I've always thought the line Dignan delivers while running away from Anthony after the first heist gives a real window into his character: "You know there's nothing to steal from my mom and Craig." With that one line, not even delivered to the camera but by a character who's heading the opposite direction, you know that Dignan comes from a broken home and that he's a relatively under-priviliged guy whose friends are from the middle-class. That's really all the background you need on Dignan to really feel for him and root for him -- he's a dreamer because his dreams are probably all he's ever had.

Exactly.

That line used to crack me up laughing, now it kind of breaks me up (like heart breaking) every time. What is it about these movies tht are funny at first, but get more emotional the more times you watch them?

FutureMan <p>"Bob Maplethorpe potential getaway driver, GO!"</p>

i don't know, but someone could write a thesis on it...

it would make for an interesting paper...

<p>"Does the fact that I'm trying to do it do it for you?"</p>

I never really thought of it that way. I always laugh when I hear that line because it sounds so akward "Mom and Craig" combined with the goofy way he runs after saying it, its one of my favorite parts.. But i guess it does actually say a lot if you think about it, you're right...

I don't have much to add other to agree. I watched BR twice yesterday (it was on one of my many HBO channels) and I have to agree that Dignan is such a heartbreaking character. That line really compounds everything.

I know I say this too much in different threads, but I'm simply in awe of Wes' ability to communicate the humor and sadness in one fell swoop, but on different levels.

from what i've seen of the movie i kind of thought that it was supposed to portray Dignan as selfish, when something bad is about to happen to him he ducks and runs, but maybe i can see you guys's side of it <p><center><font face="gothic" size=2 color="red">Geniuses like us spend their time playing Gamecube.<BR><BR><image src="http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Events/1304/DavidCrossandBobOden_Pimentel_318581_400.jpg" height=275 width=250> </font></center></p>

I certainly do see what you mean there.

I think that lends to our love-hate relationship with the character. I want to ring his neck for about 65% of the film, and the other time is divided among my cracking up at his cliche-ridden dialogue, jumpsuit and what not (ahhh, centralamericaandwhatnot), and you know, feeling some degree of pity.

Case in point:
"You know there's nothing to steal from my mom and Craig."

Start out irritated with him for stealing Anthony's mom's earrings; Move on to laughing about his hollering out the door that Anthony got another ball on the pinball machine, and does he want him to play it; And then that line--aww.

But I can just as easily become annoyed with Anthony because he thinks it's a big g'damned deal (enough of a deal to include the point in his whine) that he picked the earrings out himself. Please. Round of applause for the man stopped jet-skiing long enough to buy a pair of earrings for his mother.

Oh, and I'm sorry, Dignan, but I'm going to skip breakfast and have sex with Inez. Oh, and I'm sorry, Dignan, but I'm going to give your part of the money to Inez. Oh, and I'm sorry, Dignan, but I'm not going to be in your gang, unless Mr. Henry guilts me into it. (Although I wouldn't have been in the gang, but you see what I'm getting at.)

But, thanks, Dignan, for coming to break me out of the hospital.

There's a lot of selfishness in every person in this film. Dignan's is easier to spot. What're you gonna do...they're young.

i think that line really reflects that Dignan is a little bit jealous of Anthony. "there's nothing to steal from my mom and Craig!"
a. who is craig? his brother? his mom's boyfriend? husband? whatever the case, Dignan probably comes from a singe-mother home. not that that's bad (i come from one, too.) but you're always kinda jealous of your friends whose parents are still together.

b. Anthony probably comes from a home where there IS more to steal, i.e. the earrings and other valuables, so dignan may be a little jealous of his socioeconomic status too.

c. Dignan is trying to express that even though Anthony has so much, he is still complaining (which is selfish of Anthony). Anthony is comparing his situation to Dignan's ("how about if we rob your house, did you ever think of that?") when i don't think the two of them are comparable in that way.

so they're both a little immature and selfish-- but they're still friends. which is very realistic.

"Tell Anthony 'I love em'." - Rocky

"O.K. man." - Dignan

I think of Craig as being a younger brother.

I always thought Craig was a step-dad

I'm with you, Rowboat. It seems if Dignan had a brother, we would have seen him. (We saw FutureMan and Grace, after all.)

<p>"How interesting! How bizarre!"</p>

The scene may have been cut though. Future man was the oposite of bob. Grace was the oposite of Anthony. If they stuck with the theme of oposite siblings can you imagine how boring the oposite of dignan would be. Craig would have to be in a coma. <p>Me fail english? that's unpossible.</p>

Dignan: Okay, there do you see the star is me, right there, and I'll be in there. The "X" is Anthony. Bob you're the "0" out here in the car.

<p>...and Bob, remember, shield me from the bullets. They won’t shoot civilians.</p>

"Just a matter of time i pick up the phone and i say:'Mr.H, we are coming home!'So don't worry about your future,man.Cause i am thinking."

This line is great!

LET'S GET LUCKY!