We start the scene at 1:05:09. Helen is woken up by mike, but she doesn’t mind. “What kind of trouble are you in? I’m always glad when you’re in trouble because you always come to me.” In this scene we get a glimpse of Mike’s place of refuge, Helen’s duality, and a look into the character’s inner conflicts.
Helen is Mike’s place of comfort from the cold and corrupt world that he is so willingly involved in. The tough façade he proudly bares fades away in her soft presence. The display of the stark contrast between the two worlds, the battle between innocence and corruption. The world filled with the indisputable fact that multiple people in his path have gotten murdered, beaten, and tortured. As Telotte puts it “a morally ambiguous hero.” Helem sees in him only a side she and the audience know. A man so sure of himself, with the only woman who can bring him back down to earth. Once he mentions that he wants to avenge the death of his friend, she is not having it. He has had several chances to leave the situation long behind, but he made his choice. The exhilarating pursuit of an unspeakable amount of money changes everything.
Helen’s hypocrisy surprised me, as she also plays a role in this. She is no stranger to this lifestyle and everything that comes with it. She knew what she what getting herself into from the beginning, choosing to be complicit with detective she loves. She cannot play the innocent card, as the audience knows too much, she is just as guilty and has enjoyed the benefits of what this lifestyle has brought. She cannot pick and choose when to implement her morals. Are your actions only justified when it benefits you?
She reminds me a lot of Carmela, the anti-hero’s wife in the sopranos. When she doesn’t know if she loves her husband “in spite of it (their lifestyle) or because of it.” We see the thrill that comes with this type of toxic dynamic, the attraction to someone with power. Someone that has the world and everything in it at their grasp. She has made this decision with no remorse up until now. Mike has not been faithful to her, yet she still is extremely faithful to him. At the end of the day, no matter what someone like Mike has or hasn’t done, isn’t that all they can ask for?
Maybe she is not opposed to what he is thinking of doing rather of the consequences of what could happen. She cannot bare the idea of losing him, even when she only has him for a few short moments. Those short moments feed her and satisfy her needs. She knows that he could be hurt or killed, and what would her purpose be without him? She needs his validation instead of seeking her own approval.
Does Mike actually love her or is she just there to help enforce pressure and help execute his plan? He uses everyone in his life. They all serve a purpose.
