ENEMY

PLISSKEN BOON TAKES ON "ENEMY"

DEEP, CRYPTIC, MIND BLOWING MASTERPIECE DECIPHERED

"TURNS OUT, "ENEMY" IS THE CLEVEREST SCREENPLAY EVER"

PLISSKEN BOON OCTOBER 2014

"You never know how your day's gonna turn out"

CHAOS IS ORDER YET UNDECIPHERED

This is the clue, a line from Jose Saramago's book, "The Double", that this Villeneuve / Gullon masterpiece, can actually be deciphered

This is the challenge that Villeneuve / Gullon threw down




I have contacted several of the top film critics in the world about this movie, several times in the last few days since I watched it, including the likes of The New York Times and The Washington Post, and they have consistently ignored me

So now, I have published my own analysis of this movie, which reveals the true genius of this mind blowing masterpiece, and why it has one of the strangest, yet most powerful, clever endings in movie history

If you haven't seen this movie - take the time to watch and immerse yourself in a cinematic masterpiece - it will tax your senses and your cognitive powers to the limit - and that's exactly what it's designed to do - take what you will from the movie, but if it haunts you, and you just have to get your mind around it somehow, rightly or wrongly, come back and read my analysis, to help you format your own - the more you understand this movie, the better it gets

Javier Gullon deserves recognition for his wonderful screenplay

ENEMY

HEAVY, HEAVY, HEAVY SPOILER ALERT

                            
Adam is a man who was leading a double life, as a history teacher at his day job, and as an actor, Anthony

He met Helen, as Anthony, and married her

When Helen became pregnant, Adam developed a psychosis - he sees himself, and Helen, as spiders, and believes Helen will kill him (as female spiders often kill their mates)

He "splits" his mind into two separate personas, ADAM, and ANTHONY, so ADAM can avoid Helen

The movie starts off at a point where Adam is becoming increasingly concerned that Anthony is beginning to take over

Adam begins to plot an elaborate plan to "kill" his alter ego


This movie is destined to probably become the cleverest movie of all time. It is an absolutely mind blowing masterpiece

To my mind, ENEMY is one of the greatest movies of all time

This year: (I'm not sure about "Enemy"s eligibility for Academy Awards, but if I were choosing nominations, it would certainly be on my list) 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY, BEST PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST ACTOR, BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN, BEST ORIGINAL SCORE  - at least some of these, particularly screenplay, belong to "ENEMY"


Sceptical?   Read on....

"Are you lying to me?"

BACKSTORY

ADAM BELL is a history lecturer
Some years earlier, he tried his hand at acting

So the university didn't know he was moonlighting, he set up another identity – ANTHONY CLAIRE

ADAM meets HELEN, as ANTHONY CLAIRE

He marries HELEN, as ANTHONY CLAIRE, actor – at this point he is leading a double life

He is also having an affair with another woman, MARY, as ADAM

When MARY finds out that ADAM is actually married, they have a row, and there is a bad car accident. MARY is killed. ADAM survives the crash, injured, with a wound to his abdomen, ... and probably ... brain damage

When HELEN gets pregnant, ADAM can't handle the responsibility, and develops a psychosis, probably brought on by the car crash. It seems HELEN does not know about the death, because it is associated with ADAM

ADAM sees himself, and HELEN, as spiders. He fears HELEN is going to kill him (as female spiders often kill their mates)

ADAM splits his brain into two personas – ADAM and ANTHONY – it is ADAM that does this – to get HELEN out of his life, because she is having such a traumatic effect on him

ANTHONY and HELEN move into a new apartment

Each day, ANTHONY leaves the apartment, and goes to ADAM'S apartment, and transitions into ADAM, dressing in ADAM'S clothes, and removing his wedding ring

ADAM then goes off to the university

When he returns from work, ADAM goes to his apartment, and transitions into ANTHONY, replacing his wedding ring

The clue to this comes later, when ANTHONY is at ADAM’S apartment, dresses in ADAM’S clothes, then leaves, carrying his motorcycle gear

As ADAM and ANTHONY are the same person, they share the same cellphone

ADAM has a mother, who is aware of his double life, isn't particularly happy about it, but is unaware of his psychosis

OPENING SCENES

The movie opens with ADAM sitting in his car

He is listening to messages on an answering machine, using a mobile phone

ADAM and his other persona, ANTHONY, are the same person – they share the same cellphone

ADAM’S mother has left a message on ANTHONY’S answer phone

“Hello Darling... this is your mother..... I’m worried about you... how can you live like that?”

After visiting ANTHONY’S new apartment the previous evening, she is ringing to leave a cryptic message. She is unhappy he is lying to his wife, living what she thinks is a double life

ADAM doesn’t really understand this message - (because ADAM is a different persona to ANTHONY, he wasn't there last night) - but ADAM'S subconscious does

We see HELEN, heavily pregnant, on the bed, listening to the answer phone message

ADAM is checking up on ANTHONY – he is increasingly seeing ANTHONY as a threat

ADAM does not like ANTHONY seeing his mother. ADAM thinks ANTHONY is beginning to take control

This is the beginning of a very elaborate plan to eliminate ANTHONY

(ADAM'S subconscious is planning to “murder” his alter ego, ANTHONY, and the only way this can be done, is to risk everything, and venture ... into the "spiders den")

(Later on, ADAM will have to use an elaborate method to find out ANTHONY'S address and phone number - but for now, ADAM has access to the mobile phone, which has ANTHONY'S (apartment) phone number programmed) 

THE PSYCHOSIS

HELEN is six months pregnant – when she got pregnant, ADAM developed a psychosis – his mind split in two

ADAM separated his mind into two “piles” – and he gave one half to ANTHONY (stuff he didn't like, like Helen) – and one half to himself, as ADAM

This is all about avoiding HELEN

We now have, effectively, a Siamese twin – one body, with two “brains”, each a different persona

Effectively, when one persona is dominant (in reality), the other persona is submissive, living in a fantasy world in the subconscious

The two subconscious persona's can communicate directly inside a combined fantasy (mind to mind)

There is another mode where the dominant persona can interact with the fantasy persona, so effectively fantasizing while in reality

Obviously, both personas cannot exist in reality at the same time

MODE 1: ADAM is in reality -------------- ANTHONY is in fantasy

MODE 2: ANTHONY is in reality ---------- ADAM is in fantasy

MODE 3: ADAM / ANTHONY communicate directly in fantasy – mind to mind (probably when the dominant persona is asleep)

MODE 4: The dominant persona can communicate with the fantasy persona or vice versa (but it's effectively still "fantasy to fantasy" - it doesn't really happen in reality)

So when they communicate on the phone, it is always (subconscious) to (subconscious) - the phone does not ring (in reality), either end, and therefore no part of the phone call actually happens in reality

(There are really only 3 modes, but it's easier to keep the 4th mode separate, for telephone calls, or for when the dominant persona actually communicates with a fantasy element, such as the submissive persona, or the SECURITY GUARD from ANTHONY'S apartment)

I believe there are two separate conscious personalities, where awareness of the other is "blanked out" - and two separate subconscious personalities, which are aware of the other, and battle it out - (which is why, later, ANTHONY puts his hands to his face at the sex show - he knows he is being threatened)

The personas transition between the MODES  -  sometimes with “TRIGGERS”

This is what is happening – you don’t have to remember the MODES, just be aware of them

THE KEY

We see a man, who we later realize is ANTHONY, opening a pouch and taking out a key – it looks like a new key – this is a clue

He is in an underground hallway – this represents ADAM’S subconscious

ANTHONY has another man with him. We will find out later that this man is the SECURITY GUARD from ANTHONY'S apartment, and he is important

(This man has been placed into ANTHONY’S subconscious by ADAM – the man is a stooge, and represents a fantasy element from ADAM'S mind, that ADAM has placed into ANTONY'S subconscious as a "spy" - he plays an important role, for ADAM)

ANTHONY opens a door with the key, and both men enter into a private sex show

We will realize later, that ANTHONY and his friend are sex addicts

THE SEX SHOW

ANTHONY and the other man watch a sex show, amidst many other men

At one point, a tray is brought out and placed on the stage. It contains a large spider

A naked woman, in high-heels, dances around the spider, threatening to crush it under her shoe

ADAM is actually controlling this sex show, and the spider represents ANTHONY (This is a dominant display by ADAM, effectively threatening ANTHONY)

ANTHONY puts his hands over his face – he is disturbed by this. We see the wedding ring at this point

This sex show is complete fantasy – it’s happening inside ADAM'S subconscious, and ANTHONY is crossing over into ADAM'S subconscious to watch it (hence the key), whilst ADAM is dominant, probably lecturing at university (or, more likely, due to a later clue, while both personas are actually unconscious (asleep), fantasizing)

There is a theme of sex addiction throughout the movie

There is also a theme of spiders, and spider webs, throughout the movie, because ADAM actually sees himself as a spider

Note the symmetry (another theme) in this shot - indicating the two (split) halves of "one body" - one half wears a wedding ring, the other does not - notice the eight fingers (spider!)


