MovieChat Forums > November (2004) Discussion > Photograph of Hugh's hand?

Photograph of Hugh's hand?

posted 18 years ago by djryback
18 replies | jump to latest

This photo of Hugh's hand is obviously taken at the store. It's ment to understand it at the very end of the movie. If you go back, in that scene when Hugh is about to leave Sophie he said that this photo was taken on the first day they met. I mean, call me crazy, but I developed this theory:
Sophie and Hugh did not know eachother before the shooting. It might be that both of them died and came to the "other side". Maybe their whole relationship starts right there in some other reality, limbo....whatever...?

[–] trueDesperate 18 years ago

They knew eachother beforehand. They met in the scene where Sophie photograph's him in that flashback.

[–] meddlingkidandmutt 18 years ago

I think a lot, if not all, of this film is completely interpretation. There are lots of different theories as to what actually did happen, and I actually really like your theory. Not necessarily i think its the most likely one, but I think it's neat you just thought of that. But the one thing (there are probably others too but the one thing for now) that your theory doesnt cover is, if they didnt know eachother before the shooting, then why were they in the car together, and how had they just been on a date together? and even if it was their first date, why would she say "i love you" to him on the phone?

anyway, i'm glad i watched this movie cause theres a lot to think about and I like your theory.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] zygimantas 18 years ago

okay, question: When she is with the psychiatrist, does she refer to her boyfriend by the name "Hugh?" I don't remember whether she did or not.

If she didn't, maybe she was cheating on her boyfriend with Hugh, and her boyfriend is that other guy. And maybe she just twisted everything all around.

Man. okay mine doesn't work, but nice going, you're thinking outside the box..

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] elfe-1 18 years ago

rpc717 = great observations on the movie, you seem to be very exact!

I understand the story as build from the three faces one goes through after a great loss (her life)as she lay dying she remembers the past days composed first by denial, then grief, and finally in acceptance of objective reality. It is therefore the last section that is what actually happens, as I percieve it.
I dont quite understand the spilling of the wine that is prevented in "acceptance" nor do I understand why she has a mother that looks younger than she does or at least the same age?! This is very confusing and actually disturbing the greatnes of the idea.

PS: I think she did have an affair with her colleague, it doesnt rule out that Hugh would come back. It would have saved his life if he hadn´t and that just builds on Sophies guilt and results in her denials and griefs.

[–] alli_girl07 18 years ago

I have a question. If she goes through the three phases of denial, despair, and acceptance, wouldn't she have lived through the shooting? I don't know I just can't decide. I mean I watched it really late at night so it could just be my head playing with me. What do you think? Live or die? I hope to think that she makes it through the shooting.

[–] dachitownbears34 18 years ago

Huge question I have, in the scene in which Sophia is admitting to Hugh of he affair with her co-worker(that leads to their break up), he asks her if he can ask how long it's been going on, and she doesn't wish to tell him the truth and he asks "since the shooting?" which would lead you to believe that at that very moment both surivived the shooting.

Yet, the first dinner scene with the mother would leave you to believe that Hugh died, as she comments on her having his voice on her message machine as "morbid". The scenes indicate different levels of survival from the shooting, one being both survived and the other only one.

Then to add on further at the very end, what I interpreted as the "true scenario", lead me to believe that they were kind of celebrating their rekindling of the relationship as she explains he is taking his stuff out of storage and moving in to her mother. Then proceeds to show them go out to dinner eventually leading to the liquor store where they are shot, which would contradict the previous scene where Hugh asks if she had been cheating on him "since the shooting".

I am all confused all my angles on this film have one scene contradicting another.

I can't understand if they were getting back together for "the dinner" or not and whether they both survived or only one.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] MonteVerdi 18 years ago

"since the shooting"

well... i superimpose the theory "since the shooting" () means just their camera-shooting-session () .

what about that ? ;)

cheers monte

[–] just4gotmine 18 years ago

i just watched the film and i actually believe the quote was "since the accident." im pretty sure that was the line

[–] suncicax 18 years ago

Hi,
I watched this movie today and I liked it. It reminds me a lot of Mulholland's drive, the movie is about a person trapped between dream and reality and that person creates in her mind a story of her own-a story that she would like to be the truth.
If you go back and see a scene where a cop goes trough the pics he asks her 'is there something u r not telling me', and 'were u aware of the third person in the store'? It does tell us that there were only three people in the store-the owner, his son and Sophie. I think Sophie was cheating on her boyfriend with her coworker and that day they both went to the store to take pics-the guy went out to get something from the car , in that moment Sophie and the other two were shot.
However, because Sophie feels guilty of cheating and lying to her boyfriend
she dreams of how the things could have ended-don't forget the fortune cookie
that says 'it is never too late to change what happened' or something like that.
She is dreaming about telling her boyfriend, who would still stay with her even though she cheated. Also, don't forget the scene where her guy from works asks if she want to get a drink and she says NO-that what she could have said but didn't. Instead they went out and slept together.

Also couple of more explanations. At the begging of the movie she sees a psychiatrist and she tells her that she cheated on her boyfriend ONCE(no affair they just had sex) and she feels guilty-that tells us she cheated only once and on the day of the shooting!!! That's why her boyfriend asks her 'how long it's been going on-since the shooting'-one time guys, on the day of the shooting.
She dreams of her boyfriend dying with her. She dreams of the last thing she sees-HIS HAND! As far as her mother goes, I think she didn't have a good relationship with her mom in reality-note the arguments every time they have dinner , and the glass spilling. When she was dying she changed the relationship from bad to good by smiling to her mom, and accepting to have a haircut-her mom tels her 'your hair looks nice'!!! That's what could have happened.

I hope it is more understanding right now.

[–] emale329 17 years ago

when i first saw it, i got the impression she was a ghost or something like that. She didn't want to accept she died so she goes through the phases, and acceptance is where she finally accepts the fact that she died. She kind of makes up scenarios i guess...of course, this wouldn't make much sense since she interacts with people and her surroundings...i don't know, i guess i'm just rambling, but that's my 2 cents.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] yoheee 16 years ago

What I thought Hugh was referring to "before the shooting" was Sophia and said coworker working on a photo "shoot" together.

It could definitely be one of those double meanings, with "shooting" supposed to remind Sophia about what she is avoiding altogether, her death by shooting...that's what i got from it.

[–] peyespy007 11 years ago

Indeed its a very confusing movie. I am a total psychology lover and this movie reminded me of mullholland drive, or another *beep* movie called STAY with ryan gosling... its just interpretation i suppose. Well, when she was in the library looking up the shooting, it reminded me of the tv series LOST... like limbo, pergatory, and i was like bam, she is dead huh. Movies don't usually involve religion or controversial topics, so thats why they do it in this style. To make us think for ourselves without being too controversial. Thats my thought on this movie! =)

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kernwilson 9 years ago

The photograph was taken the first day they met. It is the one Sophie took prematurely as Hugh was getting off the stool to help her with her camera. He said "you can use that" or something to that effect and she made the joke about lawyer calendars. Though not the greatest picture, it was emotionally important to both of them. When the two lay dying, Hugh's outstretched hand recreated the pose.

The picture was symbolic, representing not only the beginning and ending of their relationship, but also the difficulties they had keeping it going. It kept getting knocked askew, fell off the wall, was fought over, etc. I didn't put the connection together until the end so wasn't paying attention to exactly how the picture's tribulations coincided with those of the couple. It is a movie that can't really be understood in one viewing anyway, so this gives you (and me) something to look for next time.