Question about the clues that lead to the ending (SPOILERS)

01. zee944, too many scenes with Robert as the confidant and advisor to Virgil. Robert always looked like the 'cat that swollowed the canary.' Actress Claire had a cell phone and was most likely talking to Robert who tipped her off.

02. Virgil's cavalier way of dismissing Billy's body of work. Billy was hurt by Virgil's remarks.

03. When Actress Claire ran into to the street to help Virgil. A true person sufferering from Agoraphobia would never have been able to leave the house. I found it hard to believe that she could move so comfortably in the large drawing room.

04. The reason Virgil was so susceptable to being taken was because he did not conduct this client in a professional manner. He became personally involved, thus making him an easy target to con artists.

I enjoyed the movie.
Well done... from all the players.

I agree.. the age difference between Clair and Virgil was too much...

the scene where Roberts girlfriend mentioned about her troubles with Robert...
and Robert mentioning Claire...raised an alarm for me.

When Fred brings a bag to mechanical stuff to Virgil and offers to put them in his car.. also seemed strange..

Also, a blatant clue: when Claire first entered his vault, there was a second when the speed of the film slowed down... like a skip heartbeat... we understand it now ;)

Gognitti bailed. I made like Chow Yun-Fat.

I knew when Virgil asks if love can be faked. And when Claire tells him that she does love him, "no matter what happens." I dont remember which scene came first, but both led me to the same conclusion.

As soon as I saw Claire I knew she wasn't a recluse/agoraphobic. The way she looked, her expression, her movements, especially her hair - she had clearly been to a hairdresser lol... Not to mention the contradiction that she had already told Virgil she didn't like people that dyed their hair.
If Claire didn't seem so obviously 'fake', if she seemed authentic, it would have kept people guessing I think. Even if you could foresee the con, a Claire that seemed mysterious and complex would have been intriguing to watch... Would have kept you wondering, or interested in her and their relationship. Frankly, I couldn't be
bothered watching after this and skipped to the end. Was a shame as I was loving Geoffrey
Rush's performance up to this point.

The first time Claire exited the room she kept staring at the spot that Virgil was hiding

The second time when she supposedly hurt herself, she avoided the kitchen chair (most people would find the nearest chair in such circumstances) and deliberately sat in front of him in that very provocative pose.

When she showed him the ballerina painting

Partially because it's a movie and we're trained to look for twists. There are movies with unlikely romances between an attractive woman and an unattractive older man. I can believe that would have happened. I thought it was what the movie focused on.

The relationship between Virgil and Robert didn't seem natural to me.They were too different and the automaton pieces on on the floor that just happened to be made by someone Virgil did his thesis on was too convenient.

Billy's resentment for his art not being taken seriously by Virgil was made evident a couple of times. He seemed too doting as a friend for no reason, and he talked about people faking their feelings.

I kept waiting for real Claire's presence to have a point, which it did.

That being said, I didn't hate the movie. I thought Geoffrey Rush was very good in the role.