(Even the watch is another very subtle clue - it is actually ANTHONY who controls the "synchronization" of their daily (day to day) "hypnotic" transitions) 

THE CITY SKYLINE

We see scenes of the city skyline throughout the movie – sometimes it is relatively clear, other times relatively hazy, or smoggy – but the whole movie has a yellow tinge

I believe this shows that something is not quite right – it’s ominous

I believe this shows ADAM’S state of mind, and later on, it will show when ADAM goes on full attack

ADAM AT UNIVERSITY

The first words we hear ADAM utter – is “control, it’s all about control”, and we will see later, it is

ADAM says that dictatorships have one obsession – control, and we will realize later, that ADAM is dictating, and in control

“They kept the populous busy with entertainment” – ADAM keeps ANTHONY busy with (sex) entertainment

ADAM is attempting to keep ANTHONY under his control

Again, this is a theme in the movie – ADAM has lost control of half of his brain, but I believe that this was deliberate, and he is actually in control

ADAM'S SUBCONSCIOUS IS IN CONTROL

I believe he deliberately split his brain into two personas because he couldn't face the responsibilities of marriage and fatherhood with HELEN (It will later become apparent that ADAM sees HELEN as a spider)

ADAM always looks badly dressed – another indicator that he’s not quite right

“This is a pattern, that repeats itself, throughout history”

The significance of this line will become increasingly evident throughout the movie

On the blackboard - the words "Reality" and "Distraction" are significant - the word "Truth" is crossed out, the word "History" is circled, and another word is smudged - these are clues. "Hegel" and "Ranke Empiricism" I will explain later

We also begin to notice the representation of spider webs – this is another theme throughout the movie. ADAM seems surrounded by representations of spider webs – in ADAM'S world, he sees a lot of representations of spiders

ADAM travels on Toronto's famous 504 Streetcar - (we find out later, from the talent agency web page, the city is Toronto) - Section 504 in the US refers to Disability and Mental Illness

ADAM passes a mural with fascist salutes – another theme – this is another representation of control 

(The fascists are dressed exactly the same as ADAM, even the same satchel)

ADAM'S APARTMENT

We see ADAM in a bleak apartment – hardly any furniture. The apartment is real, but most of the time we see ADAM in it, he is living in fantasy

This apartment is also a representation that ADAM’S subconscious is stored away, or parts missing

It also is a representation that ADAM isn't interested in much else other than sex

Later, ADAM will say he doesn't watch many movies – another indication that ADAM’S life isn't very interesting

Later, we realize that ADAM is reliving old memories - so MARY was real, but died, in a car accident with ADAM, some time ago - hence the scar 

(When living in fantasy, ADAM RELIVES OLD MEMORIES - hence he can only watch films he has seen before - and ADAM is reliving his sex life with MARY) 

The clue to this: "A creative act of memory, to remember something, to remember someone"

(This is also a reason why ADAM needs the SECURITY GUARD spy from ANTHONY'S subconscious)

Most of the scenes we see in ADAM’S apartment are fantasy

The door buzzer goes – ADAM doesn't look that happy – because it’s his girlfriend MARY – and we will later learn that ADAM is becoming very bored with MARY

ADAM and MARY seem to have a rather unemotional relationship, with not much conversation, and lots of sex – again the sex addiction theme. Adam remembers the sex he had with Mary, more than the conversation.

We also only see ADAM and MARY at night at this point – this is because most nights ANTHONY has become dominant, and is in reality with HELEN, at their apartment

(ADAM appears to be living the same "time frames" as ANTHONY - they are "in sync" time wise (which would be logical as things like watches, notebooks, and cellphones seem to "exist" both in reality and fantasy) - as ADAM and ANTHONY "synchronize their lives" when they transition - so ADAM wakes up in fantasy - ANTHONY arrives from reality - there is some kind of hypnotic transition between the modes - and ADAM goes off to university in reality - ANTHONY goes into a fantasy world - and the reverse happens in the evening) 

Although the apartment does exist in reality, when we see ADAM and MARY, they are only fantasy, because MARY is fantasy

(Director Villeneuve cleverly differentiates between "old memories" and "present fantasy" by having ADAM wake up in bed after MARY leaves)

ADAM AT UNIVERSITY

We then see ADAM lecturing again, but he seems to be repeating himself (a theme)

Later we will see students walking out of his lecture because he is repeating himself – this indicates the repeating theme, and ADAM’S mental illness

ADAM is again talking about keeping the populous entertained – this also refers to him – he is bored with MARY, and wants to change his entertainment

We will learn that ADAM is about to “change” his life. This is very important

ADAM actually hangs out at the university over the weekend, in his subconscious, because ANTHONY is dominant on weekends - (as ADAM is reliving memories when submissive, his fantasies are becoming more and more limited) - so the scene with his colleague at the university, is fantasy - as are some of his lectures - ADAM is reliving his lectures over the weekends as well

(You will notice that fantasy scenes like the lunch room are slightly awkward and "cheesy" - it's how he remembers them, and it's a very clever clue by the Director)

It's here you realize that virtually every word spoken in this movie is a clue - "I saw it a while back" - "I remember" - "I'll keep it in mind" - "It's a local film" - "I usually just rent them" (nowadays, most people watch movies using a streaming service like Netflix)

ADAM rents a movie on the way home – all the other shops are shut (again a clue it's the weekend, and fantasy - so the video shop is a fantasy - there is a poster for the movie "Vertigo" in the background at the video shop - a clue) (even the music playing in the video shop is a clue)

ADAM is bored with MARY – he would rather mark papers and watch a movie than have sex or conversations with her – ADAM is beginning to realize he wants to change his life – but not in the way most people do

ADAM is so bored, he tries to have slightly rough sex with MARY (again, a sex addiction theme) – she doesn't like it and rejects him. She leaves

(Remember, ADAM is reliving the events leading up to the car crash, so his relationship with MARY wasn't going well)

ADAM watches the movie – the video shop was fantasy (on the weekend) – this movie is in his head, because this is all fantasy

(He has to hide the movie from MARY, because he has no recollection of watching the movie with MARY) 

(When ADAM wakes, remembering something from the film, the time on the clock is 3:19 - 319 is the imprint on Tramadol - used to treat anxiety) (ADAM is always "pulling" at his neck or tie, like he is being choked - a reference to his anxiety)

(Watching the movie, and the info ADAM gets off "Google", is ADAM starting to delve into ANTHONY'S side of the brain, that's why, when the phone rings, he doesn't answer it - it's him noticing in his subconscious that his mother is ringing ANTHONY in reality - another clue that ANTHONY is becoming a threat)

He spots a man who looks exactly like him in the movie – playing a bellhop – this is ADAM, when he played a bit-part as ANTHONY (his pseudonym) – before his psychosis

(ANTHONY also has a pseudonym – Daniel St Claire – this is an irrelevant layer - but it is a big clue)

ADAM searches the credits for the actor's name, and writes it down, searching on Google for more information. (this is all in his head) (He already knows all this in his subconscious, because ANTHONY CLAIRE is actually him)

(We find out that "ANTHONY" was an extra in three movies:

"Where There's A Will There's A Way" - (Bellhop 3) 

- possibly refers to ADAM'S fear of ANTHONY becoming the dominant persona - and that ANTHONY is supposed to be his "slave", or it could be ADAM telling himself he can carry out his plan - or even refer to ADAM "splitting" his mind

"I'll See You L8R" - (Waiter) 

- this possibly refers to ADAM reliving memories - and that he has to "wait" for ANTHONY, to enter reality each day - possibly a reference to his lateness in a later scene

"Passenger Without A Ticket" - (Man on a train) 

- possibly refers to ANTHONY not being a "real man", and being a "passenger" in ADAM'S life - and that his life is "controlled" - he can't just get off the train - it's on the "rails" that ADAM sets (but later, ANTHONY does try to get off the "rails"), or perhaps that ADAM can't get off the "train" of his life)

