MovieChat Forums > The Dead Girl (2007) Discussion > Krista's last few moments on screen

Krista's last few moments on screen

posted 16 years ago by EmpireRecrDs1020
41 replies | jump to latest

I just watched the film for the second time and I was wondering if anyone else picked up on this...

At the end of the film, Krista is talking about how she was worried her daughter would come out looking like her father, she says, "but she didn't. She looked just like me. Only prettier."

The sound drops out, but she continues speaking. She looks out the window and the camera speed slows down. She suddenly gets this look on her face like she knows something's not right. She keeps talking and smiling, but it looks *strained* to me. Like she's doing it because it's the only thing she *can* do. And then she looks over at her killer.

I've rewound that scene and watched it about 4 times now, and I keep coming back to the same conclusion: that Krista had some sort of realization in those last few moments of the film. Maybe not that she was going to be dead soon, but that something was very wrong.

I wonder if Brittany Murphy intentionally played it like that. The director made no mention of it, though. But I guess that's a questions for James Lipton and "Inside the Actor's Studio."

Just wondered if anyone else had thought the same thing.

[–] LindaShermanGordon 15 years ago

Yes I felt that too.

It was a good movie but so sad.

Linda
http://itsdifferent4girls.com/blog

[–] sublimer13 15 years ago

I thought this film was amazing, and I agree with you guys about the ending. The ending gives me chills whenever I see it. Amazing.

"Dawn Davenport, you are a habitual liar, and I am quite well-aware of it."

[–] SheilaB8088 15 years ago

I don't think she knew she was in trouble. I think the ending was her talking about her only good thing and realizing she's been f'ing it up. The last look is her trying to connect with the killer. She tries to connect with everybody in her story, but is rejected by all.

[–] Movieweirdo 15 years ago

I completely agree. I believe everyone is misreading the slowing down of the final scene.

As soon as the subject of the daughter is introduced, the movie does a great job of telling you how much she loved her daughter. The kid she pushes then scratches, the little girl when she's eating, the story she shares with Josh Brolin, the incident that has her lover beaten. Even before all that, the hooker/lover tells Krista's mom about how much she loved her daughter and all the things she would do for the kid.

The ending is very simple; she hitched a ride that would ultimately lead to her death and she was none the wiser. The smile, the tone of the last scene only further solitifies that she was so caught up in talking about her daughter, she was clueless as to her fate.

Great movie.

[–] ucf1985 15 years ago

I agree too that she didn't know she was in trouble. I think the final scene was shown in slow motion to capture the radiant expression on Krista's face and to burn that image into the viewer's mind. The effect is similar to a dream/nightmare sequence where time slows down. It makes the ending just that much more horrific as we have to reconcile that beautiful, happy face with the fact that she will soon be murdered.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] AntiSaint 12 years ago

I agree. After she says her daughter looks like her, it seemed more to me like she was just rolling over thoughts in her head. I assumed when she looks over at the guy she does so in response to something he said.

[–] apocalypse_please24 15 years ago

I only saw the movie once ages ago, but I'd like to see it again, if only to see this look of realisation on her face because I don't remember seeing it the first time. I remember finding that scene to be extremely sad though. I'm glad it ended that way without us actually seeing her murder... it was as if it ending with her alive-- but us, and her, knowing very well she'd be dead soon-- was much more powerful.

Big Gay Al, it has recently come to our attention that you are gay.

[–] SGJan81 14 years ago

I was just watching this moment. In the final scene, it seemed as though Krista realized she may have made a mistake - she began talking faster. When she smiled, and looked at the driver of the car, I had the feeling that she was asking him to show her mercy, to change his mind, she still had hope.

Yodi

[–] anthony9401 15 years ago

Ok, i highly doubt we are reading too much into the scene. She could sense this doesn't feel right. This isn't about FedEx being closed, or her getting to wrapped up in talking about her daughter. The old man had no form of expression on his face what so ever about anything, that's an obvious sign that something isn't right. What type of man, possibly grandfather, doesn't even smirk after hearing what Brittany Murphy just expressed to him. it seems rather cold and spooky. To top it all off. You noticed how the car had to U Turn to come and get her, then never turn backed around the opposite way? It was 12:13 at night and he said " we have another stop to make, but i'd surely take you". Obviously the changed route of the car would imply, he is going back the way he just came, meaning, essentially, their is no other stop to make but home, or where ever he plans to take her. Once the climax of he her hearing that he'd take her to Norwalk, she realized, what 65 year old man has to make a stop at 12:15 at night, this doesnt' seem right. Some people go with their gut feeling, unfortunately, she didn't go with hers, GREAT movie, it's in my top 10 of the new millennium.

