Thursday, 5 January 2012

Kill List

There is a verbal earworm and then another and then another. As with most of us, the voice in Jay's head is very much his own, and it almost never shuts up. We don't know what it says; only Jay himself knows that. When the doctor asks him about stress in his life there is not a chance that he'll be allowed in. Not even an indication. His military history may be on his medical records but that space is his alone. Gal obviously knows more of his history but all he has of Jay's present is guesswork.

Is the Librarian guessing or has he seen something? He'd certainly have us/Jay believe he's seen something but Jay's confusion is genuine. Jay reacts to even the suggestion that the Librarian has a way in, just as the Librarian expects he will. Guesses can be correct. Did the Librarian care that Jay would carry his reaction over to the address he'd given? Probably not.

There are moments of apparent respite but it's hard to believe these are ever more than apparent. After Gal and Fiona have piled into the taxi the moment of peace is broken by Jay: "Thank fuck that's over with". Shel, whom he'd been embracing on a garden chair, is abruptly reminded that it almost never shuts up. Moments of camaraderie with Gal are attempts to drown the voice with laughter.

Perhaps the only thing we know about the voice is that it aims to explain or justify by rote. We know this because the end of the film is the sole moment when the voice abruptly disappears. It is also at this point that the explain/justify question is flung open for us. What occurred was as a result of his action but not under that description, not the intended action. How much can he explain and how much can he justify? For Jay it no longer matters.

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