What wonderful clues Javier has layered throughout this screenplay - I can't honestly say when I realized ADAM was reliving old memories, but once you start noticing the clues, they are hitting you in the face everywhere

 

THE ACTOR

ADAM finds out the actor that looks like him is ANTHONY CLAIRE (which was ADAM’S pseudonym)

He searches through boxes in his apartment to find a photo – this suggests that all ADAM’S memories are “stored away”

He finds a photo of himself posing with a woman, but the photo has been torn in half – the woman is gone – this references HELEN, and her being torn from his life when his mind “split” 

(ADAM deliberately did the "tearing" – he wanted HELEN out of his life)

ADAM compares the photo with the actor's photo on Google – it looks like the same person (it is him) (Remember, ADAM is getting information from his subconscious)

ADAM gets the details of ANTHONY’S Talent Agency

THE PHONE

The mobile phone plays a significant role in the movie - mind blowing clues are connected to the phone

It displays the name of callers in large letters – this is significant

ADAM / ANTHONY are the same person – they carry the same phone – this is an important clue throughout the movie

THE TALENT AGENCY

ADAM goes to the Talent Agency – I thought this was real, it’s daylight, and he should be dominant

The Security Guard tells ADAM (who he recognizes as ANTHONY) that he hasn't seen him for 6 months – HELEN is 6 months pregnant – so this coincides with the onset of ADAM’S psychosis

The reason that the Talent Agency hasn't seen ANTHONY for 6 months is that ANTHONY is usually only dominant at night or weekends, so he can’t enter reality during the day (since the onset of his psychosis)

Then the clever part – the Security Guard mentions it’s Saturday – so this is fantasy, as ANTHONY is usually going to be dominant on weekends

(We have to assume here, that, in fantasy, ADAM is matching his days of the week to reality, which isn't too much of a stretch, because he has to transition to work at the university - and they share the same cellphone and watch, so, subconsciously, both are aware of the time when in fantasy - but it is Helen that actually controls the transitions - on a daily basis, when ANTHONY moves away from Helen, he transitions into ADAM - and when ADAM moves towards Helen, his fear of Helen causes his transition to ANTHONY - there is some sort of hypnotic "relinquishment" of "control" on a day to day basis, which has become "automated" - but ANTHONY has been "pushing the envelope" of this "automation" - becoming more and more dominant, and forcing ADAM to "wait" in the limbo of fantasy - ADAM has become very concerned that ANTHONY will become "self-sufficient" - and force ADAM into permanent limbo or fantasy (imagine what would happen if ANTHONY managed to "make it" as an actor - he wouldn't need ADAM anymore) - it is possible ANTHONY could take full control and eliminate ADAM altogether - hence we have this full-on arm wrestle between the subconscious personas - both personas actually have a "plan")

(When Adam leaves the university on Friday, goes to his apartment and transitions into ANTHONY, he will remain as ANTHONY all weekend, meaning ADAM will be in fantasy on weekends)

(Remember, the transition really happens all in his head)

(But then later I realized that this 6 months does not (can't) actually refer to HELEN'S pregnancy - Javier Gullon, the screenwriter, is a master of toying with his audience - being an actor, only getting bit-parts, it is usually many months between jobs for ANTHONY - the clues for this are the dates of the movie roles we see on the laptop - and the comment (ADAM) makes "six months, or more" - ADAM is reliving a memory from when he was leading a double life - and, as ADAM wears a beard in reality, - he probably grew beards in between acting jobs as well)

(It's actually impossible for the Security Guard to be referring to the present, because this is an old memory)



(VIRTUALLY EVERY LINE IN THIS MOVIE IS A CLUE) 

"You actors are something else"

ADAM says he has come to pick up something

The Security Guard gives him an envelope, addressed to ANTHONY, care of the Talent Agency

It is actually ADAM who has sent this package, indirectly, to ANTHONY

(How did he get the address - he knows the Talent Agency from his subconscious - he is reliving when he used to actually visit the Talent Agency - he gets ANTHONY'S address from his "spy", the SECURITY GUARD)

Inside, is an envelope with ANTHONY’S actual address on it – ADAM addressed these envelopes – it’s a strategy – he is actually subtlety controlling ANTHONY from arms length

There’s a clue / joke here – when ADAM say’s “Yeah, that’s definitely it” – because it was ADAM that addressed the envelope

Remember, this is all fantasy, happening in ADAM’S subconscious – it’s his way of communicating with the other part of his brain, now controlled by ANTHONY. ADAM is inserting objects from his subconscious into old memories

Inside the envelope, is a pouch, with a key - to a sex show – starting to see the control?

Of a sex addict

THE PHONE CALL WITH HELEN (MIND BLOWING)

ADAM goes to ANTHONY’S apartment (at this point he is still in fantasy - it's the weekend) 

The only reason ADAM is able to go to the apartment, is because of his "spy" in ANTHONY'S subconscious - he could remember the Talent Agency from the past

(Although ADAM "knows" the address of ANTHONY'S apartment in his subconscious, he is still rationalizing a "route" through his "fantasy reality" to "get" there - just as he did with his "colleague" at the university, suggesting the film to watch)

ADAM looks up at the windows and counts to find ANTHONY’S place – there’s a (very subtle, hard to see) spider in the window – a very large and scary spider

This represents ADAM’S fear of HELEN – the reason he split his brain (to remove his interaction with HELEN)  - the spider is HELEN

ADAM is startled. This initiates a transition (ADAM deliberately initiated this transition by "seeing" the spider in his subconscious) - a transition is coming, and ANTHONY is able to sense it

This is really clever – seeing the spider causes a transition – the dominant ANTHONY realizes he is about to transition into ADAM – he gets changed into ADAM’S clothes

(the clue for this is - later, at ADAM'S apartment we see ANTHONY fold and take his clothes with him - and later we will see ADAM get changed in ANTHONY'S apartment and PUT HIS CLOTHES ON A SHELF)

MIND BLOWING CLUES!

(There is a limbo period, when ADAM / ANTHONY know they are going to transition – this happens again at the university later)

ANTHONY obviously takes ADAM’S clothes home with him after he transitions at ADAM’S apartment

ANTHONY goes outside, goes to his car, puts his sunglasses on, and transitions into ADAM

ADAM stands disoriented for a moment, then goes down the ramp, wary of the SECURITY CAMERAS (this is the fascist theme again) ADAM hasn't been here before - that's why he's apprehensive - then he spots what he wants - the phone box                                                                                                                                                                                                            
(ADAM isn't using the mobile phone - because ANTHONY has left it inside (remember, ADAM is "rationalizing" his way through his fantasy reality - using the mobile might cause problems with Caller ID, which we later see HELEN using) - this has "thrown" ADAM'S plan slightly, but he did prepare for it by getting the phone number off his "spy", the SECURITY GUARD, when he rang "Directory")

The sunglasses - ADAM feels the need to disguise himself to enter ANTHONY'S territory - so fantasizes an old memory of buying sunglasses when he was leading a double life - sunglasses that obviously now reside in the glovebox of the car that ADAM and ANTHONY share
There is a clue later that HELEN doesn't drive

ADAM RINGS HELEN

But ringing HELEN, causes another limbo period, and then another transition - ADAM then wakes up in his car, in fantasy again

(HELEN unsettles everything)

(ADAM (FANTASY) SEES SPIDER IN WINDOW - ANTHONY REALIZES TRANSITION IS IMMINENT - CHANGES INTO ADAM'S CLOTHES, GOES DOWN TO CARPARK - GETS HIS SUNGLASSES OUT OF HIS CAR - TRANSITIONS TO ADAM (ANTHONY HAS LEFT HIS MOBILE PHONE INSIDE) - ADAM RINGS HELEN FROM PHONE BOX - HELEN'S VOICE CAUSES ANOTHER DELAYED TRANSITION - ADAM WAKES UP IN HIS CAR (FANTASY AGAIN) - ANTHONY MUST GO BACK TO HIS APARTMENT (IN REALITY) AND CHANGE BACK INTO HIS OWN CLOTHES)

(SO ANTHONY HAS TRANSITIONED INTO FANTASY FOR A SHORT PERIOD, AS ADAM HAS BRIEFLY BECOME DOMINANT, THEN BACK INTO REALITY, AS ADAM HAS DELIBERATELY BECOME "TRIGGERED" BY HELEN (TWICE) - THIS IS ALL ACTUALLY BEING CONTROLLED BY ADAM - HE IS DELIBERATELY "WINDING ANTHONY UP")

