Original artwork, not a still
You're a bit of a puzzlement to me these days, Wendell. You don't seem to be your old cruel self anymore. And I had such grand plans for your future.
— L.A. Confidential · 1997
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The speaker expresses disappointment that Wendell seems less cruel than before, presenting his former harshness as a quality worth encouraging. The reference to grand plans makes the complaint unsettling: what might look like personal improvement to others appears here as a loss of promise.
Context reviewed
