Sydney Explanations

filmcritic · August 16, 2003, 01:08:16 PM

There's a lot left up in the air in "Hard Eight". Sydney is pretty much undefined until the end but there is still a lot left to explain. Everybody has different views on the character and the plot.

After seeing "Hard Eight" dozens of times, here's my take:

Did Sydney ever have any other jobs other than gambling?
Yes, but they were probably little different jobs but nothing long term.

Why did Sydney pick up John in the first place?
Sydney sees a lot of himself in John and wants to help out a guy who's down on his luck.

Is Sydney a racist?
No, that's a cheap shot. Sydney is a great people reader. He didn't like Jimmy right off the bat because he saw right through him. Then, when Jimmy started threatening him, he knew he was really bad news. Thus, bang bang!

What's the relationship with Sydney and Clementine?
Sydney wants to help Clementine in the same way he helped John.

Why does Sydney act depressed?
He's a very queit, rough, wise but weak person. He also has a pretty rough life too.

What happened to the buring of the dead mother?
All that is said is that Sydney worked it out. But Sydney probably did bury John's mother.

Did Sydney leave his family?
Possibly. His wife could have been crazy or (judging from deleted scenes) maybe Sydney had a drinking problem and eventually drove his family away. But he probably hasn't talked to them in a very, very long while.

Well, this is as much as I can gather. Argue with me if you disagree.

aclockworkjj · August 16, 2003, 01:15:33 PM

you are asking too many questions....just watch the movie. Every single question you asked is unaswered by the film, meaning make your own conclusions based on the info that is presented. It's a good topic; however, all the answers will be nothing more than personal perception.

Ghostboy · August 16, 2003, 01:35:06 PM

Between listening to the commentary and paying close attention to the movie, you'll learn everything you need to know about the character.

filmcritic · August 16, 2003, 01:54:00 PM

Well, these are just my own observations. Altough they're unanswered, I just drew my own conclusions. It's a character study and sometimes it's interesting to study the character. I'd be interested in another people's opinions though.

aclockworkjj · August 16, 2003, 07:24:54 PM

personally, I think Sydney is gay...you know Clem woulda fuct his ass when she said "do you wanna fuck me?"....he turned it down, he is gay.

Find Your Magali · August 16, 2003, 07:52:57 PM

I would have liked even more unanswered questions. I still think the movie should have ended with Sydney sitting in Jimmy's darkened living room, with the gun in his lap.

But that's just me.

Alethia · August 16, 2003, 08:18:55 PM

Quote from: Find Your MagaliI would have liked even more unanswered questions. I still think the movie should have ended with Sydney sitting in Jimmy's darkened living room, with the gun in his lap.

But that's just me.

oh no, no, no, no, the ending we have now is one of the coolest ever......ahh fuck, it's just so fucking perfect!

Find Your Magali · August 16, 2003, 09:04:41 PM

eward wrote:

Quoteoh no, no, no, no, the ending we have now is one of the coolest ever......ahh fuck, it's just so fucking perfect!

You're right, and who the hell am I to say how a PTA film could be better. Coming full circle and ending the film at the truck stop is fine. ... I just didn't need to see Sydney actually shoot Jimmy. There was no surprise to it. I just love the perfect note that is struck when Sydney settles into that chair, to wait for Jimmy.

Would the movie have worked, theoretically, if Jimmy had settled into the chair with the gun and then the next scene is him at the truck stop, the next morning, and we get the whole blood-on-the-cuff moment?

I dunno...

Alethia · August 16, 2003, 09:16:19 PM

Quote from: Find Your Magalieward wrote:

Quoteoh no, no, no, no, the ending we have now is one of the coolest ever......ahh fuck, it's just so fucking perfect!

You're right, and who the hell am I to say how a PTA film could be better. Coming full circle and ending the film at the truck stop is fine. ... I just didn't need to see Sydney actually shoot Jimmy. There was no surprise to it. I just love the perfect note that is struck when Sydney settles into that chair, to wait for Jimmy.

Would the movie have worked, theoretically, if Jimmy had settled into the chair with the gun and then the next scene is him at the truck stop, the next morning, and we get the whole blood-on-the-cuff moment?

I dunno...

maybe.......hmmmm, thats kinda interesting............but im just sayin that few things will equal the feeling i had when the camera pushed in for the final CU on sydney, then sharply cut to black....just brilliant

Crash · August 17, 2003, 10:34:18 AM

Ok, so i watched hard eight the other nite and i don't know if it was because it was late or something but i was left... wanting, you know? i had the same feeling after magnolia but that was only cuz i was wanting answers. i don't know, i felt like there wasn't much plot, you know? but don't listen to me cuz i'm sure pta had some awesome idea behind all this and i'm just a loser film critic wannabe so if someone could shed some light on the movie so that i won't feel like i'm putting my puny movie personally,

QuoteI think Sydney is gay...you know Clem woulda fuct his ass when she said "do you wanna fuck me?"....he turned it down, he is gay.views above pta's.

dude, i totally disagree with that, sydney's just a nice guy inside see he took care of john (but that might have been cuz he felt bad that he plugged his pops) and he took care of clemintine and he loved john so much that he killed jimmy even though it seemed that he was running away from his past in new jersey. it seems like he had a bad things go on there so he left after john's dad thing and now he was willing to kill jimmy for jonny. but one thing i didn't get was how did sydney knew john would be at a truck stop? did he follow him or what? anyway, that's all someone please show me that i'm a dummy and tell how hard eight had a plot

Quote

Pubrick · August 17, 2003, 10:46:12 AM

old man befriends young one. mentor relationship ensues. meets a woman, she complicates everything by being a slut, the past of old man catches up with him as well as revealing true past of young one. old man takes care of business, young ppl escape. redemption story.

that's a plot. it's slow paced is all.

Crash · August 17, 2003, 01:58:52 PM

you know i totally and completely agree with what P said it is slow paced and remember this was pta's first feature length movie and we're used to looking at fast paced movies like Boogie Nights when little bill shoots himself in the mouth and all that and hard 8 is just not so fast. but we still see those pta shots with the push ins and the tracks and all that. which is awesome like when john left with sydney and the camera pushes into the two coffee mugs on the table... i clutched my heart and gasped. it was awesome. anyway, yeah that P guy was totally right. i didn't get why sydney went to the truck stop again. and i found myselft wishing that sydney would look down at the spot by the door where he met john. but i guess pta thought better of it

Link · August 17, 2003, 02:46:44 PM

Quote from: Crash... i clutched my heart and gasped.

LOL!!!

That's actually what I did when I found out "All about the Benjamins" referred to Benjamin Franklin on the face of a bill (this revelation came to me a week ago during a Dawson's Creek episode).

AntiDumbFrogQuestion · August 17, 2003, 08:19:01 PM

Sydney knows his shit in gambling in Reno, but he is leading an empty life. To make up for his home problems, he's taken two people who also have problems under his wing and Clementine and John represent his chance to have another daughter and son. Two new kids he doesn't want to see screw up their lives in such a sinful city.
Sydney wants to ignore his past because things are going better for him now, he is less likely to get in trouble. But Jimmy brings back the past that he "may be through with" but it's "not done with" him. hohoha magnolia reference.
I thought this was by far the easiest PTA movie to understand as for motivations. The only part I don't understand was the frustrated cowboy in the diner and why it was there.
The last shot shows that there is alot of blood and bad things in Sydney's past but all he has to do is cover it up. This is a movie about a character who wants a good life but it's really too late.
Tada.

Find Your Magali · August 17, 2003, 11:54:01 PM

So, are there people out there who think Sydney DIDN'T kill John's father??