SO WHEN THERE IS ABOUT TO BE A TRANSITION - BOTH PERSONA'S KNOW - ANTHONY SAYS HE HAS TO GO FOR A WALK OR A RUN - THIS CLUE IS LATER

THE NOTEBOOK, JUST LIKE THE MOBILE PHONE, EXISTS IN BOTH REALITY AND FANTASY

ADAM PHONES ANTHONY

ADAM rings ANTHONY – it's still the weekend, ADAM is FANTASY - he speaks to ANTHONY in MODE 4 - this call, and the next one ADAM makes, are not happening in reality (ANTHONY'S apartment) 

(ADAM, in fantasy, can't dial a real phone, so the phone can't ring in ANTHONY'S apartment - phone calls between ADAM / ANTHONY can only happen in the subconscious, both ends)

(ADAM walking into the bathroom, is a very clever trick by screenwriter Javier Gullon, to fox us, because we are about see ANTHONY taking a call in his bathroom)

Later, in ANTHONY'S apartment, HELEN approaches the bathroom and overhears ANTHONY on the phone 

(Why is he in the bathroom? - he is having an affair)

HELEN asks who was on the phone - ANTHONY WAS NOT TALKING TO ADAM - thinking quickly, ANTHONY says he was talking to the "man who had rung earlier, a fan"  - (who ANTHONY knows was ADAM)

(ANTHONY also says "He sounded like a stalker or something" - we later realize that ADAM / ANTHONY is a stalker)

After the call, ANTHONY goes into the bedroom and pretends to write something down - then puts the piece of paper into his pocket. This is another example that ANTHONY is lying to his wife

ANTHONY knows, that later, HELEN will go through his pockets

ANTHONY is trying to put HELEN "off the scent" about his phone call, which was probably exactly what HELEN was worried it was. ANTHONY is obviously having affairs

HELEN and ANTHONY have a heated discussion about the phone call - it is easy to spot (brilliant acting) that ANTHONY is "lying through his teeth"

We realize now that ADAM was probably having an affair with MARY after he married HELEN (as ANTHONY) - due to HELEN'S comment "was it her" 

(remember, ADAM was juggling a double life)

Now wary of ADAM'S motives, ANTHONY starts checking up on him on the computer

The real reason ADAM phoned ANTHONY (knowing he was going to speak to HELEN) was to "wind ANTHONY up" – crossing into his territory  

When ADAM was in reality, at the phone box, the only person he could speak to, in reality, was HELEN - it was impossible for ANTHONY to be home (they share the same body) - ANTHONY was submissive (in fantasy)
(It's hard to get your head around the fact that there is only one "body" - at all times ADAM and ANTHONY are really "together" - "inside" the same head)

ADAM is baiting ANTHONY. This is all the beginning of a set-up – for “murder”

HELEN 

HELEN suspects ANTHONY of cheating

HELEN gets out of bed later, while ANTHONY is sleeping, to go through his pockets, just as ANTHONY knew she would – she gets the piece of paper she thinks ANTHONY wrote something down on after his bathroom phone call

The piece of paper says "ADAM BELL HISTORY TEACHER"

ANTHONY had written down the information that ADAM had given him in their earlier FANTASY PHONE CALL, before his REAL phone call in the bathroom

ANTHONY is hoping it will convince HELEN the bathroom phone call was innocent

She too looks up ADAM BELL on the internet – and finds the university directory with his name - this is when we know conclusively that ADAM BELL is real, because HELEN is real.

(We see that ADAM teaches at "UGT" university - UGT stands for "Universal General Time" - it is always morning when you enter, and evening when you leave - interesting ... it mirrors ADAM'S transitions)

ANTHONY CONTACTS ADAM

ADAM is at the university (note the lecture theater is empty)

ANTHONY rings him, and ANTHONY’S name comes up on the phone. This is MODE 4 – ADAM is real – ANTHONY is fantasy, but they both communicate in the subconscious (the phone isn't really ringing)

ADAM says “I had a feeling you were gonna call” – this is very important – ADAM intercepted the envelope at the Talent Agency – inside the envelope is a pouch – with a new key 

The key to a sex show

ADAM knew that retrieving the key, that ADAM actually sent in the first place, would blackmail ANTHONY into contacting him, because ANTHONY is a sex addict

ANTHONY'S reaction to ADAM'S comment seems to verify this

(Although, notice that ANTHONY is much friendlier - he needs to get his "sex fix" from ADAM back on track)

ANTHONY agrees to meet at a hotel that he knows 

(He says he will "call back" at 1 o'clock - I think this actually refers to 1 a.m. - and this will fit with what I think is actually happening later - and with the sex shows)

Later it will become evident why ANTHONY knows of this hotel, reinforcing the sex addict theme

(The Breezeway Inn - a "breezeway" is a structure, such as a hallway, that connects two buildings or structures)

(It's actually going to "connect" both sides of Adam's brain - Adam's side ... and Antony's side)

HELEN VISITS ADAM

Helen visits the university, curious about ADAM BELL

She spots ADAM, because he looks like ANTHONY, sitting on a bench

She sits close by – but, although ADAM talks to her, she is a stranger to him 

This is very disconcerting for her. I suspect she has known for a while that something is not quite right

ADAM does not recognize HELEN, because that part of his brain is “missing” – he gave that part of his brain to ANTHONY.

As ADAM leaves to go back to his lecture theater – he says “You never know how your day is gonna work out” – this is a mind-blowing clue

                                     HELEN RINGS ANTHONY

As ADAM leaves to go back to his lecture theater, HELEN rings ANTHONY

Just after ADAM gets out of sight, ANTHONY answers HELEN’S call

He says: “What’s up honey?” This is the biggest WTF in the movie – more so if you know what has actually been going on up till this point

We know that ADAM and ANTHONY are the same person – I have deduced that ANTHONY leaves home, but takes off his wedding ring, and becomes ADAM

ADAM gets home, puts on his wedding ring, and becomes ANTHONY

So if ADAM is dominant (reality), and he is at this point, and he has the phone, how does ANTHONY answer the phone? 

The clue is when ADAM says: “You never know how your day is gonna work out”  - one of the cleverest clues in the movie (there are dozens of extremely clever clues in the movie)

Just after this scene – ANTHONY returns home to his apartment from running. HELEN is on the couch upset after her meeting with ADAM. (ANTHONY also talks about blueberries)

ANTHONY says he has just been racing some young 22 year old

But we have just seen ADAM at the university, which means he is dominant, and in reality – but we know HELEN is real – so this scene is reality too – so WTF is going on?

ADAM / ANTHONY CANNOT BOTH EXIST IN REALITY AT THE SAME TIME

The next scene we see ADAM confronted by a naked woman with a spiders head (so we know it’s fantasy), and then waking up in his apartment, which we know is, usually, also fantasy (if ANTHONY is dominant, it must be fantasy)

PUTTING THE CLUES TOGETHER

HELEN is a “trigger” – she has a psychological effect on ADAM – even though he seemed to not recognize her, he was seeing her in his subconscious 

(This is another brilliant clue, that whatever we see ADAM doing in the movie, his subconscious is working overtime)

(From the earlier scene, we know HELEN causes transitions, and there is some sort of "limbo" period before they happen, where ADAM / ANTHONY know they are about to happen)

ADAM excused himself from the conversation with HELEN, because he did recognize her – subconsciously – somehow he realized. Somehow, he is in control

Immediately he was out of sight, ADAM experienced a transition – he changed into ANTHONY – that’s how ANTHONY could answer the phone

ANTHONY found himself at the university – talking about a 22 year old was cryptic for “university student” – and ADAM was shunted into his fantasy apartment

People will say - "Uh-huh! But why didn't HELEN hear the mobile phone ringing in ADAM'S pocket?"

