626-630

*Chapter 626: The Perfect Start*

Focus. Joy. Shock. Anger. Stupor. Confusion. Exhilaration.

Mackie felt something was off.

In a short span, his emotions had swung wildly, shifting rapidly and unpredictably, becoming so rich and strange that they were hard to distinguish. This wasn’t just a sharp ninety-degree turn; even a ballet pirouette didn’t feel this intense.

Originally, the script that Mackie and Eric created emphasized the plot while downplaying the dialogue. The story’s framework and narrative threads were the main focus. Even though they meticulously refined the dialogue, they couldn't make every word a gem, as the precision of the dialogue wasn’t that crucial.

So, why was he dissatisfied with Anson?

Moreover, the adjustment to the emotional threads didn’t change the overall framework and storyline of the scene. It merely filled the limited space with more details and layers, sparking a stronger chemical reaction that made the scene richer and more three-dimensional.

At this moment, thinking back, why did they insist on making this the first scene to be shot?

One reason was to break down barriers and help the two actors quickly develop chemistry.

Another was to lay the groundwork for the story, using the emotional seeds of the two characters to set the tone for the entire movie.

Now, Anson and Rachel had not only accomplished this but had far exceeded expectations. So, why was he angry with Anson?

Before the film started shooting, Mackie and Eric had a heart-to-heart:

In Hollywood, joint directors do exist, such as brother or sister directing teams, but they are not very common. There are many reasons for this, one crucial reason being too many differing opinions, leading the creative direction of the film into entirely different labyrinths.

Additionally, both of them were first-time directors, completely unfamiliar with the job and unable to foresee what might happen on set.

So, they agreed that they needed to remain patient and humble, not letting arrogance cloud their judgment. They not only had to listen to each other’s opinions but also be open to listening to other professionals.

Actors are professionals.

So, this means...

Briefly interrupted, Mackie got caught in a swirl of his own thoughts, and his anger quietly subsided, as if it had never existed. He lifted his gaze again, looking at Anson and Rachel, who were smiling and exchanging glances with tacit understanding, and suddenly found peace—

Maybe this was the best outcome.

Mackie hesitated a bit. "Anson, did you like that scene we just did?"

Anson was stunned. He was clearly the one asking the director about the effectiveness of the shoot, so why was the director now turning the question back on him? Was this some kind of game?

But Anson didn’t hesitate. "I liked it."

Decisive and straightforward, Anson didn’t waver and gave a direct answer.

Although this was the first scene of "The Butterfly Effect," challenging right from the start, when you dig deeper, the scene wasn’t as difficult as imagined. The only challenge was the chemistry between Anson and Rachel. Once that key was unlocked, the dialogue, emotions, and details seemed exceptionally simple, hardly requiring any effort.

The entire shoot just now flowed smoothly, the chemistry real and almost inseparable, even lingering after the shoot ended.

Of course, Anson hadn’t reviewed the playback yet and had no way of knowing the final result—

It’s like an exam. Sometimes, you feel confident when handing in the paper, but the results might surprise you.

But at least, his intuition was positive.

On that note, Anson responded crisply, with an assured tone and expression that caught attention.

Mackie’s last bit of uncertainty dissipated along with it.

"Alright, then no problem."

Mackie’s answer was so abrupt that it left everyone on set in disbelief.

Just moments ago, Mackie seemed furious, ready to lash out, so why the sudden 180-degree turn?

Was everything really fine?

Mackie took a deep breath. Deep down, he was still a bit unsure, but—

He respected the actors' professionalism, and the actors respected his. He also trusted Anson's judgment as a producer. This was the correct approach to collaboration.

At least so far, their collaboration with Anson had been smooth.

Now, he was trying to learn to relax and trust a little more.

"I liked it too," Mackie said.

After speaking, Mackie unconsciously let out a sigh of relief and realized—

He truly did like it.

Setting aside stubbornness and bias, this scene was indeed something to scream about.

See, admitting your mistakes and accepting that you shouldn’t have gotten angry wasn’t that hard after all.

Even so, Mackie felt a bit awkward, especially when he turned and saw Eric’s ridiculous look with cotton stuffed in his nose.

Looking around, he saw that everyone’s attention was on him. Mackie suddenly raised both hands high as if about to break into a dance move, startling the crew.

“Hey!”

“The first scene, a good start, a good omen.”

“We actually did it in one take. This deserves applause.”

