MovieChat Forums > Switchback (1997) Discussion > Creepy guy in the beginning... (spoilers...

Creepy guy in the beginning... (spoilers)


Who was he? What was the purpose of him being in the film? Was the camera framed to make him look creepy when he was probably just a harmless neighbor or did he have a deeper purpose?

reply

I don't remember how Danny Glover and him interacted exactly, but he was later used to take the fall for the murders later on. The FBI felt the case was closed but Dennis Quaid knew the real killer was still out there. The creepy guy later commits suicide as explained by Dennis Quaid but I don't remember if he said it was framed through Danny Glover or if creepy guy actually wanted to die.

This is where we fight, this is where they die.

reply

He was The Sidler. This time he just sidled up next to the wrong person.

reply

[deleted]

I assumed that Bob Goodall, Danny Glover, manipulated that guy and set him up to look like the serial killer. There was a discussion and a newspaper article about how the creepy guy committed suicide and there was a bunch of evidence linking him to all the murders. I assume that Bob actually killed him and planted all the evidence to get the FBI to close the case. Bob mentions to Frank, when they are on the train, that he enjoyed playing "the game" with him, but when 200 FBI agents joined in "the game" the odds were not fair. So Bob needed to level the playing field. That is why he kidnapped Frank's son and framed the Creepy guy. The case got closed and it was back to just Bob and Frank.

Bob was also framing Lane (Jared Leto). That was the reason he picked him up in the first place. He tells Lane on the train that he was following him for a day and a half before he picked him up. Bob murdered Lanes motel mate to make it look like Lane did it. Same thing with Shorty. Plus the trail of bodies would be like bread crumbs leading Frank up to Believe.

reply

But why would the creepy guy assist Glover in the abduction of a child and the murder of his babysitter? I assumed he was Glover's accomplice until Glover didn't need him anymore and that what he was trying to do with Leto. Also, was Leto's fate left ambiguous or are we to assume he would've died from those wounds?

reply

Oh well thank you for explainin that. I was confused. Now I get it, got it. :)

reply