MovieChat Forums > Harm's Way Discussion > Swiss Cheese

Swiss Cheese

posted 16 years ago by mrharper77
10 replies | jump to latest

I hate to throw water on the effusive praise of the other reviewer, but there are more plot holes in this film than three other films combined.
People are found bound and gagged but no one does anything about it, even when a policeman shows up.
There is no back story for Kathleen Quinlan's character that would explain her bizarre behavior.
What's the symbolism for the goats?.
I blame ALL of this on the writer he gives us hints and suggestions but never develops them, sequences are placed in the wrong spot that make subsequent scenes make no sense what so ever.
However it has some nice moody parts and Quinlan is always fun to watch.
However, where the previous viewer gives this film an approval rating of an 8 I give it a 3.

[–] Strazdamonas 16 years ago

Maybe those things are put there so you would actually have to use brains (yes, you actually have them) to find out the symbolisms and explanations.
However i agree with you on the police uselessness.

[–] lollipop62 16 years ago

Ok, I have to agree re: plot holes and I do enjoy watching Kathleen Quinlan. This movie was good but could have been so much better with certain mysteries revealed about the characters etc. I'd have to give it 4 out of 10.
In space, noone can hear you scream

[–] longvacation 15 years ago

I thought the Quinlan made it clear that the the goats and Wolves/coyotes are just like Quinlan and the abused women that come to her home for shelter. She even tells Victoria when Victoria stabs her that she is a Wolf. Essentially, the strong feed on the week. It is true that we don't know why she feels this way. Perhaps as a child she saw her mother abused and despised her for it; her mother was a goat, Bea a wolf. When she grew up she decided to do away with as many "goats" as she could. I didn't really feel like knowing her motivation was essential to the story. Darlene did try to get away and perhaps let the police know about what was going on. She got caught! Being the only one besides Bea that knew, how did you expect the police to find out? Darlene couldn't alert the police when he came to the house, she was afraid he would arrest them, remember in the beginning of the movie she was cleaning up a lot of blood. Anyway, that's my two cents.

[–] nikkiten1979 15 years ago

I actually liked this movie & give it an 8 out of 10 (mostly for entertainment & good acting.)

I think if anyone's going to wonder about the woman's motivations should remember that crazy people don't have a motivation - they have a history. They usually have a personal connection, usually because of similar experience (physical & psychological), that pushes them to become obsessive & possessive. crazy people like Quinlan's character think they are doing the right thing, whether they realize their irrationality or not & whether they can or can't stop themselves. It's like one of those mothers who kills her own children during a psychosis where she believes she's doing the right thing.

that said there were a few loopholes, but the story was really good.

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[–] CarefulSheBites 15 years ago

It was good in a "Lifetime" sort of way, I suppose. I certainly wouldn't want to waste five bucks on a rental for it.

I work best under your skin.

[–] nikkiten1979 15 years ago

i agree.

i love me

[–] Cbarrek 15 years ago

It was a potentionally disturbing movie that just turned silly. Perfect for a late night, can't sleep type of movie. mrharper77 has a good point about Bea. What WAS her motivation? Did she have a "weak" mother and had to endure years of abuse or watching thee abuse? Was Victoria the only child that came through the place? Bea gets hit with an ax but manages to drag herself out to the barn but then instantly dies from a small knife wound. I guess Vic hit the right internal organ!!!!!!!!
It seems to me that she was considering the wolves to be strong and the sheep to be weak but the goats just appeared to be dumb so where is the sybolism????

[–] MrBelette 14 years ago

"People are found bound and gagged but no one does anything about it, even when a policeman shows up. "

Darlene and Victoria were on the run from the police because Victoria has stabbed her father to death. So even if Darlene tried to escape she certainly didn't want to be involved with the policeman.

[–] rrm923 14 years ago

I didn't understand at first why the mother and daughter hid from the policeman after the mother had discovered the chained woman in the barn ... but the final scenes of the movie cleared that up. The daughter had killed her mother's abuser, somewhat viciously with a knife, and they were wanted for a murder investigation.
And I found it believable that police would put up with a "safe house" owner refusing to divulge any information on the whereabouts of formerly abused women.

I would, however, have liked to know the background story to Bea, the owner.

One particular scene raised a question that was never explained -- when Bea told the woman, in front of her daughter, at the breakfast table that she was going to sleep with her (the mother) that night to "protect" her. Was Bea a sexual abuser of women, as well, as a murderer??? That was just sort of left hanging out there...

[–] WarpedRecord 13 years ago

If she was a sexual abuser, they didn't develop that part any further. I think the woman just said she would be sleeping with the mother as a veiled threat so she didn't blab to her daughter or try to run off.

This film is full of holes and implausibilities, but I didn't hate it. The performances were strong, but the script and direction were flat. It's like a Lifetime slasher movie. 5/10 stars.