Mark, I totally agree with your archetype alignment of the characters in the movie.
Your observations about Marie convinced you’re right: She DOES play the role of an Attractor, her pregnancy evocative of the young life Ray…
Mark, I totally agree with your archetype alignment of the characters in the movie. After assigning Protagonist and Nemesis roles, easy to do, I keep saying, “Trickster… Trickster… Trickster.”
Your observations about Marie convinced you’re right: She DOES play the role of an Attractor, her pregnancy evocative of the young life Ray has accidentally terminated. So in her, we have associations of both Life and Death, each tied to Ray’s emotional life.
Re the Ebert review: I’m reminded of one big reason I adored him as a film critic. He loved characters. He mentions the word at least four times in the review and frankly, this movie isn’t a movie without each of the characters being as fully realized as they are.
Great stuff and thanks for your insights.