Wait, what’s going on now?

The crew exchanged puzzled looks, unsure whether to respond to Mackie. Then, someone started clapping.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

It was Heath.

Looking serious, standing tall, yet there was no enthusiasm or passion in his demeanor, like he was chanting a slogan.

“One take. A good start.”

His rigid tone seemed out of place, like he was ordering:

“One, two, three, smile.”

The crew exchanged glances again. Mackie was strange enough, and Heath even stranger, so what should they do?

At that moment, Anson stood up.

He made sure Rachel was securely wrapped in a bedsheet, then wrapped himself in one too, like an ancient Greek priest in a robe, nearly swallowed by the sheet, awkwardly standing up and waving with a perfect smile, as if stepping onto the Olympic podium—

And just like that, the humor hit.

The crew could no longer hold back, and one by one, they joined Heath, the atmosphere growing more boisterous with cheers and whistles, until thunderous applause filled the set.

Anson wasn’t satisfied. He then gestured for Rachel to join him, treating the moment like a Broadway stage, where they solemnly took a bow.

Ha ha, ha ha ha.

The whole room burst into laughter, and the joyful atmosphere blazed to life.

No matter what, Mackie was right—

One take.

And it was a highly challenging scene, bringing a great start to the crew.

No one had expected such a beginning, no one had anticipated this process, and now it seemed that no one could predict the ending either.

But at least, “The Butterfly Effect” had started, and the concerns everyone had didn’t materialize. Instead, the film launched in an unexpectedly smooth way.

Everything was, in a word, perfect.

So, what more could they ask for?

Oh, oh, oh.

Roar, roar, roar.

Amidst the cheers and uproar, Rachel finished her bow, looked up at Anson, and couldn’t help but smile.

*Chapter 627: A Surprise*

Applause thundered through the set.

The entire filming site buzzed with excitement, and the atmosphere was joyous.

Aaron and Logan, the two little ones, quickly turned their heads to look and were momentarily stunned. Then they bolted towards the set, their feet pounding the ground. Seeing this, the other child actors, though unsure of what was happening, refused to be left out and rushed after them. The sight that unfolded was nothing short of spectacular.

Aaron was the first to squeeze through the crowd, his head darting around as he bombarded everyone with questions.

"What? What happened?"

"Was it amazing?"

"Did everything go well?"

His rapid-fire questions were met with affirmative answers, turning his curiosity into pure joy.

"Ha!"

Aaron threw his hands up in the air.

"I knew it! Oh yeah!"

Logan and the other kids arrived soon after, grabbing Aaron's right hand, each of them brimming with curiosity. Aaron turned to them, wearing a mysterious smile.

"Anson’s performance conquered everyone!"

"Whoo-hoo!"

Instantly, the children joined in the celebration, some not fully understanding what had happened, but all jumping and shouting with their hands raised high.

The set was alive with excitement.

The official start of filming for "Butterfly Effect" was underway—

Before the shoot, the entire crew was enveloped in a kind of uncertain anxiety. Both Mackie and Eric were first-time directors, and Anson was a first-time producer. To make matters worse, the cast was almost entirely made up of newcomers, with Anson being the most experienced actor. This meant that everything hinged on him.

Was this really okay?

After all, up to this point, Anson was known as a heartthrob, a pretty face in the industry, dutifully playing the role of eye candy on set without showing any real intelligence or artistic talent.

Now, with his career just taking off, he was eager to follow in the footsteps of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. Wasn’t he rushing things a bit? Could this leap be too much?

But, despite their worries, the crew remained professional—

After all, this kind of situation was common in Hollywood, and there were enough failed projects to fill the San Fernando Valley, so there was no need to make a big deal out of it.

As they focused on their work, a hint of nervousness, doubt, and unease permeated the set, causing everyone to be a bit more cautious.

Worse still, the two inexperienced directors insisted they weren’t superstitious and, despite opposition and protests, chose a particularly challenging scene to start with. This only added to the uncertain atmosphere hanging over the crew.

However.

What about now?

A surprise. An unbelievable surprise that completely defied expectations.

How? How was this possible?

Not only had the scene been shot smoothly, but the chemistry between the actors practically leaped off the screen. This wasn’t just “smooth”—it was stunning.