Here's the mind blower - in fantasy, ADAM'S phone rings, in reality, it's on vibrate

(We now realize why Javier has (cleverly) shown us the mobile phone ringing / vibrating in two scenes earlier  - in one, he wasn't showing us ADAM avoiding his mother, he was actually showing us a clue about the phone) (as well as a clue that ADAM'S mother was ringing ANTHONY in reality) 

(There's a fantasy scene when his mother rings, and the phone rings and vibrates, this is the clue - and again when ANTHONY rings ADAM when he is at university - the clue is the EMPTY lecture theater - this is mixed mode, MODE 4 - where the dominant persona can communicate with the fantasy persona or vice versa, as ADAM did earlier, calling ANTHONY from his apartment, reaching into ANTHONY'S subconscious, rather than reality)

(When you think about it - who else is more likely to have their phone on vibrate? - than a university lecturer that expects all his students to have their phones switched off during his lectures)

(Another thing to consider - maybe ADAM's subconscious is used to, and prepared for ... phonecalls from Helen during the day - the phone rings - ADAM looks at the screen - realizes it's Helen calling (it can't be ANTHONY) - and instantly transitions to get away from Helen - so ANTHONY answers the phone)

We immediately see ADAM is somewhat traumatized, struggling to wrest his mind back to reality

(The screenwriter, Javier Gullon, is trying to put us in the asylum, believe me)

SPIDER HEADED WOMAN

The naked woman with the spiders head – represents HELEN

And the basement tunnel is the same tunnel from the sex show, and we see ADAM in the tunnel, so this is proof that he was controlling the sex show. This is ADAM’S subconscious

(I think ADAM was a sex addict for many years, attending private, member only sex shows. He is now reliving these sex shows for ANTHONY'S persona, to control him - and when ANTHONY attends the sex shows, he is crossing over into ADAM'S subconscious - hence how the SECURITY GUARD is ADAM'S spy - the SECURITY GUARD can exist both sides of ADAM'S subconscious - and we see this later when ADAM interacts with the SECURITY GUARD)

(The keys, are symbolic of ADAM letting ANTHONY into ADAM'S subconscious (for the sex shows) - this will be extremely important later)

ADAM has a big problem with HELEN, as he does with most women – I think ADAM hates women – in the original sex show (which ADAM is actually controlling), the first woman seemed like she was in pain

ADAM knew HELEN before she was pregnant, (he was calling himself ANTHONY), so he knows her as slim, naked

Transitions happen instantaneously, but there seems to be a small limbo period beforehand, when ADAM / ANTHONY know they are going to happen, and this fits with what I have concluded happens when ADAM becomes ANTHONY and vice versa

Later, I think it will become obvious why we keep seeing HELEN as a spider

TRANSITIONS

ANTHONY leaves home every day – he goes to ADAM'S apartment, and changes into ADAM'S clothes, removing his wedding ring - then he goes to the university as ADAM  - from what happened earlier at the car park, ANTHONY must keep spare clothes for ADAM at his apartment, and there must be spare clothes for ANTHONY at ADAM'S apartment and the university (ie. the jogging outfit)

When ADAM finishes at the university, he goes to ADAM'S apartment and changes back into ANTHONY and replaces his wedding ring

Transitions caused by HELEN seem to have some sort of limbo delay, and ADAM / ANTHONY know a transition will occur. (ADAM also pulls over (in his car) later, when a transition is about to occur, with ANTHONY as the "trigger" - but both appear to be "dreaming")

There are several “triggers” that trigger transitions. (when ADAM gets traumatized) The clue to this - earlier, ADAM says "When I get excited, I act a little strange"

(There may be a case that the actual mind transitions, to and from university, take place on the streetcar, - because we see ADAM dozing in the streetcar on a couple of occasions - then ADAM / ANTHONY goes to the apartment to change clothes, but this is just another, slightly irrelevant, level I feel) 

(The transitions could even happen at the university, as ADAM'S journey past the fascist mural would seem to be fantasy, but I think this works best as "weekend", and the "everyday" transitions happen at ADAM'S apartment - some sort of hypnotic follow-on from the days of his double life)

It is apparent there is a limbo period before transitions, where they know it is about to happen, and I think the dominant persona may be able to control when the subsequent "instantaneous" transition happens (like needing to go to the toilet - there is a short period where you can "hold on") - so ANTHONY chose the actual transition point when he came down from his apartment earlier, and ADAM chose the actual transition point when he got out of HELEN'S sight at the university

ADAM / ANTHONY MEET

ADAM drives to a hotel to meet ANTHONY – this is MODE 3 – it all happens in their subconscious.- just their brains communicating (probably while the dominant persona is asleep)

The cheap hotel has a broken sign and hookers roaming the hallways – it’s a fantasy – it’s where ANTHONY comes in fantasy to live out his sex addiction when ADAM is dominant

(Remember - ADAM was a sex addict for many years - he is now drip feeding those subconscious memories to ANTHONY, to keep him controlled) 

(Both personas have been in this seedy hotel room before (hence they can both fantasize it), and later we will see ANTHONY and MARY in this same room)

(Now you realize why they are meeting in a room, rather than the bar)

ADAM is very wary of ANTHONY – he backs away – although in control from a distance – being so close to this persona, who could try to take over his side of the brain, is very disturbing to him – he must maintain the upper hand

ADAM’S hands tremble, ANTHONY’S are steady. ADAM is traumatized, but it's still part of his plan - this is why he's acting now, before ANTHONY becomes too dominant

ADAM is laying a trap for ANTHONY -  this is all part of a very clever web, because, ultimately, ADAM is a spider. ADAM really sees himself as a spider

ANTHONY suggests that they are brothers – this is relevant later (ADAM does not want to be "brothers")

ANTHONY shows ADAM a scar on his torso – ADAM refuses to lift his shirt to show if he has the same scar

The inference is that ADAM does have a scar, and that they are in fact the same person. We see ADAM’S scar later on, and realize it is incontrovertible that they are the same person

The scar came from a car accident some time earlier, in which MARY died

ADAM puts the envelope (which contains another key) on the bed, and hurries out of the room. This is almost an attempt at reversing the situation, because he realizes that he may not win the battle he is embarking on

(whether deliberate or not, even the cables coming out of the ground outside the hotel make it look "disconnected" - it's a fantasy created from memories)

ANTHONY blows past ADAM on his motorcycle on the way back – there is a juxtaposition between car and motorcycle, indicating ANTHONY’S aggression – he is becoming too powerful – because it rattles ADAM, and he pulls over, and a transition takes place – ANTHONY goes dominant, and ADAM goes submissive (they were both "dreaming" and battling for dominance - but ADAM  ensures he never wakes up in ANTHONY'S apartment - he transitions away from Helen ... never towards her)

(It could be argued that the hotel scene is ADAM in reality, and ANTHONY in fantasy (or vice versa), but then you have problems with reality, such as paying for the room and the hookers etc. - it works better, I think, as just a totally "brain" only fantasy, (the hotel does exist, but they are both only utilizing memories of it) where neither is dominant or fantasy ("Breezeway" would suggest they are meeting in a "corridor" between the two "sides of the brain") - it's just like a dream while both are sleeping - both just puppets of an "evil" subconscious - this fits later with my analysis of their "awareness" of their duality)

ADAM is shunted back to his apartment by the transition

We later see ANTHONY with HELEN, which confirms the transition - but the motorcycle gear is just to fox us. (I think they just wake up - ANTHONY has reasserted his dominance - it's the weekend - and gets dressed into his motorcycle gear to go out - and ADAM wakes up in his "fantasy" apartment)

ANTHONY WANTS MARY

ANTHONY goes after MARY – the battle for supremacy is on – but really ANTHONY is being played – although he is rattled, ADAM is still in control

We see ADAM and MARY in the street – and ANTHONY stalking them – this is a fantasy, because MARY is fantasy – it must be MODE 3 – ANTHONY is stealing into ADAM’S subconscious – ANTHONY is beginning to fight back, but MARY is bait, ADAM doesn't actually want her anymore

This is why ADAM actually made sure he spoke to HELEN in that first phone call (from reality) – to bait sex addict ANTHONY

(Remember too, the sex addict persona would have originally been part of the original ADAM’S persona, before the psychosis)

ANTHONY stalks MARY. We see evidence of his aggressive sex addiction, which looks like he has to fight, to control

(ANTHONY is "stealing" a memory from ADAM'S subconscious - ADAM obviously used to stalk MARY - and had a foot fetish as well - ANTHONY is finding it hard to control himself over MARY'S shoes, and later, one of the first things that ADAM looks at in ANTHONY'S apartment, is HELEN'S shoes) 

ADAM VISITS HIS MOTHER

The next day ADAM visits his mother – we can assume it’s the next day, because we see a shot of ANTHONY at home with HELEN (the night before)

ADAM’S mother says “you have enough trouble sticking with one woman, don’t you” – this again indicates the sex addiction

However, ADAM looks perplexed – as if memories of this are gone from his brain. When confronted with things that are missing from his conscious mind, he seems to clam up

The lights above the dining table look like a spiders nest . I think that this indicates that ADAM sees his mother as some kind of "Queen Spider" 

(But, sorry to all those people that think there's something sinister about ADAM'S mother. I don't find her any more sinister than the usual mother that you're worried's gonna find your porn stash - sure ADAM'S sex addiction may go back a long way, but it's drawing a long bow to implicate his mother in my opinion - at worst he's a "mothers boy")

I think ADAM sees women as spiders (predators) I think ADAM has a problem with women, but this isn't necessarily caused by his mother

We know this is ADAM, because he says he doesn't like blueberries, and (we've deduced) ANTHONY likes blueberries (because of ANTHONY'S earlier conversation with HELEN about blueberries).

