Summary
Overview
In this live episode from Washington D.C., the hosts dissect the 2007 thriller Perfect Stranger starring Halle Berry, Bruce Willis, and Giovanni Ribisi. The movie features multiple endings, confusing plot twists, and a revelation that the protagonist herself is the murderer. The team struggles to make sense of the convoluted narrative involving online affairs, belladonna poisoning, and buried bodies, while celebrating the film's unintentionally hilarious moments and questionable creative choices.
Opening and Movie Context
The hosts introduce Perfect Stranger as a forgotten 2007 thriller with major stars that somehow disappeared from cultural memory. They discuss the confusing title, the film's odd internet-era aesthetics, and reveal that the director shot three different endings with different killers. The movie's treatment of technology and instant messaging is particularly dated, with characters saying aloud everything they type.
- Perfect Stranger came out in 2007 but feels like it could have been from 1999 or last week - completely timeless in its obscurity
- The director filmed three different endings, each with a different character as the killer, and seven endings were written total
- Characters in the film say out loud everything they type on instant messenger, treating technology like it's brand new
- Bruce Willis plays an advertising executive treated like one of the most powerful men in the world, despite just landing the Reebok account
" Because it makes no fucking sense. "
" Could have come out in 1999, could have come out last week. I wouldn't, nothing. "
Bruce Willis's Performance and The Return of Bruno
The hosts discuss Bruce Willis's disengaged performance, noting he seems to have stopped acting for a decade during this period. They reveal Willis used to be in a blues band called The Return of Bruno and play a clip of him singing. The conversation highlights how Willis shows no emotion even when his character is arrested for murder, leading to speculation about his level of investment in the film.
- Bruce Willis has approximately 23 lines of dialogue but 57 longing stares in the movie
- Willis released an album called 'The Return of Bruno' during his Moonlighting era where he sang blues
- Even when arrested for murder at the end, Willis shows absolutely no emotion in his performance
- The hosts suspect Willis murdered someone despite being framed, based on his threatening behavior
" If you were to tell me they used B-roll from another scene where he was just looking at a turkey sandwich, I'd be like, I believe it. "
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