Chapter 61: Avenging Angel

"What I mean is, let's meet."

The chat showed the girl taking the initiative, "My sister can drive me to Mitton Café, give me an hour to shower, see you at one."

This girl actively inviting Jeff seemed quite unusual.

Tony Guzman propped up his chin, his body slightly leaving the backrest, as he scribbled absently in his notebook. He wondered, what was this girl planning? Wasn't this like a little lamb walking right into the big bad wolf's den?

"Another girl about to be ruined?" Daisy couldn't help but think so, but the chat also gave her another clue, "It looks like Jeff is completely following this girl's lead."

A black hand grabbed a pen and wrote in the notebook: Opening scene: Seven points! After writing this, Jones Butler continued to watch the film's progress.

Joel Graham was getting drowsy. Just from the beginning, he knew this film relied on violence and sensitive themes as selling points, which didn't appeal to him much. Most of the films he had purchased over the years were purely artistic.

Next to him, Beck Larson tilted his head, watching the screen and making his own judgment. The opening scene wasn't particularly brilliant but could attract a specific audience group. Moreover, the scenes were tightly connected, making viewers want to continue watching rather than lose interest after the start.

Music suddenly played, and musical notes resonated from deep within, the volume just right, without any sound other than music. A pure-colored background filled the vision, cool and refreshing. A red figure suddenly entered the frame, and at the moment of turning back, her bright eyes awakened the softest part of everyone's hearts.

The girl wasn't exceptionally beautiful, but her delicate doll-like face exuded innocence and cuteness, making people instinctively want to protect her, to warn her about the man walking behind her, who was undoubtedly a big bad wolf.

Hayley and Jeff met, sitting in the café, talking happily as if they were very compatible. The girl spoke quickly, with a childlike anticipation for the future. The man appeared gentle and polite, but his constant agreement with the girl's words gave a sense of ulterior motives.

The camera kept switching between them, gray and red alternating, and Jones Butler couldn't help but smile faintly. This director was quite interesting.

"Nice idea!" Tony Guzman nodded in the back.

Even a pure movie fan like Daisy could understand the implied metaphor, "Isn't this just Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf?"

Little Red Riding Hood was ultimately going to follow the Big Bad Wolf home, which made Daisy nervously squeeze her fist for her.

By this point in the film, it had already used very simple cinematic language to inform the audience whether it was the Big Bad Wolf eating Little Red Riding Hood or Little Red Riding Hood defeating the Big Bad Wolf...

At the back of the screening room, Tony Guzman's body had completely left the seatback. Originally, he planned to leave after the opening, but the clever questions the film kept raising made him want to keep watching.

"Each scene is interconnected, each one timely raises questions, and the questions aren't obscure but clear and straightforward, engaging curiosity..."

Writing this, Jones Butler drew an X over the previous seven points and wrote a new number: 7.5!

Just as Daisy was still worrying about Little Red Riding Hood, the plot twist shocked her. This meeting was a carefully planned trap by the little girl, who had found out that the photographer had brutally killed her good friend. She came for revenge. The Hard Candy became a ******, and the little angel revealed the face of a vengeful goddess, drugging the photographer.

Seeing Jeff tied to a heavy chair like a broken sack, Daisy secretly cheered but still felt it wasn't enough.

Not just her, even her male companion visibly relaxed, his eyes filled with anticipation, wondering how Hayley would deal with Jeff.

Someone suddenly stood up at the back, and Tony Guzman moved two rows forward, choosing a better seat.

The screening room was unusually quiet, everyone's eyes tightly fixed on the big screen, including agent Bill Rossis.

Even though he had watched the three-hour rough cut in the studio, he was now emotionally engaged by the tight rhythm and continuous conflicts.

While Hayley fetched water for Jeff, Bill Rossis glanced at the three people beside him. Except for Joel Graham, who seemed uninterested, Jones Butler and Beck Larson were watching the film intently, especially the latter, who occasionally wrote something in his notebook.

Bill Rossis turned to look at Murphy, wondering if he should raise his potential rating a notch.

On the screen, Hayley took off her red coat, revealing a black T-shirt underneath. At this moment, Little Red Riding Hood transformed into an avenging angel.

The character made a ninety-degree turn. That doll-like face remained cute, but her eyes were no longer innocent, her tone became sharp, and combined with her actions, she was definitely a deeply hidden violent Lolita.

"Go hard on him!" Daisy silently cheered in her heart.

The film did not disappoint. Hayley dragged out a series of framed photos from Jeff's studio, questioning if these girls had been violated by him. Jeff loudly denied it, but the louder he denied, the wider he opened his mouth, giving Hayley the perfect opportunity to spray pepper spray into it without mercy.

Jeff was crying and sniffling, but it didn't evoke sympathy. If these were just photos of young girls, someone might object to Hayley's actions. But with the brutal killing shown at the beginning, it was hard not to suspect that these girls had also been violated.

Everyone thought about the initial cruel murder scene and felt that Hayley's treatment of Jeff was completely justified. In fact, they felt it wasn't enough.

A large stack of young girls' photos was displayed, and Jeff refused to admit any wrongdoing, even warning Hayley that her actions might break the law. The little girl displayed her high intelligence, continuously attacking Jeff verbally and psychologically.

Who was this young actress? This was another aspect that caught Jones Butler's attention.

Even though the film was only a third through, the actress playing Hayley had already left a deep impression. From initial innocence to later decisiveness, the transition was very natural. Her strong presence not only overpowered her opponent Jeff but also surprised her.

Jones Butler couldn't help but think of Kirsten Dunst's outstanding performance in "The Virgin Suicides."

The film wasn't easy to watch. As Hayley searched Jeff's house, more and more evidence of his crimes emerged.