(Again the clues just keep coming - earlier, ANTHONY said he wanted organic blueberries for a "shoot" - he's obviously pretending to be an actor (they actually live on ADAM'S salary) and shoot commercials etc (as per the clues from his laptop profile earlier)

(The comment at the beginning "how can you live like that?" also may allude to him "pretending" to earn a living as an actor)

(This is a little test from our screenwriting friend Javier - because I don't know about you, but I don't think I could tell the difference between organic and non-organic blueberries in a "shoot" - Javier is telling us, in a clever way, that ANTHONY likes blueberries - (just like he removed HELEN, ADAM has given his ANTHONY persona blueberries) - so, in giving away his dislikes, to his other persona, he, effectively, programs his ANTHONY persona to like them - this is the proof that ADAM deliberately split his mind in two ... and gave his "dislikes" to his alter-ego ... ANTHONY)

(I can't see how the fact that his mother may have forced him to eat blueberries in the past turns her into a monster)

ADAM’S mother says "of course you do – and they’re good for you” – this is a clue – that his mother has been visiting ANTHONY

(ADAM'S mother is used to calling ADAM, "ANTHONY" in front of his wife the few times she visits (she doesn't "click" about the "double" ADAM is talking to her about because she is totally ignorant of his psychosis)

I think this scene shows that it is actually his subconscious that is running the show, and that ADAM is not "acting" (awareness is being "blanked" out)

Although she says he is her only son – ADAM (his scheming, fascist subconscious) realizes that, at present, she (effectively) has two ... and ANTHONY (from ADAM'S jealous POV) is actually the persona getting most of her attention

THE GODZILLA SPIDER

“You have a respectable job, a nice apartment... I think you should quit that fantasy being a third rate movie actor”

Again, she has been visiting ANTHONY (again, we see ADAM consciously struggling with this, but his subconscious is understanding everything)

(This is the last thing ADAM wants - as per his lectures, ADAM has been controlling ANTHONY - he does not want ANTHONY changing his life from a lowly extra)

(ADAM perceives ANTHONY is now getting way too much of his mother's attention ... ANTHONY has become a threat that he can no longer ignore or tolerate) 

That’s it – ADAM realizes that he must definitely destroy ANTHONY - not only is his mother visiting ANTHONY, she is encouraging him to "upgrade" his life, and remember, as ADAM lectures, dictators keep control by limiting education and development - ADAM is in real danger of ANTHONY taking over, and becoming the "Dictator" persona

We see the big GODZILLA SPIDER over the city – this is ADAM - not his mother as some people think – there isn't actually much wrong with his mother – it’s ADAM with the problem – how he sees women, his sex addiction, and his fascist subconscious,  – and now he is out to destroy – this is full "attack" mode - there’s no going back ... this is now a fully committed existential battle to the death

We then see ADAM’S scar – there is now no doubt that ADAM and ANTHONY are the same person - this is the tipping point - ANTHONY must go - ADAM will not share his mother, or risk losing his power

BLACKMAIL

ANTHONY blackmails ADAM to get MARY – his sex addiction is rampant – but he’s playing straight into ADAM’S hands

By taking ADAM’S clothes, car, and girlfriend, ANTHONY is making a play for dominance – to destroy ADAM

But ADAM has a murderous plan, to get rid of ANTHONY and MARY

("I'm going to bring back all your stuff (the other half of your mind), and disappear out of your life forever" - this is said twice, and is a very big clue)

Their interaction is MODE 3

We see ANTHONY dress in ADAM’S clothes, and take the wedding ring off

(A reader asked about the wedding ring - why HELEN doesn't notice that "Anthony" doesn't have his wedding ring on later at the apartment - a really good question) 

It would have been too obvious for ADAM to put the wedding ring on in the last few scenes - remember, he is "Adam" and doesn't wear a wedding ring (ANTHONY is the only one to wear a ring), so the ring is actually in his pocket - HELEN realizes that she is with "Adam", not "Anthony", so in terms of the screenplay, this isn't a problem. 
(When we see ANTHONY remove the ring at the apartment, he actually becomes ADAM (and a "fantasy" ANTHONY exits), so it seems the wedding ring itself is the final piece in the hypnotic sequence of their transitions)

ANTHONY WITH MARY

We see ANTHONY in the car with MARY – this is fantasy – so ANTHONY must be submissive  (because MARY is fantasy ) – that means ADAM must be dominant – and he is – and he is on his way to ANTHONY’S apartment

We now see ADAM without his trademark clothes, only his undershirt - this is a clue that ADAM is about to change his life.

ADAM arrives at ANTHONY'S apartment

He seems unsure, because he has never been here before. He is unsure how to enter the door

Then he sees the SECURITY GUARD, a spy from his subconscious - ADAM planted the SECURITY GUARD from his subconscious, into ANTHONY'S subconscious, to act as some sort of spy

(When he picks up the phone at reception, and the SECURITY GUARD comes, this is a clue that he was "talking" to the SECURITY GUARD earlier, in his fantasy in the car park at ANTHONY'S apartment, when it seemed he was ringing Directory on the mobile - and later, the SECURITY GUARD says "Call me if you hear anything" - another clue about how ADAM communicates with him) 

(At the moment, ADAM is crossing over into ANTHONY'S subconscious, so the SECURITY GUARD sees him as ANTHONY - but we also know that the SECURITY GUARD can cross into ADAM'S subconscious)

Now he is beginning to reach into ANTHONY'S side of the brain - he needs the SECURITY GUARD to take him up to the apartment, because ADAM has never been here before (rationalizing his "route" again)

The SECURITY GUARD lets ADAM in, and says "I can’t stop thinking about the other night, I can’t get it out of my head” – (this indicates that these sex show fantasies are some kind of "dream-like" (while he sleeps) addition to ANTHONY'S "normal" daily fantasy world of hookers and hotels - (similar to their "dream-like" interaction at the hotel) – because ANTHONY is usually submissive in the daytime during the week, and not submissive at night) - but it also is a clue that ADAM sends keys every week – because they used a key the "other night", and ADAM has intercepted another key as well

The SECURITY GUARD talks about the sex shows and how desperate he is to go back – this indicates that he too is a sex addict, and under ADAM’S control

The SECURITY GUARD says they have changed the lock, and that he is not on the list. (This is about the key that ADAM intercepted)

ADAM walks straight past the apartment door, because he's never been here before

(ADAM actually has the key in his pocket, and he opens the door to the apartment)

.ADAM TAKES CONTROL

ADAM enters ANTHONY’S apartment. He checks out HELEN'S clothes, and a pair of her shoes

ADAM dresses in ANTHONY’S clothes – this is him beginning to re-take control

ADAM sees a photo of ANTHONY and HELEN – it is actually a photo of ADAM and HELEN, back when ADAM was only calling himself ANTHONY

The clothes, shoes (sex addict), and photo all represent that ADAM is now starting to move into the other side of “his” brain – filling in the other side of the photo is a great representation - taking control – ADAM is retaking control of his entire brain

HELEN comes home – she soon realizes that she is with ADAM, not ANTHONY (something she actually likes - she is missing parts of her "old" husband (although he was still a sex addict cheater, leading a double life - ADAM hates himself, that's why he gave ANTHONY all his "bad" traits, but must feel guilty he left HELEN with the "bastard" ANTHONY - we have been seeing ADAM'S memories of his affair with MARY, when he himself was the "total" bastard - and later we will see his remorse)

ADAM starts to control ANTHONY’S fantasy – he inserts the wedding band tan line, he inserts MARY noticing it – from here on in, ADAM has taken complete control of his subconscious – ANTHONY and MARY are now completely his fantasy

"MURDER" 

ADAM gets emotional – it goes back to his comment at the beginning – “remembering friends gets colored with emotions” – he blurts out “sorry” – this isn't to HELEN – it’s to MARY - for killing her in the original car crash, and for killing her again now (the repetition theme) and for being such a bastard.

