the third beer resulted when he was watching her standing across the street - still late - chatting with another man (presumably her co-worker).The jump cut sequence established him as alcoholic and a jealous husband and quick to get impatient, which builds intensity in the viewers before he and his wife begin their long drive.The jump cuts demonstrated his impatience at having to wait for what seemed like, for him, forever for his wife, although she was only 15-20 minutes late (although I don't blame him for being impatient - he couldn't wait to pick up their children and begin their vacation, yet his wife was dallying and delaying), demonstrated his alcoholism when he chugged down three beers right before starting a long road trip (and a long trip in extremely dangerous traffic), to pick up his children, simply because his wife wasn't exactly on time, and demonstrated his jealously when he chugged down that third beer while watching his wife chat with another man. share
I'll admit to spending too much time during the rest of the movie wondering whether it was a continuity error or three beers. I can't remember exactly what, but something happens in that scene to suggest he only had one beer and that's what confused me.
But in the hospital when he comes clean to his wife, he tells her he had three beers.
About 5 minutes into the film the main character orders a beer. He guzzles it down. His wife then rings. We see another shot, and mysteriously, the glass is now full again, and he guzzles it all down, yet again. But wait, there's more! Wife rings again, and guess what?? The glass is now full, again!! Three beers for the price of one! Where is this restaurant?!