Point of View

Point of View

Third-Person Omniscient

This movie does a lot of bouncing around between the perspectives of different characters. At one point, we're following Johnny. At another, we're following Henry. We also get chances to see what's going on in the private worlds of Doyle Lonnegan and Henry's right-hand man, Kid Twist.

We pretty much get an omniscient—or "God's eye"—view of everybody. And that makes us feel pretty powerful and all-knowing.

But by the time the movie is over, we've gotten conned just as badly (or worse) than Doyle Lonnegan. And it's the same old story as far as getting conned goes—the movie gives us just enough privileged knowledge to make us feel like we're in control…and then it yanks the rug out from under us.