HELEN asks ADAM to stay (she's vulnerable, she wants the man she fell in love with back)

ADAM and HELEN begin to have sex - with his mind in one piece, ADAM can’t transition away from HELEN – the reason he “split” his mind in the first place (this is the conclusive clue, that his mind is now back in one piece) He is fighting his psychosis

She dominates him – clue – the sex position

HELEN is getting ADAM in her clutches (his POV) – she is luring him to stay, in her spiders den

ADAM destroys ANTHONY and MARY in a car crash (this is a memory from some time ago - except ADAM is replacing himself with ANTHONY in his subconscious)

(Just before the crash, they pass a silver car - we have seen this same silver car in two earlier fantasies - parked outside the Talent Agency, and parked at the hotel)

The only thing I can deduce (you'll realize later that this movie is all about deducing) is that ADAM staggered away from the accident with brain damage, and the spider web cracks on the door window represents this is when he started having problems seeing HELEN and himself as spiders

(The comment from MARY "you're not a man" would seem to indicate it is significant, and I think it is ADAM, communicating to ANTHONY in the subconscious, that ANTHONY is not real, and only ADAM'S pseudonym)

REBOOT

We see the cityscape – the big spider is gone, HELEN is making ADAM submissive

The radio begins to describe an accident on the highway – HELEN changes the channel (It's not ADAM'S fantasy crash - but turning off that channel is a clue)

(ADAM must have been knocked out in the crash, so if he only relives the accident up to a point in his subconscious - he doesn't know he survived - stopping the fantasy at the point that he did, effectively "kills" ANTHONY)

MARY had to die (again) (the wonderful clues just keep coming "Why are you doing this to me?") - because ADAM has run out of memories of her - he has been reliving their relationship, and has now reached the point where she dies - there is no way ADAM could save MARY even if he wanted to - this is why he is upset and blurts out "sorry"

(I told you this is an incredibly clever movie)

HELEN has a shower ... the mist on the glass looks like a spider’s web

ADAM is in the bedroom – he puts on a jacket of ANTHONY’S - he’s actually contemplating staying with HELEN - he's "trying out" ANTHONY'S life. He's fighting hard against his psychosis, but he’s very uneasy

He's nearly back completely in her "clutches" (part of him really wants to be back with HELEN, and, at this point, that part of him is "winning")

But then his subconscious reaches into the jacket, and brings out the envelope that he gave to ANTHONY at the hotel – it’s a key, to a sex show (it's not real - so shows ADAM is still struggling to fight his subconscious mind)

The key reminds ADAM that he has a choice 

(Remember, from earlier, that the keys let ANTHONY into ADAM'S subconscious)

ADAM has relived the car accident up to the last moment - he has a choice here, that I will reveal next.

HELEN THE ENEMY

HELEN comes out of the bathroom, and goes into the bedroom. It is significant that ADAM has his back to HELEN

ADAM calls out “I think I have to go out”– this is the clue - this means that ADAM has split his mind in two once more, and knows that the next time he sees HELEN, he will transition 

No matter how much he wants to get back with HELEN, his "evil" subconscious is too strong

(Clever Javier is toying with us again - HELEN called out that his mother had rung, and ADAM immediately had a reaction - but it's actually HELEN'S VOICE that ADAM has reacted to (just like when he was on the phone to her) - this has tipped him over the edge - this has triggered the mind split - ADAM isn't frightened of his mother, his subconscious is telling him that he is frightened of HELEN)

ADAM knows that the next time he sees HELEN, he will deliberately see her as a spider, and he will transition (away from her)

ADAM goes to the bedroom

(When ADAM’S mind is split in two , it means that the ADAM persona can transition, to get away from HELEN – just as it did at the university, and after ADAM called her on the phone)

Sure enough, ADAM sees HELEN as a spider - a six-foot high, pregnant spider, reared-up to defend against him - a big male spider (ADAM'S POV)

(The same spider that we got a vague glimpse of through the window when ADAM first looked up ANTHONY’S apartment - the same spider that startled ADAM, and caused a transition then - this proves that when ADAM'S mind is in two, he can deliberately make himself "see" HELEN as a spider to cause a transition) (and because ADAM is now dominant, he can actually chose the instantaneous transition point)

ADAM instantly, deliberately, transitions

When we see “ADAM’S face" at the end, it’s the new persona – ADAM has gone – that’s why the strange expression – the “new guy” (a new persona) is looking at a pregnant HELEN

(The "new guy" is actually ANTHONY - but he has lost some of his memories - from the car crash - the slate has been wiped clean - a fresh canvas to paint ADAM'S old sex show memories on, all over again - effectively, ADAM has selectively seeded ANTHONY'S mind with a "core" persona, just like he did last time he split his mind in two - ADAM is now firmly back in control of ANTHONY)

(Like wiping a computer and re-installing the software, ADAM has re-installed ANTHONY) 

By splitting his mind, ADAM has decided to "save" ANTHONY'S "life", just as he himself survived the car crash, because, ultimately, his fear of HELEN overcomes him

ANTHONY gives a out a small, resigned sigh - then we realize that ANTHONY had been planning an escape too - "I'll bring back all your stuff and I'll be out of your life forever" - Not only is this a clue ADAM is going to "put" his mind back together as a single persona - ANTHONY hadn't been planning to come back - it was going to be a one way journey ("I'll bring back all your stuff" is actually about ADAM getting back all "the stuff" he gave ANTHONY - the other half of his mind) - ADAM is telling himself he is getting rid of ANTHONY - his ANTHONY persona is telling (itself) him ANTHONY will escape (into a permanent limbo fantasy world) with MARY 

Now ANTHONY is firmly back in ADAM'S web - and when he gives out that little sigh, he realizes that he has been outplayed, and has lost - because, ultimately, this has been an arm wrestle between ADAM and ANTHONY 
(It's the sort of "sigh" that a criminal, just out of jail, would give, when he robs a bank, and comes out to find 50 cops with guns pointed at him)

(It's almost as if ANTHONY'S choice of "dominance" is fantasy, and ADAM'S choice of "dominance" is reality - but neither can actually pull it off)

(ANTHONY'S sigh is weak and resigned - because now he is a much more submissive "model")

ADAM has escaped

The cycle restarts

ADAM'S destiny is to relive his boring life over, and over again 

(MARY will be re-cycled all over again as well (as memories) - such is his psychosis, ADAM can never return to HELEN)

The whole theme of the movie - mental illness, repetition and control, becomes very apparent, and the bleak nature of ADAM'S existence

ADAM sees HELEN as the ENEMY (although it's really ADAM, because HELEN is quite normal)


ULTIMATELY, THE "ENEMY" ... IS ADAM'S OWN SUBCONSCIOUS


(This also proves that, although the car crash was responsible for brain damage - it was ADAM that later chose to deliberately separate his mind into two because of his fear of HELEN, just as he has chosen to do again now)


THEN IT HITS YOU LIKE A SLEDGEHAMMER - ADAM LIES IN A COMA IN HOSPITAL - THERE IS NO REALITY - ADAM IS RELIVING HIS LECTURES - HE ALWAYS WEARS THE SAME CLOTHES

ADAM IS TRYING TO MAKE IT BACK TO HIS PREGNANT WIFE, BUT NEVER QUITE MAKES IT

I think I like the first scenario, having no reality defeats the purpose

But ADAM could be reliving his lectures (despite the fact we see students walking out of repetitive lectures)

ADAM could also be perfecting his acting - practicing for that big role that he knows is going to come his way one day

YOU MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND


To be honest, I suspect there may even be another level to this - my reasons being:

- Why does ADAM always wear the same clothes (this movie happens over a period of at least a week, and there are deliberate clues defining the weekend as "fantasy", so he does exist in reality during the week, as is verified by HELEN'S visit - so, at this stage I can only put it down to his mental illness - it bugs me, and that might be just how Javier designed it)

(UPDATE:Someone has recently pointed out to me that many academics wear the same clothes over and over, and this is merely an attempt at "realism")

The first time we see ADAM lecturing I think it is supposed to be real - but other times we see ADAM lecturing, the blackboard is blank, and, although they are sitting in different places, the students are the same - they (may) also be dressed the same? - and ADAM is repeating himself - each time we cut away and come back it represents a different lecture - so I think this is supposed to represent ADAM is mentally ill (and that he is fantasizing on weekends) - and so we don't actually see ADAM or ANTHONY in reality much at all throughout the movie

It may also represent that ANTHONY is spending more and more time "dominant", and ADAM is spending more time forced to 'hang out' at the university in "fantasy"

(The clothes are probably just the repetitive / fantasy theme, and you have to remember, a large amount of the time we see ADAM submissive, in fantasy - but it just doesn't make sense to extend the fantasy to the whole movie, and I'm sure that's not what's happening) 

- What is the hypnotic trigger that causes the daily transition from ADAM / ANTHONY

- The transition from ADAM to ANTHONY at the phone box appears to happen before the end of the phone call - which indicates some awareness on ANTHONY'S part at least (as does the transition at the university as well) - the clue from HELEN - "I think you know" - she says it twice - we are really supposed to notice this clue

- Why was ADAM late to his lecture on one occasion - was this just innocent? - virtually every line, every visual in this movie, is a clue - was this one? Was it another clue that ADAM is losing control of ANTHONY?