[–] springawakening 15 years ago

I totally agree. Anyone in that situation would have noticed how oddly he was behaving and had a strange feeling about him. Fight or Flight, you know? People usually get a gut feeling in situations like that one. I think she realized that she had gotten in the car with someone with bad intentions. Idk if he knew she would die but she sensed danger.

[–] thrllme 14 years ago

The first time I saw the film, I thought that she knew something was wrong during the last shot. Possibly because I knew something was wrong and I was so wrapped up into the surface story (prostitute murdered) the entire time. However, after watching it again I think that her look-to me it seemed like she had some sort of glow about her-was finally presenting itself in the way she always "wanted to feel." I am referring to the comment made by her roommate about the polaroid picture Krista took that was her favorite. She felt so low prior to getting into this man's car-she was rejected by her 'boyfriend' after giving him something (sex), her girlfriend after giving her something (revenge on that guy who beat her up)-that this 'selfless act of kindness' by her soon-to-be murderer seemed to be perfect in her eyes.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] HoferPM-1 14 years ago

Just caught the end of this movie and I will surely look for it again on Sundance. Heartbreaking to see Brittany Murphy and knowing she is gone now. She was a wonderful actress ! In this final scene, I think she had a sense that this was not going to be a good ride, but hoped she was wrong. Very sad !

[–] oldmotem 14 years ago

Yes. I just saw it again. That last scene is very very sad, especially in light of recent events. Very prophetic. The last glance definitely shows concern that something very wrong might/will occur. But with her toughness in the movie, it's sad to believe she succumbed to her fate.

RIP Brittany. I saw this years ago and now view it differently. Still a great movie. And a great actress.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] jimifanwing 12 years ago

In my opinion she may have had a bit of apprehension but her whole vocation is one where she has to manage her fear or disgust on a daily (on nightly) basis. To me her look wasn't, "I made a big mistake", it was more like , "this guy is a little creepy, but aren't they all".

[–] zachjennecca 11 years ago

I agree that I saw what you saw, but I found it frustrating. Here's a girl so full of anger (e.g., her relationship with "Tarlow") and hate (when she beat the crap out of her lover's boyfriend, Tommy), yet she clearly loved her daughter (how she was going to make chocolate chip pancakes when she got there), that with all these strong emotions, her will to live would be hard fought. She definitely was depicted as a fighter through the whole film, not someone to withdraw, as she seemed to be doing in the final clip. I felt she'd have kicked that pudgey lame-a$$'s serial killer's butt once she realized she was in danger. I don't buy the ending. A very frustrating film. And the fact that "The Wife" didn't turn the bastard in, thinking she might have change her life (i.e., "going dancing") because she'd have had this over his head now, was very anti-climatic for her character. I think Toni Collette gave the best performance in this film, and was the story I'd like to be most fleshed out. What happened to the boy, and what did she do, and why did finding the body "free" her so much, especially her sexuality? Very good character and story there, otherwise a rather frustrating film.

[–] coolbrett 11 years ago

I didn't really get the feeling she sensed something was wrong, but maybe I should watch the ending again and pay more notice. But I'd assume anyone dumb enough to hitchhike in the first place would also be too dumb to sense danger, provided the driver doesn't actually say to them "I'm going to kill you" or attack them or something.

No expectations, no disappointments.

[–] HenryCW 9 years ago

I also don't think Krista sensed something was wrong in her last scene. I think the interpretations of the OP and many posters here might have been influenced by the fact that we all know what was about to happen to her.

That Krista asked about the possibility of being dropped off at some FedEx nearby did not mean she sensed danger. Remember that her motorbike had broken down and she was stranded along a road, and so she was eager to just get into any car to be taken to some place where she could switch to another car or at least seek help. So when the driver said that he would make a stop first and then take her to Norwalk, you can see that she was happy. She said "Thank God" and began to talk about her daughter, and even noted the time was 12:13 a.m. which was the hour of her birth. Then her voice becomes inaudible, the screen fades, and the film ends. The way I see it, up to the last few seconds, she was totally unaware of the danger.