MovieChat Forums > Butterfly on a Wheel (2007) Discussion > What they did was illegal. SPOILERS!

What they did was illegal. SPOILERS!


Having an affair is not illegal.

Making your spouse believe your child is being held captive is kidnapping. You also can't tell them your child's life is in danger. Forcing people to do things under violent threat is illegal.

What we don't see is after the movie ends Neil realizes the marriage is over (DUH!) and he picks up the phone and has Tom & Abby arrested and off to jail they go. It also helps in the divorce proceedings so Neil retains custody of the child. "My wife used our child as a pawn to exact revenge", is all he'll need for custody.

So let's say Neil is a snivelling idiot and thinks he deserved it.

What's to stop Judy from making the call? She believed she was going to be murdered. Even to the point of hearing the click of the empty gun. Yeah, that'll teach her not to cheat on hubby Tom.

What twist should they have done? While Neil has the gun to Judy's head he just can't go through with it. Instead he attacks Tom and manages to kill him. Justifiable Homicide. Abby enters the house and spills the beans about it was all for revenge. Police arrive and ARREST ABBY FOR MURDER! Tom died during the commission of a crime didn't he? Movie ends with Judy and Neil giving each other a look that says maybe there is truely something between them that they want to explore.

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Anyone who would go to this extreme to inflict such incredible psychological punishment, for whatever reason, themselves have extreme psychological issues. It might also give a little insight as to possibly why he had the affair since little was revealed about their marriage previously, although it's in no way an excuse.

With that being said, in my opinion, she's not fit as a either a wife or mother. He should hired a lawyer, file for divorce, and petitioned for full custody of his daughter. Although that may not be necessary since at the end she said that he still had his daughter but not her. If he did have to file, I'm sure the court would decide in his favor once all the details of her actions were revealed. In addition he should then sue both his wife and Tom for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Such a suit requires extreme or outrageous conduct that intentionally causes severe emotional distress. What both his wife and Tom did was way over the top and such a suit stands a good chance of being successful. Even if he should lose, it would be somewhat gratifying to have both try to defend/justify their actions in court. With his wife implicated, it would serve to support his petition for custody of his daughter. He would definitely have to answer some difficult questions but it would pale in light of what his wife and Tom put him through.

There is also the issue of criminal charges. Both Tom and Neil's wife would be looking at a lot of jail time for a whole slew of crimes. They would possibly include brandishing a firearm, kidnapping (him not the child), false imprisonment, carjacking, robbery (took his wallet), assault and battery, and conspiracy. Also it makes no difference if the gun was loaded or not or even real, nor does it make a difference for some crimes if the wife was involved if only to teach him a lesson. The crimes were against him and he was the victim. The fact that the wife went to the police previously to deflect any allegations by him is irrelevant. He still can insist on a police report and they would have to take one. It wouldn't take much effort on his and his attorney's part to force an investigation along with hiring a private investigator of his own. He has the resources.

His life and all that he might have done would be on display and lives would be likely ruined. If nothing else, dependent on what he wouldn't be willing to lose, with his resources I'm sure he could eventually come up with something just as sinister and painful to repay his wife for his own sweet taste of revenge. For example I doubt it would be too difficult to set her up to be committed to a psychiatric institution since she's already kinda nuts. He could use some of what she did to set him up as a basis and I doubt Tom would admit to any complicity for fear of incriminating himself. He can then ask her "Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?" A husband's wrath can be just as punishing.

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Actually, at the end Abby said (not necessarily in this order) you'll have your money, house, career, Sophie.... Abby didn't say you'll have me. She said that she would be the one breaking the butterfly on the wheel.

So, based on what you thought you heard, you think Abby is staying witu Neil?

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Thank God that our country requires lawyers to be licensed, so we don't have to depend upon false "laws" as dictated by imdb viewers. Maria Bello hired a very qualified baby sitter and her daughter was never in danger. The child was never put in harm's way, and nothing illegal was done....except for maybe Pierce carrying an unloaded gun without a permit.

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I repeat

Making your spouse believe your child is being held captive is kidnapping. You also can't tell them your child's life is in danger. Forcing people to do things under violent threat is illegal.


It was reasonable for Neil to believe Abby that their child had been abducted. Abby had no legal right to put Neil under such duress nor to use that duress to force Neil to take actions.

You aren't a licensed lawyer, so why should that matter? It's fairly basic stuff, if you walk into a bank and say "I have a bomb and I want money" you can be charged even if you don't have a bomb.

You also didn't address Judy's situation either. What they did to her was illegal.

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To me it reads as a giant prank to the police. I think any lawyer would be able to get the case dropped, if it even got that far.

Now for custody, maybe I can see a little issue there...if it could all be proven.

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Having an affair IS against the law. Look it up.

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Not in the United States.

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Nobody will see my comments since it's 2 years later but when my man cheated the last thing I did was create an elaborate scene. Once the truth came out I lost all respect and affection for him. (The love took a little longer to leave since I did marry him for life unlike him). But at that point he wasn't worth my time. There was no "Fury" on my part because as we know a man made up that line to make us women look like nuts. Please, all women know their men find it extremely hard to be monogamous. Many women are not monogamous either but it is harder for a man due to his physical issues.

If you get lucky and your spouse doesn't cheat you have a rare find. If he/she is lucky you won't ever find out they are cheating. But to go to this extent over a cheating a-hole? Hell no. The best you can do is follow a much better quote, "Living well is the best revenge". Because once that person cheats due to either having no self control or because they are just selfish, you have the best opportunity to be the better and bigger person. It's really not that hard. Don't ever give in to anger and revenge because they will just say, "That is why I cheated". Don't do it. Their friends will all believe it was your fault. Don't do that to yourself. Keep the real focus which is they have a personality disorder.

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