I believe that both subconscious persona's are actually aware of their duality, and their daily transitions have just been a progression from ADAM'S earlier double life, but now their conscious awareness of their other existence is suppressed - "blanked out", due to HELEN ("I don't want to know what you do with HELEN, because I don't like HELEN") - their "meeting" at the "fantasy" hotel being more like a dream - their subconscious minds arranging a meeting between the "conscious" minds - triggered by ADAM deliberately trying to reconnect due to his jealousy, and ultimately, his deep, low level desire to reconnect with HELEN - he has been quite happy being ignorant of ANTHONY'S relationship with HELEN up till this point, but his jealousy of ANTHONY'S relationship with his mother has been a tipping point - reinforcing the theory he is a "mothers boy"

I think ADAM'S meeting with his mother is a final "test", to see if he can handle the duality of her relationship with ANTHONY, or whether he must follow through to eliminate ANTHONY - this reinforces my theory that ADAM does actually see her as "Queen Spider", the most powerful woman in his life, even more powerful than his fear of HELEN - he will risk his life to go into the spiders den, rather than share his mother

Screenwriter Javier Gullon has covered every base in this movie - every time I thought I had found a hole - there was an answer - you just had to look for the clues

I see this screenplay as a (mind blowing) masterpiece of screenwriting


Even the lyrics, of the soundtrack over the end-credits, are incredibly apt


This movie has blown my mind - I'm tired - I'll have another look in a couple of days to see if I've missed anything - there are just so many subtle clues - take up the challenge - see if you can spot anything I've missed 

(This is a work in progress - is it 90%? - is it 95%? -  or maybe not even a pass mark? Will we ever unlock "Enemy"'s full genius?)

Thanks for reading

And thank you to Javier Gullon - he is a mind twisting genius - even when you think you have totally smashed it, you haven't

THIS MOVIE ... IS WHAT MOVIES ARE ALL ABOUT

The only criticism I have about this movie, is that I didn't get enough - I wanted another 30 - 40 minutes

I haven't read Jose Saramago's book, "The Double", from which the film is loosely adapted  - and this is probably a bit unfair due to that fact - but I suspect that this is one of the few films, such as "The Prestige", where the film even outdoes an exceptional book

APPENDIX:

THE NUMBERS

When Adam is in fantasy, we keep seeing numbers in the 70's.

The numbers 71 - 79 lead to the number 80

And the number 80, from numerology:

The number 80 symbolizes the principle of domination, control, and achievement, and is the executive decision maker

80 is the "power" number 

ADAM'S objective - is to get to "number 80"


The number on the door at the "fantasy" hotel - 221

(TWO TO ONE)

Double Two One (Double "To" One)

This is a semi-prime number (in mathematics, a semi-prime (also called a biprime or 2-almost prime, or pq number) is a natural number that is the product of two (not necessarily distinct) prime numbers

THE KEY

At the end we see the brand on the key ... "UNICA"

"Unica" is Spanish (Javier Gullon is Spanish) for "that of which there is but one, unique" - the inference "you are now alone"

ADAM realizes that he cannot be "one", he cannot be "alone", he cannot be "unique" - his psychosis is too great ... he will always be "dependent" ... in a "relationship" with his "alter-ego" ...he will always be a two-timing sex-addicted "cheater" living between the two netherworld hemispheres of his brain damaged mind ... a prisoner stuck between twin webs spun by his own psychotic subconscious ... a large six foot spider roaming across and guarding his destiny ...

("The Cheater" was the song playing in the video shop)

The shot goes to HELEN in the bathroom, ADAM splits his mind into two again

HEGEL

HEGEL is really deep, but these passages stood out, and seem to confirm what I think about them consciously ignoring each other, and the resolution of the movie

"To synthesize new order, it is first necessary to create opposite sides, and then bring them into conflict"

"Each can chose to ignore the other, in which case no self-consciousness forms, and views the other merely as an animated object, rather than an equivalent subject"

"Or, they become mesmerized by the mirror-like other, and attempt, as they had previously done in controlling their own body, to assert their will"

"A struggle to the death ensues. However, if one of the two should die, the achievement of self-conscious fails"

"Truth of oneself as self-conscious is achieved only if both live - the recognition of the other gives each of them the objective truth and self-certainty required for self-consciousness. Thus, the two enter into the relation of master/slave and preserve the recognition of each other"

"Asymmetric recognition in this way is authority without responsibility, on the side of the Master, and responsibility without authority, on the side of the Slave"

(ADAM is the Master - ANTHONY is the Slave, with the responsibility of HELEN)

EMPIRICISM / RATIONALISM

As well as ADAM talking about HEGEL in his lectures, there was also a reference to RANKE EMPIRICISM on the blackboard - this is a clue - all about PERCEPTION.

EMPIRICISM is about perceiving the world through our senses - basically what we see - whereas RATIONALISM is about perceiving the world by RATIONALIZING what we see

When ADAM and ANTHONY meet at the hotel - empiricism tells us there are two people - rationalism tells us that they are the same person

Javier Gullon and Denis Villeneuve spend the whole movie tricking us into using our empirical skills, when we should've been using our rational skills

Once you make that distinction, for virtually every scene, the movie falls into place

TO DECIPHER THIS MOVIE, YOU NEED TO USE RATIONAL SKILLS, RATHER THAN EMPIRICAL SKILLS

QUITE SIMPLY - THE MORE YOU ANALYZE THIS MOVIE ... THE CLEVERER IT GETS

 I loved this movie, and after being extremely disappointed with INTERSTELLAR, Denis Villeneuve and Javier Gullon give me some faith in the future of movies, despite the fact that, so far, ENEMY has received far less recognition than it deserves 

There are other clever scripts - one that comes to mind is PRIMER (2004), but although that screenplay is very clever, I feel that it fails to ascend any great levels as a movie experience, and, even when explained, as it can be, most are unable to grasp it's full genius

(I haven't done an analysis of PRIMER - because there is already a very good explanation available on the internet (which I suspect may have been done by the director himself)

ENEMY, on the other hand, still rates with many people as a great movie experience even on first viewing, fathomable on many levels, but leaving that glorious, wondrous itch that cinephiles thirst for more than rocket rides through wormholes - the itch that says "I need to know.... I need to find out... I need the key..... I need to go back...."

This movie is on my list of "Movies I'm very glad I saw, in my lifetime".....

Use your mind, as well as your eyes....


Thank you for reading ...




I POSTED AN EXPLANATORY COMMENT ABOUT "ENEMY" ON THIS GUY'S BLOG

DANI - SHOT ON 35

DANI - SHOT ON 35 - WHICH HE NEVER PUBLICLY POSTED

SINCE, HE HAS COMPLETELY REVISED HIS TAKE ON "ENEMY" USING POINTS LIFTED FROM MY BLOG (ALTHOUGH HE HAS BEEN CAREFUL TO USE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SLANT THAT IT'S ACTUALLY ANTHONY WHO IS "REAL")

HE EVEN COPIED THE DOUBLE-HEADED VERSION OF THE "ENEMY" POSTER I CREATED AND ORIGINALLY HAD UP ON THIS BLOG - SOME PEOPLE HAVE NO INTEGRITY

HE STOLE MY WORK ... AND REPRESENTS IT AS HIS 

HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE PLAGIARIST ...

SAD, PATHETIC, MORONIC LITTLE DUTCHMAN ... 
WITH NO SELF-RESPECT OR DECENCY ...


THE BONE HAS BEEN POINTED AT THIS MISERABLE EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BEING