Spinning Man is a dramatic thriller filmed in the United States. A film about a fairly influential person, whose name is Evan Burch. He works as a philosophy professor at one of the state’s prestigious universities. One day his career is in jeopardy. A young student complains about Birch and accuses him of inappropriate behavior. The girl says that a man behaves this way with many of her other classmates, and not just with her.
There is a case that substitutes the main character. One day, one of the listeners is found murdered. Most recently, the professor gave a lecture where the deceased was present. Of course, all suspicions fall on the man.
The most interesting thing is that the famous actor, Pierce Brosnan, starred in the film. The same one from 007. The only thing is that the actor in the film already looks older, but he decorates the plot and plays an important role.
The meaning of the film “Spinning Man”
The main character is a professor of philosophy, so he sees the world a little differently than other people who are far from this subject. The man is a real admirer of one of the greatest philosophers of modern times – Ludwig Wittgenstein. This man relied in his writings on mathematics and logic.
Evan Burch often taught, and his classes were extremely unusual. For example, he put a chair and gave a task. Students had to prove the fact of the existence of this subject. The professor was sure that the world is the sum of the facts about him. When people talk about a thing, they describe its features that form the image.
The meaning of the film lies in: the presence or absence of truth. For one person there is no chair at all, but for the other it is. The protagonist claims at some points what really happened. However, time passes and opinions change. The teacher is quite cunning, therefore he very skillfully creates new and new truth, and those same “rabbits” come across on it. For example, detective, students.
What is known about the professor himself?
The man has been married for a long time. He has a beautiful wife, whose name is Ellen. Burch is quite a successful man. He earns well at the university, where he holds a very prestigious position. He loves his profession. In his personal life, too, everything is fine. However, he has not been in this town all his life, but moved only 5 years ago. The professor is quite young, so he is attractive to many students. For most people, the accusations against him are something strange. The teacher did not have any enemies or ill-wishers either.
Why is a man charged with a crime? Trite, but there is evidence that points to this particular person.
Immediately, a professional detective takes over the investigation. The specialist solved many complex cases, so I am sure that this one will also be successful. His methods are well developed. He acts gently, accurately, modestly, but confidently. This type of people is not afraid of obstacles and life’s difficulties.
The professor repeatedly assures those around him that he is not guilty. The viewer has a question: “But is the main character pretending?”. There are some moments that make you doubt.
Society has a very strong influence on a man. The pressure of people also affects the relationship with the wife of the protagonist. Before that, they lived very calmly, without quarrels. Now their relationship is on the verge of divorce. The wife tries to believe her husband, but she is a little doubtful.
There are many pictures from the past in the plot. A man constantly remembers some moments. Pictures like this allude to past traumas that shaped the personality.
The film contains many philosophical references. The protagonist is constantly looking for a “deep” meaning of this or that action. Many theories carry over to personal relationships.
Much attention is paid to the professor’s logic. He puts some of the theory into practice. The English title of the film is related to the word “get out”. It is the character who knows how to “get out of the water” in any difficult situation. The director’s idea is to show how much you can create your own truth.
The meaning of this film is no longer in the investigation of the murder, but the psychological confrontation between the philosopher and the detective. The nature of the former is well revealed in his handwritten texts and books.
The protagonist clearly belongs to the type whose character is with a passive-aggressive structure. It is impossible to find fault with such people. They will come up with their own truth and refuse other people’s evidence. It is extremely difficult to catch them in a lie. Such types of people are often found in life.
Worthy of attention is the cold-blooded behavior of the professor. The film shows how a person can be resistant to stress. Even if the philosopher is a murderer, he manages to hold on well – regularity, calmness during testimony. A person with full professionalism sets “traps”, where not only his wife comes across, but also the rest.
In the film “On the Edge of Madness” a person who has certain characteristics is well shown. Passive-aggressive nature helps the protagonist elude: punishment, responsibility.
The philosopher performs some negative actions, which happens to him by chance. Unfortunately, the wife does not believe in his innocence.
Explanation of the ending of the movie “On the Edge of Madness”
The ending is a rather weak spot in this detective story. Unfortunately, the director takes a long time to solve the crime. The viewer is in constant tension. The plot ends without explanation, a person needs to come to his own conclusion. In the course of the film itself, it becomes clear that the philosopher nevertheless committed the crime. The director’s main idea is to leave the hero to the public. The viewer already thinks out for himself what was and what was not. Given his protagonist’s truth, he was largely innocent.
No wonder the director repeatedly drew attention to the chair and the evidence that he was standing here. Based on this, the professor is largely to blame. A crime has been committed, it exists, but it is difficult to prove. However, it can be interpreted in another way. The film catches with its: unusualness, incompleteness.
Another scenario – the main character went crazy. He is no longer who he is. Outwardly, a person may be normal, but not inside. The film shows well that even the closest people cannot be sure of a person.
“On the Edge of Madness” is a philosophical detective story that makes you think. The plot is very psychological and filled with emotions. As a conclusion, it is worth noting that it is not based on a detective story, but on the relationship of people. The author of the film showed well what it means: trust, truth. Thanks to the open ending, the director gives the viewer the opportunity to become a participant in this mystery. The film catches with its: mystery, ambiguity. The plot makes you think. “On the verge of madness” – will appeal to those who love psychology and philosophy.
The point of the ending is knowing that a chair is just a chair. It is difficult to explain, but this understanding is inside every person, and it arose from somewhere. The director teaches the audience to be attentive to: trifles, details, inner voice, behavior and intuition. There are things that are difficult to prove, but they do not disappear from this. After watching, many viewers have a feeling of frustration.
