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Clip description
Des (Rodney Anderson) is in trouble for backing out of the drive-by shooting he’d been ordered to perform. He and Sophie (Sarah Vongmany), having been captured by the crime boss’s henchmen, are marched into a car park to meet him. When the boss (Ivan Topic) discovers Sophie is pregnant he tells her to get to her knees, then orders Des to kick her in the stomach. Des pleads not to but then appears to give in. The boss stops him and insults Des for being prepared to kick the woman carrying his baby. He tells Des to go away and that he will shoot him in the head if he sees him again. As the young couple walk away Sophie pushes Des away from her.
Curator’s notes
An extremely powerful scene that, without quite showing any violence, is more disturbing than many explicitly violent scenes in other films. This is because it deals primarily with the morality of violence and power, and the ease with which good people in powerless positions can be manipulated into performing evil acts.
The cynicism and blatant hypocrisy of the boss is lent extra force by Topic’s uncannily chilling performance. But it’s the fact that Des – hardly violent by nature, as previously conveyed by his inability to commit a drive-by shooting – seems prepared to assault his girlfriend and their unborn child, rather than allow himself to be beaten or killed, that is truly shocking.
