I don't think you're looking at it the right way. I always thought of it this way:
Memphis left because he knew he was creating a bad example for his younger brother by boosting cars, but Kip always looked up to his brother and his father and loved cars just like they did. Kip got into the boost game, but he went in way over his head by getting into business with Raymond Calitri. Atley found out what Kip was up to, but he knew there was no way to get out unless Kip finished the job. So, he decided to help him. Also, he was susceptible to the boost game as well. He says in the beginning of the film when talking to Memphis, "You should know I work for him. There weren't a lot of opportunities for retired car thieves on the gimp. He put me to work."
Like Atley said in the film, "Your brother has become quite the little crew runner since you left. You don't talk to your Ma?" You act like it was Atley's responsibility or obligation to keep Kip out of the boost game when that's not true at all. It was Memphis' responsibility. That's the whole reason he left town. His mother told him to go because Kip would follow his footsteps, and he knew she was right. Atley strikes me as the type of character that if it was his fault Kip got into the boost game, he would take full responsibility, but not once in the entire film does anybody say that it was Atley's fault. It was Kip's doing, not Atley's negligence, that led him down that road.
Don't you think that when Atley first told Memphis about the trouble that Kip was into, Memphis would have been angry or upset with Atley if it was his fault?
"Some men just want to watch the world burn."
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WavyG
11 years ago
Very good points. It just seemed to me at the time that Atley working with Kip was like a slap in the face to Memphis.
That being said, I can't believe this thread is still going six years later!
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