You Make Me A Real Human Being

Rating: 10/10 (30 August 2014)

Reading the reviews on this film, specifically those centered on analysis of symbols, a lot of attention has been given to the scorpion jacket he wears throughout the film and its connection to the story of the scorpion and the frog, which ultimately proves to be the plot of the story. However, not much analysis has been given to the mask he wears at the beginning-when he's performing the car stunt- and the end of the movie -when he murders Nino-. And the best way to understand the mask is to listen to the music given when he meets Irene-A Real Human Being by Nightcall. This song is played all through the creek scene and most of the time he spends with Irene before Gabriel comes back. The mask is obviously a synthetic object and his wearing of it in the beginning and end of the movie show his lack of real life. He's in this own world of his without a family or any past (that were told of) or relations, he simply Drives. And in the end when he puts the mask back on to save Irene and her son, he makes that decision to not have a life again, and possibly give everything up for the rest of his life. When he drives off clean from the deal after leaving the money next to the corpse of Bernie, A Real Human Being and A Real Human plays again, hinting that he will be able to make a life for himself and he isn't stuck in his synthetic mask.