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this line lives so deep in my brain: "You want to know how I did it? I never saved anything for the swim back"

by snissn 4y ago

losvedir 4y ago
I never understood that. I don't think the movie is clear exactly what happens, but he... does swim back, right? Or does he just flounder and rely on his brother bringing him back?
- skeeter2020 4y ago
  The movie leaves it a little vague, but his brother disappearing would wrap up the plot nicely, as would his brother finally seeing the Vincent's perspective and keeping his mouth shut. On a broader level it's the "burn the ships" strategy; nothing motivates like having no alternative.
- evan_ 4y ago
  He didn’t limit himself planning for the future, rather he found that when the time came he had strength he didn’t realize he had.
- InspiredIdiot 4y ago
  Also, he quite likely _does_ die in space. Which figuratively but very directly represents not leaving anything for the swim back. There is room to square the main message of the movie about transcending limits with Gore Vidal's line (something like) "No one exceeds his potential... It would simply mean we had failed to accurately assess it in the first place." Maybe he makes it back, maybe he doesn't, but he goes, does what he sets out to do with no consideration of whether he will be able to return and then tries to return. It's exactly equivalent to people who say they would go to Mars even without knowing whether it is a one-way trip at the outset.
  - goatlover 4y ago
    One message of the movie could be that there is no fixed measure of potential. There are too many variables. One of them being how badly someone wants to achieve something. Thus it’s massively unfair to measure someone’s potential at birth.
- mhb 4y ago
  The one I didn't really understand was "It's too late for that. We're closer to the other side."
  - anonymouskimmer 4y ago
    I thought it was a large lake or inlet, and it would take less effort to keep swimming to the land at the other side than it would to turn around and swim back to the start.
    - mhb 4y ago
      Well that would make sense. I thought it was the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. Especially since Anton seems confused by that also. Also if they were closer to the other side physically, rather than metaphorically, why turn around?
    - mhb 4y ago
      I like this explanation: https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/yuekuu/comment/iw9zut0/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/yuekuu/comment/iw9z...
  - darkerside 4y ago
    They both die here, and the rest of the movie is a dream sequence
- wonderwonder 4y ago
  He is willing to die to succeed. If that meant in that moment to outswim his brother he had to drown then he was willing to do it. His brother was limited by his fear of death and his subconscious need to still turn around and swim back. He had no concern so was willing to go as long as it took. It just so happened that he was physically fit enough to be able to make the return swim as his brother quit in time.
giantg2 4y ago
"You want to know how I did it? I never saved anything for the swim back" Sure, it hits deep. But even as a kid, I remember thinking "That's how people drown in real life".
- TapWaterBandit 4y ago
  That's the whole point though, right? Anton's top priority was to not drown. Vincent's top priority was to win (Even if it resulted in his death).
  - giantg2 4y ago
    I mean, it does depend on how you look at it. You might win by swimming out farther, but you might consider that a loss if you drown on the way back. The survivor would at least see that as a win for them.
hipjiveguy 4y ago
He had more in him than science told him he did. He was more than just his DNS/genetics - his soul, and strength weren't measurable by his genetics, and having a challenge in life, being "less", was actually a blessing, as he tired harder and did more with what he had than what those who were given so much with did - nothing

this line lives so deep in my brain: "You want to know how I did it? I never saved anything for the swim back"

by snissn 4y ago

this line lives so deep in my brain: "You want to know how I did it? I never saved anything for the swim back"

I never understood that. I don't think the movie is clear exactly what happens, but he... does swim back, right? Or does he just flounder and rely on his brother bringing him back?

skeeter2020 4y ago
The movie leaves it a little vague, but his brother disappearing would wrap up the plot nicely, as would his brother finally seeing the Vincent's perspective and keeping his mouth shut. On a broader level it's the "burn the ships" strategy; nothing motivates like having no alternative.
evan_ 4y ago
He didn’t limit himself planning for the future, rather he found that when the time came he had strength he didn’t realize he had.
InspiredIdiot 4y ago
Also, he quite likely _does_ die in space. Which figuratively but very directly represents not leaving anything for the swim back. There is room to square the main message of the movie about transcending limits with Gore Vidal's line (something like) "No one exceeds his potential... It would simply mean we had failed to accurately assess it in the first place." Maybe he makes it back, maybe he doesn't, but he goes, does what he sets out to do with no consideration of whether he will be able to return and then tries to return. It's exactly equivalent to people who say they would go to Mars even without knowing whether it is a one-way trip at the outset.
- goatlover 4y ago
  One message of the movie could be that there is no fixed measure of potential. There are too many variables. One of them being how badly someone wants to achieve something. Thus it’s massively unfair to measure someone’s potential at birth.
mhb 4y ago
The one I didn't really understand was "It's too late for that. We're closer to the other side."
- anonymouskimmer 4y ago
  I thought it was a large lake or inlet, and it would take less effort to keep swimming to the land at the other side than it would to turn around and swim back to the start.
  - mhb 4y ago
    Well that would make sense. I thought it was the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. Especially since Anton seems confused by that also. Also if they were closer to the other side physically, rather than metaphorically, why turn around?
  - mhb 4y ago
    I like this explanation: https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/yuekuu/comment/iw9zut0/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3 https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/yuekuu/comment/iw9z...
- darkerside 4y ago
  They both die here, and the rest of the movie is a dream sequence
wonderwonder 4y ago
He is willing to die to succeed. If that meant in that moment to outswim his brother he had to drown then he was willing to do it. His brother was limited by his fear of death and his subconscious need to still turn around and swim back. He had no concern so was willing to go as long as it took. It just so happened that he was physically fit enough to be able to make the return swim as his brother quit in time.

giantg2 4y ago

"You want to know how I did it? I never saved anything for the swim back" Sure, it hits deep. But even as a kid, I remember thinking "That's how people drown in real life".

TapWaterBandit 4y ago
That's the whole point though, right? Anton's top priority was to not drown. Vincent's top priority was to win (Even if it resulted in his death).
- giantg2 4y ago
  I mean, it does depend on how you look at it. You might win by swimming out farther, but you might consider that a loss if you drown on the way back. The survivor would at least see that as a win for them.

hipjiveguy 4y ago

He had more in him than science told him he did. He was more than just his DNS/genetics - his soul, and strength weren't measurable by his genetics, and having a challenge in life, being "less", was actually a blessing, as he tired harder and did more with what he had than what those who were given so much with did - nothing