What makes this scene great is not just the performances or Dr. Sweeney's words. It's the fact that, despite all of the crap that Derek has done throughout the film and all the times he's rejected Dr. Sweeney's efforts to help him, Sweeney still talks to him as an equal. He talks to him as a person. He doesn't talk down to him or write him off as just a brainless racist with no hope for redemption. He sees Derek as a smarter and better man than he gives himself credit for and knows that Derek can break through the delusion that his association with white supremacists has created. He never gives up on Derek.
I’d like to imagine that, after what happens to Danny at the end of the film, Sweeney reaches out to help Derek any way he can. Maybe he reads him Danny’s report to stop him from falling back into his Aryan Brotherhood lifestyle.
Other than his mother, Sweeny is the only other person to actually visit Derek. To show care for him during his incarceration. No one from the Disciples of Christ ever visited him. Not Seth, not Cameron, not even his girlfriend.
"Has anything you've done made your life better?" (In Derek's head) Let's see.... For a while, I had an ideology that gave me purpose Because of that ideology, I ruined relationships in my family That Ideology made me kill 2 people even though it was not necessary I went to Prison because of that, and my DOC brothers were proud of me But they never tried to visit me in prison They never gave my family any help In fact, because of this, we lost our home and now my family lives in a cramped apartment I could have helped them, but I am in here Worst of all, my mother's heart will be broken again when Danny get's to be where I am So yeah.... No!
It's such a simple question and at the same time it's the only one that really matters.
Yep. Sometimes, one question is all you need to realize the error of your ways.
"Has anything you've done made your life better?"
The most disarming words in cinema history.
"Has anything you've done made your life better" is question we should all ask ourselves sometimes.
hello there
In my opinion, perhaps the most pivotal and powerful moment in the film.
Why is it the simplest questions are always the deepest and hardest to answer?
What makes this scene great is not just the performances or Dr. Sweeney's words. It's the fact that, despite all of the crap that Derek has done throughout the film and all the times he's rejected Dr. Sweeney's efforts to help him, Sweeney still talks to him as an equal. He talks to him as a person. He doesn't talk down to him or write him off as just a brainless racist with no hope for redemption. He sees Derek as a smarter and better man than he gives himself credit for and knows that Derek can break through the delusion that his association with white supremacists has created. He never gives up on Derek.
I’d like to imagine that, after what happens to Danny at the end of the film, Sweeney reaches out to help Derek any way he can. Maybe he reads him Danny’s report to stop him from falling back into his Aryan Brotherhood lifestyle.
Such a great scene.
I cry every time
It may be the most important question....
A simple question one that could save a person that said the person has to have brains enough to understand
Other than his mother, Sweeny is the only other person to actually visit Derek. To show care for him during his incarceration. No one from the Disciples of Christ ever visited him. Not Seth, not Cameron, not even his girlfriend.
"Has anything you've done made your life better?"
(In Derek's head)
Let's see....
For a while, I had an ideology that gave me purpose
Because of that ideology, I ruined relationships in my family
That Ideology made me kill 2 people even though it was not necessary
I went to Prison because of that, and my DOC brothers were proud of me
But they never tried to visit me in prison
They never gave my family any help
In fact, because of this, we lost our home and now my family lives in a cramped apartment
I could have helped them, but I am in here
Worst of all, my mother's heart will be broken again when Danny get's to be where I am
So yeah.... No!