Whether it was Anson or Rachel, both actors delivered performances that were nothing short of eye-opening. Even those among the crew who weren’t particularly passionate about art could see that something special was happening. A sense of awe and admiration, difficult to put into words, surged through their minds like wild horses running free.

It wasn’t just the children; one by one, the crew members also began to clap in celebration, their eyes filled with joy and astonishment—

A perfect start, in the truest sense!

Who knows? Maybe the quality of the finished film really could be surprising.

After all... the lead actor is Anson!

Inside and out, the crew was filled with excitement, and the atmosphere was one of pure elation.

Even though Anson and Rachel were still inside and couldn't see the commotion outside, they could clearly feel the joy, and their spirits lifted.

Rachel’s gaze naturally drifted back to Anson, her joy overflowing in her eyes as she called out to him.

"Anson..."

Anson turned his head, his smile bright and clear, his eyes reflecting the stars.

Rachel’s heart skipped a beat.

But before she could say anything, another voice called out from behind.

"Hey, man, great job. Impressive!"

It was Heath.

Heath walked up confidently, extending his right hand early, and after shaking Anson’s hand, he pulled him in for a shoulder bump, his large left hand giving Anson’s back a firm pat, his smile unrestrained.

Anson, however, was full of questions.

"Is this really something worth celebrating?"

This was just one scene, the first in a long series of scenes to be filmed. Even if this one exceeded expectations and was worth celebrating, it didn’t guarantee that the final film would be excellent.

At least from Anson’s limited filming experience, there was no need to make such a big deal out of it.

Heath studied Anson’s expression calmly for a moment. “So, are you just being modest?”

Anson didn’t explain further and instead played along with Heath’s teasing, “Shh. No need to spell it out.”

Heath burst into hearty laughter. He liked Anson’s straightforwardness, so different from the fake, pretentious people in Hollywood.

Anson didn’t say anything more and turned to Rachel, “What were you going to say?”

Rachel was surprised. She hadn’t expected Anson to still be thinking of her. His eyes were still clear, as if they could see through her facade. Her heart raced twice, but when she noticed Heath out of the corner of her eye, she quickly waved her hand, “No, nothing.”

“I was just going to ask if we need additional camera angles for this scene.”

Whew.

Rachel let out a small breath, having quickly found a reliable excuse, carefully hiding her slightly flushed cheeks.

Anson didn’t notice anything unusual and was convinced by Rachel’s question, “We should ask the directors.”

That was indeed a good question and one that fell squarely within the directors’ expertise.

Top-notch directors—from Alfred Hitchcock to Ingmar Bergman to Stanley Kubrick to Martin Scorsese—all had their own meticulous approaches to framing, blocking, and camera placement.

Sometimes it was for the sake of storytelling, other times to hint at character relationships, or to create a dynamic interaction between the big screen and the audience. At times, it was to ensure a smooth transition during editing, among other reasons.

So, for any scene, the choice of camera angles and framing was always deliberate.

Take the scene they just filmed, for example. Whether the focus was on Evan or Keller, how the camera presented the relationship between the two characters—whether as equals or as one dominating the other—what emotions were conveyed through the lines, and what feelings were captured through the angles, all contributed to the viewer’s experience. Beyond the dialogue, what else could the camera add?

Every detail was worth exploring.

Filmmaking isn’t just about using visuals to tell a story. The difference between film and television is far more than just screen size.

However.

If a director lacks an instinctive understanding of camera language and merely sticks to the script, such shots are often labeled as functional. They fail to give the story and performances room to breathe, relying solely on the script’s inherent power to connect with the audience.

And as for Mackie and Eric...

*Chapter 628: A Proud Spirit*

In 2024, director Denis Villeneuve said something intriguing during a magazine interview while promoting "Dune: Part Two."

He believed that movies were being overly influenced by television, placing too much emphasis on dialogue and neglecting the crucial role of visual storytelling.

Although his exact words may have differed, the overall sentiment was clear.

This Canadian director, known for classics like "Arrival," "Sicario," "Blade Runner 2049," "Incendies," and "Prisoners," expressed that in an ideal world, a film without dialogue that explores characters’ inner thoughts, relationships, and the story's context solely through visuals should be highly acclaimed.

Of course, this idea is somewhat extreme, but it undeniably highlights the fundamental difference between movies and television—

Television relies on scripts for storytelling; movies rely on visuals and sound.

As for McKee and Eric...

First, Anson didn’t believe these two directors, who came from screenwriting backgrounds, possessed the legendary genius for visual storytelling.

