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During a Christmas Day viewing of David Fincher's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011), I stumbled upon something that caught my eye.
Before I go into it, I want to acknowledge something remarkable about my experiences with this film. I've seen it about three times. However, I can't help but feel that every time I see it, I erased any recollection I had of it in my previous watches and that I've seen it for the first time on all three occasions.
With that out of the way, on to the point. In this recent rewatch, which turned out to be the most fruitful for me, I noticed many intricate details. One, in particular, stood out to me. It's likely I'm pontificating, overreacting, or just late to a party I should've been in long ago. But alas, nous sommes ici.
There is a scene near the end, in which Rooney Mara's Lisbeth Salander asks Daniel Craig's Mikael Blomqvist for some money. Specifically, "50,000". She then mentions he's got "65,000" on his two accounts and with no further hesitation, he agrees.
Our eyes see the stare that she gives him. No concrete emotion was given. There is a subtlety to how she's looking at him. As a viewer, I felt she was shocked and pleasantly surprised. Mikael's next reaction was key.
Throughout the film, we saw how it was a chore for Ms. Salander to ask for money, given she was a "ward of the state". Even having to trade in sexual favors (leading to a gruesome rape) to have funds to EAT. By Mikael conceding to lend her that money without so much as a "but", must have come as a genuine surprise. For my own money, that was the clincher of her connection with Mikael, a disappointing ending notwithstanding.
It was a pattern that was thankfully broken, as far as this film was concerned. As I was watching, my mind was conditioned to feel discomfort whenever Lisbeth asked for money, because it usually meant she'd have to subject herself pain to get it. As a viewer, and for sure, for the character, Mikael's affirmative came as a welcome respite.
"I have good news now. I made a friend. I mean one that you'd approve of. I'm happy", a wistful Lisbeth utters.
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