MovieChat Forums > The Art of the Steal (2014) Discussion > One question about ending (spoilers)

One question about ending (spoilers)

posted 9 years ago by dxben99
5 replies | jump to latest

First off, I really liked this movie. Was a lot better than I expected it to be and had really funny dialogue.

There is just one thing I didn't get: The Terence Stamp character is lying for them and says the painting is authentic. But if word gets out, that the original has been retrieved (even if it is not the original, nobody knows that), all the buyers would think/know that what they bought are fakes. And I think not all pictures had been shipped at that point of time. So wouldn't that like, screw up their plans ????

Other than that, I found this to be a very smart movie and didn't see it coming that they were screwing Matt Dillon all along. Plus, his character actually deserved it. :)

[–] Matt_Layden 9 years ago

Stamp lied so that he could keep the original himself, hang on the wall. The package he gets at the end is the real one. So how will word get out if he has it? It's all about trust, as they say.

[–] dxben99 9 years ago

That's not the point.

Stamp said it was genuine, so consequentially word would get out that the "real" painting (even if it was not the real one) has been retrieved.

So, all the buyers of the fake ones would hear these news that the "original" was retrieved. So they would think/know that what they bought are fakes.

It's been a while now since I saw the movie. Maybe they sold them all in time, so when word got out that the "original" is back, they were already gone with the money and the buyers were screwed, but I think it all happened around the same time. So, wouldn't the buyers know they are being screwed over?

[–] PKLarkins 9 years ago

The buyers would all be told the painting identified as the original was, in fact, a forgery. They'd believe that had been done to protect the one they had, and wouldn't consider that it wasn't so.

It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to--W.C.Fields

[–] FourthYear 8 years ago

I totally understand your question, and you're thinking "if the buyer thinks theirs is fake, won't they come after Paddy?"

What the movie doesn't depict, and I expect is the case, is Paddy sharing with each buyer individually that they've left a forged copy in its place, so if news comes out that "the painting is now on display," they'll smile and wink because they have the real copy.

But they don't. Sam does.

[–] ImNotSiskel 8 years ago

In the end though it's the idea that everything works out; Crunch gets his revenge on Nicky, the gang ends up filthy rich, and Sam ends up with the real painting.