Second, it’s okay not to be a genius. Perhaps they have their own ideas about camera angles and composition, but Anson wasn’t sure if they had seriously thought it through—

After all, this was just the first scene.

If they had thought about it, that would be great; if not, it didn’t matter. It’s not too late to start considering it now.

So, it might be worth asking them later.

Rachel noticed the focus in Anson’s eyes. The random diversion she threw out hit the mark, allowing her to secretly breathe a sigh of relief, calming her racing heart just a bit.

Then.

She couldn’t help but glance at Anson’s focused side profile again. Immersed in his work, his face seemed to glow faintly. Rachel’s smile subtly widened as her scattered thoughts returned to her performance.

Anson didn’t have time to delve into it; he immediately looked up at Heath, casting a questioning gaze.

“And then?”

Heath was a bit surprised, looking at Anson with innocent eyes, “I just came to offer congratulations. You were discussing something professional, no need to include me, continue.”

But Anson wasn’t buying it, “Come on, Heath. You’re not the type who enjoys socializing. You wouldn’t leave the whole crew just to congratulate us.”

If it were someone else, maybe, and it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary; but Heath?

The rest of the crew stayed put, while Heath rushed over, even more eagerly than the directors. Anson didn’t believe he came just to say “congrats.”

Heath looked at Anson, stubbornly meeting his gaze with pride, “Why not?”

Anson didn’t push further, “Alright, then I misjudged the situation. Sorry, I misunderstood you, and I sincerely apologize.”

Heath: …

That’s it?

Actually, Heath was just being stubborn, and Anson’s quick acceptance left Heath feeling awkward.

The atmosphere was a bit tense.

You could see Heath’s expression freeze, his face muscles stiffening, his eyes reflecting a hint of despair, as if he might turn and leave any second.

The tension in the air thickened.

Then.

It was Anson.

Anson knew that the young and proud Heath would indeed walk away if things got awkward, which was entirely in character for him. If the stalemate continued, even a small joke could harm their friendship.

So, Anson decided to stop there. At the right moment, he skillfully broke the ice and naturally changed the topic without further dwelling on the matter.

“How was the last scene?”

Anson extended an olive branch. After all, he was experienced, with a mental and physical age far beyond Heath’s. Taking the first step was no burden for him.

But clearly, Heath wasn’t used to it.

He didn’t expect Anson’s response, and it was Anson who first offered a way out.

Heath scratched the back of his neck.

He knew he should apologize and admit he was just being stubborn earlier; but the words stuck on his tongue and wouldn’t come out.

“Brilliant.”

Heath said.

“I noticed you made some changes, especially during Rachel’s confession…”

Rachel was shocked: Her? She didn’t confess!

Heath seemed to sense Rachel’s surprise, quickly glancing at her, his expression awkward and stiff as he nodded slightly, clumsily expressing his apology:

He meant Rachel’s character.

“You paused for a moment, adding some space for contemplation.”

Anson wasn’t surprised that Heath noticed such details, and he responded with genuine interest, “That’s what I was thinking.”

“When you actually go back in time and change the past, what’s your first reaction?”

Heath blurted out, “Happiness.”

Anson chuckled, “Of course, that’s one possibility, but Evan isn’t that kind of person. His first reaction is doubt, doubting whether it really happened, doubting if he actually went back in time and changed the past.”

Heath, “Makes sense.”

Little by little, Heath’s rebellious attitude faded away, entirely drawn into Anson’s rhythm of conversation, without even realizing it.

Anson, “And when he realizes that he’s only changed one thing, returning to the present where everything has dramatically shifted, where he easily gets everything he ever wanted, his first reaction is…”

Heath, “Worry that it’s all fake.”

“Bingo.” Anson snapped his fingers, “Because it all happened so easily and quickly, it doesn’t feel real; but what happens next?”

This time, Heath didn’t answer—

Heath was the type of actor who had an innate talent for understanding characters and performances, his acting style was more about intuition than logic: “I feel it should be this way, so I do it.”

That’s why Heath’s characters always have a unique, natural quality—a typical example of a talent born to perform.

Of course, this doesn’t mean Heath doesn’t think; he just approaches characters differently from Anson.

Unnoticed, the conversation had shifted into a professional discussion. The atmosphere had completely changed, and both Heath and Rachel were drawn in, unaware of the transformation.

