Why the Mona Lisa is the KEY to Glass Onion 

Any art history major will tell you that the Mona Lisa wasn't considered a masterpiece until after it was stolen in 1911. The newspapers called it the crime of century, although really one of the workmen at the Louvre hid in a broom closet and just grabbed it off the wall after it had closed. When it was recovered the previously unappreciated Mona Lisa became the most famous painting in the world. Whether it's Da'Vinci's greatest work or not is debatable, but since it's so famous everyone assumes it is. In this way the Mona Lisa could represent Miles Bron in the movie. Miles is also completely dependent on his fame to maintain his reputation as a brilliant industrialist and innovator. Even Benoit Blanc assumed he would be to smart to kill Andi himself. (In hindsight we should have realized the emperor had no clothes as soon as we saw Miles' note "Uber for Biospheres?") And for all his talk of DaVinci's technique Miles' reverence for Mona Lisa is derived from how famous it is. His life's goal is to be remembered with it, to be just as famous as the Mona Lisa, and since he stole Andi's idea for Alpha, then just like the Mona Lisa Miles owes his fame to a theft.

The "disruptors" do not turn on Miles at the end as a means of redemption, they have no altruistic motives! They turn on him because they realize that the money and influence he awarded them is gone. And Helen "becomes" Mona Lisa at the end as she sits on the bench!

I always thought of it as the direct opposite of the glass onion concept. A glass onion is something that appears complex but isn’t, and the Mona Lisa appears simple but is actually complex. It’s the difference between Miles and Helen. (Also another interesting thing is how at the beginning, Miles’ friends play by his rules to open the box invitation but Helen immediately breaks it lol. She really is the true disrupter in the story.)

Anyone notice that as Miles watches the Mona Lisa burn he resembles the second most famous painting in the world…Edvard Munch’s “The Scream”.

I disagree with the idea that they were freed from their chains - the threat of Miles was removed from them to give them the safety to go against him, but they are still beholden to following what will make them the most profit or look the best. Miles called them shitheads like Helen did at the end because they again sold someone out for their own gain. They are still weak and compliant in my opinion because they cannot make a strong move without someone stronger doing it first

As much as I feel sorry for the Mona Lisa getting destroyed at the end, at least her sacrifice was not in vain. (I know Helen purposefully wanted the painting destroyed but it was necessary for the destruction of Mike’s empire.)

Change will cost us and if we want that change we have to be able to give some things up. Helen is the one with any backbone. She actually changes the world.

The actual Mona Lisa is painted on poplar, not canvas, whereas the fire at the end of the film clearly shows canvas burning. Is this a plot hole or a signal that Miles *thought* he had the Mona Lisa - just as he thought he had Paul McCartney's guitar, even though McCartney plays left-handed - but in fact had just a copy? I've been thinking about this since my first viewing. It's not mentioned in the film.

You’re such a criminally underrated channel, the editing, the commentary are all such a breath of fresh air

The movie shows how representatives of the cultural elite (Politician, Scientist, Streamer, Celebrity) are actually all in thrall to the billionaire tech bro, who himself is dependent on an army of engineers, lawyers, "puzzle guy", and mystery writers to actually do anything.

One point that wasn’t mentioned was how Mona Lisa itself is a bit of a glass onion: it has nearly 30 layers of painting by da Vinci but ultimately what you’re seeing is what you get. At a thematic level one could argue that the mythos of the painting is a bit of a glass onion too, given that people imbue so much meaning and thought into why it’s famous or special - like miles himself tries to explain - but the answer is just stupid (and not even brilliantly so): it rose to prominence and awareness because it got stolen. It’s like it went viral when you couldn’t easily do só - and precisely bc of that, nothing else quickly swept in and took over the attention like it happens these days. Back to more of a grounded thematic element, the jumps between Mona Lisa and Andi definitely are referencing the layers of painting of Mona as an analogy for the layers through which we’re seeing Andi herself unaware of what’s beneath it

Interesting video throughout. Love the way you depicted it. Definitely agree on the points you made 👍

Also the fact that the Mona Lisa didn't become famous in history until someone stole it 🤷🏼‍♀️

I wonder if the "disruptor speech" also referred to Johnson's movie in the Star Wars universe. Especially the part about breaking "THE thing that nobody wants you to break".

