MovieChat Forums > Bellamy (2009) Discussion > Is it not obvious...

Is it not obvious...

posted 12 years ago by vladr_
5 replies | jump to latest

...that Noel can very well be Denis? The story seems deliberately balanced for both possibilities to be credible (the "prima facie" Leullet helping Denis commit suicide, or maybe Denis ending up killing Leullet and taking his place.) The final Auden quote begs for it, as do the practically spoon-fed parallels (half-brothers, alcoholism...)

Parallels aside, Bonheur is ecstatic when she sees Noel on TV -- could it be it really is her companion-for-5-years-turned-bum Denis? Why not, seconds later she's speaking very fondly to Bellamy of the time spent with Denis in that apartment, just before telling Bellamy she's not only dropping all charges against the supposed-Leullet-killer-of-Denis, but that her lawyer friend will actually defend him. Also, more intrigue, after we are shown Mme. Leullet dead in disputable circumstances we learn that Denis was an ex-pharmacology student (a gratuitous revelation? Don't think so.)

[–] Luarela 12 years ago

i was thinking something like this in the back of my mind throughout the film, perhaps denis took leullet's place, and particularly after the scene you mention with bonheur, but then how to explain the ID of the charred body? and when the wife died so questionably, i was back to thinking it was indeed leullet, conveniently getting rid of his wife, but what would be the point of that? i had forgotten about the pharmacology thing...ugh, more questions! I did enjoy the film very much though, guess i should watch it again.

[–] CJ-Diggs 12 years ago

Regarding the charred body, how about this.. 'the police always come to the dentist to ID the body' (or something to that affect) was the quote by their dentist friend.

[–] canuckteach 12 years ago

** minor spoilers **

Yes - the dentist said that the dental imprint from the charred body did not match that of the scheming insurance broker. so, I think that the notion of a double-switch can be ruled out, based on forensics. not that I understand all of the plot subtleties - i.e. the brother dies in a car crash at the end - are we supposed to wonder if he duped someone into crashing the car and dying in his place, so that he could make a new life for himself? I tend to think not - it's just ironic that he 'departs' in the same manner...

:-) canuckteach (--:

[–] corky-27 10 years ago

Well, that's exactly what went through my mind at the end... that Bellamy's brother was still out there somewhere, ready for a fresh start, sans all the emotional baggage... but then again, I've always been a sucker for a Hollywood ending...

Right. Well, I have to-- I have to go now, Duane, because I, I'm due back on the planet Earth.

[–] TheManInOil 10 years ago

There's a whole lot of things in the story that could be other than they seem. That's the point. There's even a quote at the end of the movie to that effect.

Did Jacques really die in an accident? Did he have an affair with Bellamy's wife? Was Mrs. Leullet murdered?

The point was that it is mistaken to leap to conclusions about things. You need to consider more carefully than people are inclined to, especially in fiction.

"I'll book you. I'll book you on something. I'll find something in the book to book you on."