Then.

Anson didn’t wait for Heath’s response.

“The next step is to seize it.”

“Even though he’s still filled with doubt and suspicion, the happiness he’s always dreamed of is right before him. Even if it’s an illusion, even if it’s a dream, his first reaction upon realizing this is to grab it, hold onto it tightly.”

Heath suddenly understood, “Like waking up from a dream, our first reaction is doubt, the second is to wish to return to that dream.”

Even if it’s fake, it doesn’t matter.

Anson nodded slightly, “Grasping it at all costs, like clinging to a lifeline.”

Heath re-evaluated Anson’s performance, his eyes gradually lighting up:

So, this was Anson’s approach. That sense of desperation, following hesitation and doubt, made his portrayal of the character’s emotional journey complete, linking the seemingly simple and ordinary details together.

That’s how a character becomes fully realized.

*Chapter 629: Learning from Experience*

Initially, when filming "The Princess Diaries," Anson focused on using subtle details within limited space to bring his character to life, making it full and three-dimensional. He’s applying the same approach now.

In the script for "The Butterfly Effect," the plot is tightly packed with events that come one after another, leaving no room to breathe. Every scene is full of dramatic tension, which doesn’t allow much space for reflection—typical of genre films. This approach avoids exposing plot holes and keeps the audience engaged, but it also limits the space for actors to perform.

However, this isn't entirely the case.

In a script full of dramatic highs and lows, every scene is loaded with tension, which naturally creates a space for the actors to perform. The challenge for the actor is to reveal the source of that tension and draw the audience in, making the experience smooth and engaging.

If the actor isn’t skilled enough to provide context and detail, the audience may not have room to think amidst the bombardment of information. This often leads to fatigue, causing the emotional impact of the third act's climax to diminish.

This is why audiences often feel exhausted by the third act of a commercial genre film, or they find the climax underwhelming—unless there’s a high-energy moment at the end. Otherwise, the film will end on a declining note.

Clearly, this isn’t how a commercial genre film should be experienced.

For this reason, many commercial films have started to include "twists" at the end, with some even boasting "multiple twists" to attract audiences. These twists are used to mask the lack of impact in the third act’s climax.

But in reality, this approach misses the mark.

The right way to go about it is to use the first two acts to build emotional tension through the actor's performance and the layering of details. When the third act’s tension reaches its peak, the energy is naturally released, allowing the "climax" to play its proper role.

Typically, the more twists a film has, the more it reveals its weaknesses, often to the point where the twists overshadow the film itself, weakening its overall impact.

Of course, there are exceptions.

Some classic films with twist endings have stood the test of time, but the key is that these films don’t rely solely on the twist. The emotional groundwork in the first two acts must be solid, with the twist serving as an explosive release of built-up energy.

Take "The Sixth Sense" for example.

In its initial release, "The Butterfly Effect" didn’t perform as well as expected at the box office, nor did it receive much acclaim. There were many reasons for this, one of which was Ashton Kutcher’s inability to fully connect his character's journey. The film was driven entirely by its dramatic plot, lacking the necessary buildup before the third act. The theatrical release’s ending wasn’t impactful enough.

It wasn’t until the DVD release, which included a director’s cut with an alternate ending, that the shocking twist completely overshadowed the shortcomings of the first two acts, sparking widespread acclaim and creating a word-of-mouth phenomenon.

Now, Anson is working to inject more energy into the first two acts of the film—

In reality, the space for performance has always been there; it’s just a matter of how the actor interprets and presents it.

Anson’s brief interpretation immediately made Heath understand. A look of admiration appeared in Heath’s eyes, "You’ve done an excellent job."

As Heath replayed Anson and Rachel’s scene in his mind, he noticed more details, making the performance all the more remarkable.

And then, Heath drew a parallel.

Heath said, "That’s precisely why making a small change in the past can lead to happiness, causing Evan to lose his sanity."

"On one hand, he’s trying to hold onto happiness and refuses to let go."

"On the other hand, he wants everyone to be happy, not just himself."

"So he keeps going back in time, trying to protect everyone’s happiness."

Indeed, genius is just that—a few words are enough to put him on the right track without deep thought or analysis.

Anson’s eyes lit up.

"Exactly."

"And everyone has their blind spots. It’s always easier to blame others."

"Just like Evan’s first action."

