| Quote: Originally Posted by BakeTheMooCow Alright, Bell's wife wrote to Ellis and told him that Bell is retiring. But Bell's conversation with Ellis still explains WHY he is retiring. The fact that he feels God did not come into his life is not mentioned anywhere else in the movie and so if you cut that scene, you don't know that. So again, you can't fucking just cut that fucking scene. What does it mean that God did not come into his life? You are only talking about a line that is spelled out aloud, not considering what it means within the theme of the film. Because frankly, if it doesn't tie into the theme of the film, it's an unnecessary sentence, and it's not important, as it doesn't offer the audience anything they would need to understand the story, the theme, or the characters. It does tie into all those things, and here is what it means: Bell is a man who wanted to believe that there is order in world. He wanted to believe that good deeds are rewarded, he wanted to believe that bad deeds are punished. He wanted to believe that he can make a difference, that he can save the good, and punish the evil. But as time went by, he lost that belief. The events in the film are the final nail in the coffin. He doesn't believe anymore that good deeds are rewarded, or that bad deeds are punished. He lost faith in the higher power that gives the world order. This doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't believe in God anymore... He just believes God doesn't care. He didn't find God, God didn't come to him. More than that, he is disappointed in himself because he couldn't save the good, or punish the bad. And in the end he is not anymore even trying, he is giving up. And for these reasons he thinks God probably has just as low opinion of him, as he has of himself. Now, all of this... The disillusionement. The realization that there is no order in world. No good deeds are rewarded. No bad deeds are punished. He has failed himself to save the good, to punish the bad. He has given up. ...All this can be perfectly understood without the need to ever spell it out. Because all it was told in the story, elegantly and beautifully, without the need do spell it out with exposition. And as such, the line isn't needed. Because what the line MEANS is there anyway, perfectly understandable. |