Problem Solving Style In "Conspiracy Theory"

[geoff]

Intellectually, I can understand the difference between linear and holistic. Identifying it in movies has, as I recall, not been so certain.

The MC (I presume to be Mel Gibson’s character) in Conspiracy Theory was determined to be a Linear Problem Solver. However, I can think of at least two instances of holistic problem solving, one of which was during a quick reflex. He’s in a movie theatre and sees goons searching for him. He screams out: “There’s a bomb under the seat”. People panic, providing him a cover of escape. At another point, as I recall, he ties tin cans to a car that he doesn’t want to covertly follow a bus. The goal is to draw unwanted attention to the car. In both cases, it seems he’s employing the same technique that the female character in “The Palm Beach Story” used. She didn’t want a man to chase after her so, rather than confront him directly, she changed the environment. She told a police officer he was being fresh with her. That slows him down, allowing her to escape.

[Greg]

It’s been too long since I’ve seen it to remember much about it, but I think usually the answer to this is that problem-solving style is a preference. As in the character prefers to solve things one way or the other first, but is allowed to use both styles.

When you say “rather than confront him directly, she changed the environment” I may be misinterpreting your intent, but changing the environment is typically about whether a character is a be-er or a Do-er I think. I’m not familiar with “The Palm Beach Story” so it could be that changing the environment is also changing the balance somehow, in which case the statement still applies.