"He wasn’t even sure if his assumption was correct, but he blindly went back in time to stop Kayleigh’s father. Just one action, one event, and the entire world turned upside down, everything falling into place."

"This gave Evan the illusion that solving one problem would lead to happiness. At the same time, when faced with other difficulties and misfortunes, it became easier to continue blaming others."

"It’s like a bug in the system."

On the side, Rachel looked at Anson, then at Heath. She tried to keep up with the conversation but found the information overwhelming. Just processing and digesting it was challenging enough, let alone thinking and providing feedback.

After all, Rachel was just a rookie actress, barely starting her journey. Asking her to delve deeply into her performance right from the start was indeed a bit too much.

Nonetheless, Rachel didn’t lose heart. She remained focused and engaged, even if she didn’t fully understand. Listening and taking mental notes would be her first step.

This, too, was a rare learning experience.

Heath was slightly taken aback, naturally drawing connections from Anson’s words.

"Tommy is the same way."

From Anson to himself, Heath’s mind was flooded with inspiration.

In "The Butterfly Effect," strictly speaking, only Evan’s character has space for a full performance. The other characters, including Kayleigh and Tommy, are merely tools placed in the right spots to convey the correct emotions and drive the narrative forward—that’s their entire purpose.

This isn’t due to the writers’ lack of skill but rather a result of the story’s concept.

Only Evan is traveling through time and altering history in the story. The other characters exist in fragmented, parallel timelines, showcasing only one aspect of their personalities.

In other words, neither Heath nor Rachel needed to think about the story’s full arc or character development like Anson did.

Yet, they remained focused and engaged in the discussion.

Especially Heath.

Heath gasped, mumbled a few incomprehensible words—almost as if he were speaking an alien language.

"...So, that’s the root of all the tragedies in this timeline."

Finally, his words became clear. Heath snapped out of his thoughts, looking at Anson with eyes full of excitement and enthusiasm.

"When Tommy finds out that Evan and Kayleigh are together, he comes at Evan with a baseball bat because he believes everything is Evan’s fault. If he removes Evan, he won’t have to suffer."

"But what he doesn’t realize is that Evan, in his defense, also becomes enraged. Evan realizes that Tommy is the reason his life and his friends’ lives have been ruined. In the end, Evan’s self-defense goes too far, and he accidentally kills Tommy, landing himself in prison."

"Everything has a cause."

*Chapter 630: Two Madmen*

Heath had his own interpretation of the characters.

Indeed, from the perspective of the movie, only Evan has a clear narrative arc and character development. The other characters are presented in fragments because the film is essentially a small universe with Evan at its heart. The audience follows Evan as he repeatedly goes back in time to alter history, creating parallel universes.

However, from the characters' perspectives, even though they are passive, influenced, and changed by external forces, each one has their own storylines in these different parallel universes. Their anger or sadness, their transformation for better or worse, doesn’t just happen out of nowhere. Even minor characters have their own worlds and narrative threads.

The butterfly effect touches every character.

Take Tommy, for example.

Originally, Tommy was solely focused on protecting Kayleigh, rejecting anyone who tried to get close to her, including their childhood friend Evan. This is why Evan and Kayleigh couldn’t get closer in the original timeline.

Now, after Evan changes history and saves Kayleigh, their father channels all his anger and pain onto Tommy, pushing him into a hellish state that completely twists his mind. He becomes more violent and darker. Naturally, Kayleigh once again becomes his only lifeline—the only person who won’t leave him and who has always been there for him.

So, when Tommy finds out that Evan and Kayleigh are together, he loses control.

He believes Kayleigh is about to abandon him. He thinks he’s about to be left alone in the darkness and that without Kayleigh, he has nothing left to live for.

Heath’s eyes suddenly brightened as a thought flashed through his mind.

“That phone call—it was from Tommy, wasn’t it?”

In the scene they just shot, a phone call interrupted Evan and Kayleigh. Evan answered it, but there was silence on the other end.

Heath immediately connected the dots.

“Tommy heard Evan’s voice, so he kept quiet.”

“At the same time, Tommy heard Kayleigh say, ‘Don’t worry about him.’ Even though Kayleigh had no idea who was calling, that statement became the final straw that broke Tommy.”

“So, Tommy grabbed a baseball bat, intending to take Evan down with him.”

In the script, Tommy’s appearance is sudden and menacing; everything happens too fast, and the whole world spins into chaos.

