MovieChat Forums > Top of the Lake (2013) Discussion > Why would Al victimize his ally's daught...

Why would Al victimize his ally's daughter?


I don't think that Matt knew about Al's dungeon and his activities, but I am surprised that Al, knowing who Tui's father is, would include her in his pedophile activities. It would have seemed logical of him to leave her, of all people, out of the scheme, no?

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Yes, good point.

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[deleted]

Maybe he was into the Thai thing? Who knows. Anyway, even though Matt's a close ally, I guess Al seems to have banked on his dungeon always remaining a secret (overconfidence in himself?), so to him, why not victimize Tui? None of the other kids managed to reveal the dungeon, so why would she?

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[deleted]

I personally think that Matt knew nothing of Al's activities. Al of course knew what Matt was up to, but was paid handsomely to keep quiet. But you could be right. Both Matt and Al were not upstanding guys.

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Matt could not abide child molesters so I don't think he would be okay with Al's activities. His connection with Al is that he paid him handsomely to turn a blind eye to Matt's drug business. Robin asks Al at one point how he could afford his mansion and Al says he got it cheaply--he's able to live a posh life because of Matt.

It was pretty dumb of Al to include Tui in his nefarious activities. If Matt ever found out he would most likely kill him.





And all the pieces matter (The Wire)

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"Robin asks Al at one point how he could afford his mansion and Al says he got it cheaply--he's able to live a posh life because of Matt."

- Yeah that's how I took it as well during the scene, but I think that was a red herring to make us connect Al with Matt, but I think that the actual reason for his wealth is the child prostitution ring that he has in his house. Though I suppose it could be both, who knows. But that was one of the things that still didn't sit right with Robin at the end and why she went to Al's house for Tui.

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Let's say that Al and Matt both know exactly what each does.


I think that's right. Al has a basement sex ring and Matt has a basement drug ring. Neither one interferes with the other's basement activities.

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I disagree with your theory specifically because what Al needs is exactly what Matt needs: nothing to change. Al did not calculate Matt's demise, in fact he tried to prevent it.

So to why would Matt mess with Tui? The reason he does everything he does: as a demonstration of power.

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Hmm, I thought Matt had an inkling of Al's money-making activities, but didn't know the full extent of them. While Matt and Tui have a contentious relationship, Matt does seem to be fond of her, with his pride about her wilderness survival skills. I seriously think he'd go on a rampage if he figured out about Al's basement.

Al probably counted on not getting caught, especially not by a random outsider like Robin.

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It would have seemed logical of him to leave her, of all people, out of the scheme, no?


No, because rape and sexual violence is all about power. So it would make sense that as Al's sense of power grew, and was confronted by Matt's very obvious demonstration of power, it would feed Al's ego to know he had power over Matt, even if Al never came right out and told him. At least that was my take on it.

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Yeah I think it's all egotistism. There is no honor among thieves sort of thing but does this mean the realtor had sex with the kids too? or he just knew about it?

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I think the realtor knew about the sex ring but didn't participate. That's what the photo on his computer shows -- he was in the corner, fully dressed, looking scared. What I wonder is how he got all of those photos. Who took the pics? Are they supposed to be titillating? Or blackmail material? Nothing was clearly shown, though, so I don't know how the pics could be either.

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Bob also said he had seen 'something terrible' to his wife and was going to leave as a result (hence him selling Paradise.) So it could be that, wanting to be cool, he was enticed into this 'secret society', but then realised it was a paedophile ring and, not having the strength to go against it, decided to leave instead.

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Pedophiles have no morals

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They have no morals but they certainly have a sense of self preservation and doing this to the drug manufacturer who's pocket you are in, doesn't sound like a logical decision.

This was a case of two seperate plot points being unintentionally tied together simply because a television show only allows for a narrow field of characters. It was a good show, but the scripting and plotting wasn't the best.

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Why would you put the biggest spoiler in a headline? Moron

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