Mamet Double Feature

Abigail was tired and wanted to go to sleep, but wouldn't go up to bed. So, of course, I decided to "punish" her by putting on House of Games. I knew she wouldn't be able to fall asleep after just 15 minutes of Mamet rattling around in her head.

Not only did she not fall asleep, but she couldn't leave when, after House of Games ended, I immediately switched discs, turning on Redbelt. She finished it and I was the one who fell asleep three quarters of the way in.

I first saw House of Games sometime in the early '90s. I'm not sure if it was on HBO (cable soiled my imagination) or if I rented it from Star Video. Whatever the source, it blew my mind. I forget what Hitchcock film it was, but I remember reading that the audience left confused and angry because they felt like Hitchcock had used images to lie to the audience (something to do with a flashback scene that proved to be false within the story). That's how House of Games will make you feel. I can't even write about it without discussing spoilers.

SPOILER: PLEASE JUST STOP READING NOW IF YOU EVER INTEND TO SEE HOUSE OF GAMES. I MEAN IT.
Thinking about it now, I think that the "revenge" conclusion is so appropriate, really perfect. I always thought of it as this sinister amoral conclusion, but I think now that it's a way of providing the audience relief. By that point in the film, the audience feels much the same way that Margaret does. "You've taken me under false pretenses" or something like that. All of our typical narrative satisfactions have been stripped away from us and we realize that we've been deceived, used and abused. At this point, we can either marvel at Mamet's skill at so perfectly enacting a con game or we can become irate that we've been deceived. Either way, we get the satisfaction of seeing Mamet's stand-in, the Mantegna character, die a horrible death. Even here, though, it's interesting that Mantegna's character is unrepentant and goes down cursing us.

Redbelt disappointed me a bit (just a bit) this second viewing. I just don't think that I buy the elaborate set-up. I still love the ending. And Chiwetel Ejiofor is someone to watch.