Good Movie-spoilers
It's striking in retrospect once you realize that everyone, including the caretaker who bugged Virgil's car and told Clair'e elaborate backstory, was in on it from the beginning. Claire conversations while Virgil watched her were also a put-on. But, it wasn't hard to figure out something's up in the last act:
By the time Claire and Virgil's romance appeared to wrap up, there was still 35-40 minutes left in the film so you knew SOMETHING was about to go down
Billy's bitterness and tension toward Virgil, especially at the final auction made it obvious he had bad intentions toward him
Again, the neat wrapped up romance with 40 minutes left in the film and we still didn't know who was leaving the gears all over the house and Claire never indicated it was her. I was also suspicious of Robert early and found it odd that he didn't want to be paid for his work
The incredibly awkward dinner with exchanged glances and Claire looking extremely uncomfortable around Virgil; at that point, I'd already figured she'd scammed him, I just didn't know the full extent of the scam.
It was a really cold thing to do but, Virgil brought it on himself: he conspired with Billy for decades to trick people out of their artwork.
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jamiemjenkins
I guess he decided to take a risk with a hopes that there was some truth in the fraud; that she loved him after all. But, I thought it was obvious that she didn't. I suppose he was too ashamed to report it to the police.
insoya87
If you haven't seen the movie do NOT read this post.
I'm really glad I read your post suriname, because I was a little confused by the twist at the end. I understood Claire was an actress renting the villa and Robert worked on the mechanical lift for the dwarf, the owner of the villa. And that the caretaker faked the backstory. But I didn't know Billy stole Virgil's collection and used Robert/Claire to do it until I saw the back of the painting signed by Billy. All because Virgil didn't appreciate Billy's art. Wow, what an elaborate set-up. Why didn't Virigl choose to report this to the police, when he was standing in front of the station? Why did he instead go to Budapest to wait uselessly in the Night and Day cafe? He remembered her words "no matter what happens to us, remember that I love you" and lived by those words. A completely destroyed man. Sure he was a crook before, but this was particularly cruel to do to an already lonely man. I thought this movie was fantastic. A reviewer said it reminded him of Hitchcock and I thought the same thing. They don't make movies like this anymore. I want to watch it again.
The Best Offer
Released: January 01, 2013
Synopsis:
Virgil Oldman is a world renowned antiques expert and auctioneer. An eccentric genius, he leads a solitary life, going to extreme lengths to keep his distance from the messiness of human relationships. When appointed by the beautiful but emotionally damaged Claire to oversee the valuation and sale of her family’s priceless art collection, Virgil allows himself to form an attachment to her – and soon he is engulfed by a passion which will rock his bland existence to the core.