MovieChat Forums > No Way Out (1987) Discussion > The "bathroom" scene (spoilers)

The "bathroom" scene (spoilers)

posted 9 years ago by puplover
17 replies | jump to latest

I've seen this movie many times and I always wondered: is there any other evidence of Costner's TRUE feeling for Susan other than the scene in Gene Hackman's office when he first finds out who the dead girl is? He excuses himself, goes into the bathroom, and falls to the floor. That was a private moment of grief.

Last scene he screams "You wanted me to be her lover, I was her lover!" So...w/o the bathroom scene, he could have been faking every single moment in the movie. Was there any other "proof" that Costner was just not using Susan to get to Hackman aside from the bathroom scene?

[–] bossat2822 9 years ago

Probably just shows you he is human, after all. Even though he's ordered to be her lover, it stands to reason he developed some feelings toward her. Even if he was robotic about it, he expressed grief over the death of an innocent woman. May even felt guilty he couldn't stop it, or if he suspected at the time Hackman was the murderer- felt somewhat responsible for her death

[–] hilaryjrp 9 years ago

Was there any other "proof" that Costner was just not using Susan to get to Hackman aside from the bathroom scene?

Oh, wow! I mean, this is a lightbulb moment for my thick skull. I've seen this movie at least a dozen times and never once considered that Susan was a "mission." Wow. Thanks!

[–] puplover 9 years ago

Ha ha, glad I could help:)

Since then I looked for clues to see if he REALLY fell in love w/ her. And the only proof was his devastated reaction in the bathroom.

[–] hilaryjrp 9 years ago

Since then I looked for clues to see if he REALLY fell in love w/ her. And the only proof was his devastated reaction in the bathroom.

Definitely. It's not why my pea-brain didn't realize she was a mission, but definitely, he fell for her, I think because she was pretty naive and innocent despite being a kept woman.

[–] smoke0 9 years ago

Hmm, let's see, the Russians found him sitting on the ground next to her grave, so...yeah, I think he fell in love with her..OH and of course he didn't have to go on seeing her once he started working for Brice, either, so..

Revenge is a dish that best goes stale.

[–] lynnrnsd 9 years ago

I think his reaction in the bathroom showed real devastation. He looked like he was going to barf. I don't know- maybe I'm just a romantic. But I like to believe his affection for her was real.

[–] lynnrnsd 9 years ago

Can't edit. But I'm watching it now, and I suddenly wonder if it's grief or fear that they are catching on to him being "Yuri".

[–] mytravelbug1 9 years ago

I thought the same thing, don't know if it's grief or panic.This is a great movie.

[–] April-151-CT (10210) 2 years ago

I even said to myself oh god he's hurt so bad that he's gonna throw up.

[–] tavives 8 years ago

I always thought he went to the bathroom to collect himself because he immediately realized that he (not known to them) was the person they were going to try and pin the murder on.

I know if I were in that situation, I'd have gone weak-kneed and nauseous as well.

[–] eelb 8 years ago

This is similar to some weaknesses in a few Hitchcock films. Early in the film, the viewer is led to believe, convincingly, that many occurrences are coincidental. Later, it's revealed that it was all part of a plan that the protagonist was a participant in, and had full knowledge of.

Such plot devices generally don't hold up well through repeated viewing.

[–] Wuchak (8772) 7 years ago

Was there any other "proof" that Costner was just not using Susan to get to Hackman aside from the bathroom scene?

When he left Susan's apartment out the back door and angrily watched Hackman's character enter. If he didn't really care about her and was just on a mission he wouldn't have done that and risked being discovered by the Secretary (Hackman). Also, someone else noted his hanging out at Susan's grave at the end.

I just saw it last night and I'm pretty sure there are a couple of other clues that he really loved her.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Ugh, folks please rewatch. Tom didn’t care about Susan. He had a breakdown in the bathroom because he was just handed a file linking a mythical Russian spy named Yuri to Susan and he is Yuri! Well, his name is Evgeni but close enough. After years of being an undetected Russian plant, suddenly it looks like the CIA were on to him and he is about to be exposed. In fact, no one was actively looking for Yuri. By strange coincidence Scott choose this Yuri myth as a cover up story for Hackman’s murdering Susan. Scott didn’t want the FBI to take over the case because that would lead to Brice. The only way Scott and Brice could keep the case in their (State Dept) hands was to make it about a search for a Russian spy.

[–] davodikum (6198) 6 years ago

Cant poke many holes in that. But why wld he go to her grave at the end?

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Maybe it was a rendezvous point or he was remorseful about Susan death. I still think his freakout in the bathroom was mostly about his cover being blown.