The Deer Hunter

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by adam

Is that at all realistic that Nicky didn't recognize Mike at the end? I've heard the explanation is his heroin use, but that seems false - if he's able to walk and navigate and converse would he really not recognize his life-long friend?

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[COLOR=Wheat][COLOR=Wheat]It's a while since I saw it but I didn't read it as Nicky not recognising Mike. I saw it as something like he'd become so ashamed of what he'd become that he couldn't bring himself to acknowledge him. And seeing Mike, and the humanity that he'd managed to retain, really brought it home to him how shitty and shameful his own existance was at that point, and that, combined with the jealousy he feels towards him (for having something of a 'life' still) drives him to coolly, calmly and spitefully indulge him in a game of russian roulette. At that point, he's 'happy' with either outcome. Either he wants to see Mike dead (borne of his spiteful jealousy) or, he gets to free himself of his pitiful existance at the same time as emotionally devastating Mike, by killing himself in front of him.

Like I said, it's a while since I saw it, plus, Nicky's smacked off his tits as you said. Smack plus jealousy and self-loathing equals not thinking too straight. So, possibly not entirely realistic, but a powerful device for conveying Nicky's despair/anguish/jealousy that De Niro was a more successful actor than him.[/COLOR][/COLOR][COLOR=Wheat]
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