One moment, Tommy is beating Evan half to death.

The next moment, Evan retaliates with a punch that kills Tommy.

To a typical audience, the drama keeps escalating with one tension-filled scene after another. Even if the logic and emotional connections aren’t entirely clear, it doesn’t matter much.

But as Anson mentioned earlier, these details and the spaces they leave for interpretation are crucial to the climax of the third act.

Heath was deep in thought.

So was Anson.

Heath had found the root of Tommy’s emotional outburst, while Anson had noticed a missing detail in the critical turning point of Heath’s narrative.

Anson said, “You know how difficult it is to kill someone with just your fists, right?”

Heath: ...?

Heath was momentarily puzzled, but then he caught on. “So in the movie, the final blow is Evan grabbing Tommy’s bat and using it to finish him off.”

Anson shook his head. “That’s important, but that’s not the main point.”

Heath remained patient.

Anson continued, “From a script perspective, I can understand Evan losing control. On one hand, he fears that the happiness he fought so hard for is slipping away again. On the other hand, the near-death experience drives him to fight back without restraint.”

“Plus, Tommy has made his life hell. He killed Evan’s pet dog right in front of him, tortured his friend, and caused the death of an innocent neighbor and her child.”

Mackey and Eric had indeed poured countless hours into the script, making sure there were no obvious plot holes. Every dramatic event is supported by a corresponding rationale, without a doubt.

Heath nodded lightly in agreement. “As you just said, shifting the blame to others, Tommy clearly bears significant responsibility.”

So, Evan lost control.

But here—

Anson posed a question. “Is that enough to turn a mild-mannered and kind person like Evan into a violent killer? To make him beat Tommy to death with his bare hands?”

Heath was about to correct Anson—“baseball bat”—but Rachel spoke up. “No, it doesn’t make sense.”

Even though the final blow was dealt with a bat, if you consider the whole scene, Evan’s madness in relentlessly pummeling Tommy with his fists until he’s nearly dead, then finishing him off with the bat—how insane, how brutal, how cold-blooded must he be?

Returning to Anson’s earlier question: How difficult is it to kill someone with your bare hands?

Heath glanced at Rachel, and they exchanged a quick look. Now they finally understood what Anson meant.

Indeed, from a script or film perspective, these minor details might not affect the audience’s experience. Even they only noticed the discrepancy after peeling back layer after layer. Most viewers probably wouldn’t catch it at all.

But if you could fill in these details, not only would the plot be more cohesive, but the characters would also become more complete.

It’s like Anson and Rachel’s scene—

Sure, everyone praised it; however, not everyone could pinpoint what made it so good. Yet, this kind of quality can elevate a film, making it more complete, even taking it to the next level.

Of course, that’s not the director’s or the screenwriter’s job—it’s the actor’s.

So, what was Anson hinting at? How should an actor fully flesh out a character? What exactly drives a usually gentle Evan to lose his mind completely?

Thoughts whirled madly in Heath’s mind.

Then.

Heath’s eyes lit up—Tommy.

The answer, logically, should lie with Tommy.

Heath looked up at Anson, a look of eager excitement in his eyes.

“What if Tommy provokes him?”

Anson didn’t speak; he just looked at Heath with a focused expression.

“Hey, let’s make an assumption.”

“Tommy is a madman. He has nothing left in this world. From the start, he came here with a mindset of mutual destruction.”

“He’s ready to kill Evan, without caring about his own life. Maybe he’s even planning to kill himself or spend the rest of his life in prison.”

“Later, Evan uses pepper spray to turn the situation around, completely overpowering Tommy. But Tommy doesn’t care. He mocks and provokes Evan, driving him to the point of losing his mind and making a fatal mistake.”

“In other words, Tommy uses his own death to completely destroy any chance of Evan and Kayleigh being together. He wants them to be forever burdened with guilt, leaving an indelible mark.”

Hah!

Rachel gasped, looking at Heath in disbelief.

However, Heath was full of excitement and intensity as he gazed into Anson’s eyes—

This way, not only would Evan’s motivations and character be fully fleshed out, but Tommy’s character would also become richer and more multidimensional.

Both Heath and Anson had a storm brewing in their minds. Thoughts about the characters, the plot, and the stories beyond the script seemed to come to life, growing wildly and unchecked.

Rachel noticed the madness in their eyes, and her heart skipped a beat:

Two madmen.