In this chapter, it becomes somewhat easier to hone in on the kind of decision-making that keeps getting Jessica in trouble. After waking up from the fourth occasion of her getting drunk and passing out, for instance, Jessica decides to keep her romantic date with Ray at his home instead of getting in touch with her old Asian lady neighbor who might be her A.A. sponsor, maybe just taking a long shower or something.
To be fair, of course, such matters are not entirely off her radar, as she muses in her next therapy session, "Maybe I drink too much... I don't know." But this glimmer of self-awareness is little consolation to the growing number of people who are dead apparently as a direct result of Jessica's enthusiasm for red wine. On the other hand, events have reached the point where the multitudes of men endeavoring to have sex with Jessica might try not having sex with Jessica if they don't feel like being murdered.
As one of the only men in the film who seems immune to Jessica's erotic powers, Dr. Frank proves himself as one of the more intelligent characters in the film (or possibly a homosexual). Indeed, as someone who is good at his job, Dr. Frank is in sharp contrast to John, who insists that Jessica not only go free but stay on the case. Unfortunately for the next victim, the "case" in question is probably the case of wine Jessica is going to pick up on her way home from the police station.
On the other hand, despite his name, Dr. Frank fails to truly deal with some of the alarming information Jessica provides him in their session:
I pass out, and when I wake up, I think I've done terrible things. There's been another murder and I'm my best suspect. This third victim, I slept with him too... I know [I have it in me]. I know. Am I losing my mind? I have violent dreams, flashes. I'm hearing voices...
Considering that Dr. Frank's original assignment was simply to counsel Jessica after her "traumatic" experience at the beginning of the film (in which she kicked an unarmed suspect while he lay on the ground, which must have been very upsetting for her), perhaps it would be most professional of him to refer Jessica to the best psychiatrist he knows. |