that the captor didn’t check to see if Jack was really dead? I don’t know anything about criminal psychology or anything, but after going to all those lengths to keep Joy and Jack hidden, and after treating Joy like an animal, it doesn’t make sense to me that he would just take her word for it that Jack was dead, and agree not to look at him.
I'll trade you my t-shirt for a grilled cheese!
We see Nick convinced that Jack is actually very sick.(He returns with medicine). The idea that Jack died is reasonable to Nick at that point.
Nick is unable to believe that Joy would be lying to him about Jack's death. He is convinced that Joy is totally under his control, its part of the world he has created around her captivity. To admit that Jack may not be dead is to admit he doesn't have control over her, which is something he can't do.
Plus the idea of unwrapping the rug and potentially exposing himself to being seen is something that would make anyone nervous. He wants to quickly and quietly move the body away from any potential prying eyes.
Yeah, this is my biggest problem with the film. Something like that should have taken months to rehearse yet they come up with and execute the plan in a couple days. Everything had to go 100% perfect and it did.
And even if Nick did just throw the kid in the truck under what circumstance would he leave the kid on the road after a bit of a struggle? That kid would be put in the truck, the observer would think it was just a kid having a tantrum, and never thought about it again.
So, that whole scene was poorly executed and not believable, but of course necessary to advance the story. Then again, it's hard to predict what a psychopath would do in these situations.
Ultimately its a plan to free Jack, and Ma's is prepared herself for the aftermath of the plan should it fail.
She is betting its unlikely that Nick will attempt to return Jack to Room in the event the plan is discovered/fails, and Jack will end up free.
(Nick not wanting to risk someone seeing him dragging a young kid into his shed)
She knows that their danger from Nick is increasing, which is why she is willing to try and extremely risky plan.
As well, from a story telling point of view, the escape plan must come from the presence of Jack, at an age where he can participate in that plan.
Nick at his core is a coward. He's a below average, disempowered man who had to lock up a teenage girl in order to feel powerful. Everything he does displays his innate cowardice and Nick's behavior during the escape is in complete alignment with his psychology.
Nick wants to believe he is a good man. In his mind he takes care of Joy and Jack, he provides for them, he buys Jack a present for his birthday. He doesn't want to believe he is a bad guy. So if he has to face his dead son wrapped in a rug because he wouldn't take him to a hospital, that whole story in his head falls apart. He becomes a villain. He can't face his guilt, and that has him put the rug in the truck without checking that his son is actually dead.
And even if Nick did just throw the kid in the truck under what circumstance would he leave the kid on the road after a bit of a struggle? That kid would be put in the truck, the observer would think it was just a kid having a tantrum, and never thought about it again.
I really think that he thought he had control over Joy, and that it never crossed his mind that she would trick him.
shareShe didn't have the Stockholm syndrome, she had a strong mind and knew she only need Old Nick for food. The girls that were held captive by Ariel Castro in Cleveland Ohio relied heavily on Castro because they were tortured so much that they developed Stockholm syndrome, it's when they start to miss their captors and thought that they're the only ones who can keep them safe.
State champ in martial arts. Trained with firearms. Don't be a keyboard warrior.
Like most of the previous posters said
- Old Nick thought he had complete control over Ma so there is no way she would lie to him
- he was already convinced that Jack was sick
- he honestly doesn't believe that Ma is smart enough to pull off something like that
- he knows that Ma would never willingly be parted from Jack
I honestly think that Joy had prepared herself to die. She knew that there was no way that Jack was getting out of the truck without being seen - and even if he did get out without being seen Old Nick would notice that Jack was gone when he went to dump the body. And she didn't care as long as Jack got out and got to safety.
I agree AJRoss. My first reaction was there was little to no preparation.,the little boy knew nothing of the outside world, chances are Old Nick would check the carpet to make sure Jack was dead, Jack would be completely a fish out of water in the real world, Old Nick would see him trying to escape, Old Nick would be able to sweet talk his way out of any confrontation with another person, Old Nick would just grab Jack and throw him in his truck and take off, kill Jack and return and kill Joy.
It was the longest of long shots. Chances were slim to none it would work.
No. Do you want to see a dead body? I don't. I have. I don't want to. Didn't want to , never want to again.
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Jesus saves, everyone else takes damage -Tshirt
Supposedly the book explained that Joy had been pregnant before. Nick had helped in delivering the first baby and it died in delivery. She blamed Nick so when Jack came along she never let him help, touch, or even look at Jack. That explains why he honored her wish not to look at Jack even in "fake" death.
shareYes, seems reasonable. Also, he had no love for Jack in life, so it seems logical he wouldn't be too concerned after he had died. The posts about him thinking that Joy wouldn't have the intelligence to pull off the plan also seem likely.
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