I didn't notice this until now, but the dress Helen/Andi wears when she first arrives on the island foreshadows her next outfit: both have red on the left side of the chest!

Frankly, the obsession with the painting was my first big clue that Norton's character was just a rich idiot, therefore unsympathetic and the perfect villain. Later, when he mispronounced author Gillian Flynn's name, I knew it was gonna be him. I didn't anticipate all that stuff with Helen, and so I appreciate this video for diving into the subtext before and after the reveal.

Nice vid, good luck with your channel! I loved Nortons face when the Mona Lisa went up in flames.

Great video man! Never thought about this context of the mona lisa being a representation of Helen.

Great Video,Kid! Been watching your videos all afternoon. Looking forward to more!

just came across your channel and as usual as other channels i follow i was expecting millions of views or a huge following, due to the beautiful editing of your videos and how you create such art as your talking about art. i know your channel is going to be big , i love your videos and how you build them , love the videos alot

The actor playing Miles did a REALLY good job.

you are going places my guy

Your knive_sharp analysis is neat! Cutting to points that exemplary demonstrates of what Johnson could do in his original franchise.

One thing about the mona lisa I didn't get during the film (and this could becme being v dumb or missing a line) was that right before Duke was murdered, the barriers off the mona Lisa kept sliding on and off while everyone (beside Helen) was all together. Can someone please tell me what was going on to cause that?

THE LAST JEDI is the only good thing about Disney having STAR WARS

I enjoyed your succinct analysis. Thank you.

5:10 did this quote actually pay homage to Hitchcock's film? Was what Miles said a quote from that movie, or are you pointing out that he used the word "vertigo"?

Outstanding video

this review is pretty good!

Towards the end , A nostalgic dream !? Bro , you know that one to ?!? I Subscribed so hard just now !

Love this breakdown that adds to the discussion surrounding this movie, but the poor sportsmanship towards the director's previous work was unnecessary. I'm here for Glass Onion praise, not for listening to yet another Twitter take 😂

This movie is fulllllll of Cinema Sins

Can you boost your audio in the future? I had to amp up my laptop to hear you sometimes. I really enjoyed the analysis dude. It really solidified this movie in my top 10

This film remind me of “Last of Sheila.” Directed by Herbert Ross. 1973.

what is actually written on the napkin is laughably absurd.

This is a great video! Could you possibly add captions to this video? It was hard to follow the video essay without captions.

I was waiting for the destruction of the painting for the greater good to be connected to the glue actions of Just Stop Oil

This is an interesting argument, but I think it puts too much focus on the symbolism of the Mona Lisa, which is ultimately there only as a darkly comedy riposte to Miles' nonsensical, narcissistic need to be known "in the same breath at the Mona Lisa". So while it's cool that you can find more to it than that, I really don't think it pulls enough focus to be the thing the film revolves around. It's more like the cherry on top

The Mona Lisa is actually an ancient photograph using 'camera obscura' which was used by Davinci all the time. There are several layers that were actually painted by Davinci himself but it is a lost technique by all means

Just watched this movie and it was good.

The Monalisa is the Glass Onion simple but complicated the more you look at it.

Before watching this video I had to watch that Pisceshite movie. Let's hope the video will end up being better.

I think most people -- both people who like and people who hate TLJ -- believe Johnson would make a great standalone Star Wars

The Last Jedi is his best movie.

im the hand up mona lisa's dress

It's also very very important to note that the painting is fake. Like canonically. The mona Lisa was painted on poplar wood, and miles' burns like cotton or hemp.

It still blows my mind how bad The Last Jedi was but how good these two movies have been.

Ben Shapiro: waaa I feel mIsDiRecTeD

Stuka Whirlwind

But the Mona Lisa miles has is a copy. It's too big and painted on canvas not wood. Unless you understand that it's a fake, you miss the major point of the film.

"One of the best movies of the year" ??? Wow man , wow. I am truly dissapointed . I have zero faith in your taste and ability.

Your lying on a goldmine here, I can only hope the algorithm helps out.

The final leap for the greater good? More like the greater evil.

THE LAST JEDI was great, get over it.

Yes! More knives out less Star wars Ryan

I have a feeling Da Vinci would rather have his most famous burned than have it the hands of a Miles Bron, a Jeff Bezos or an Elon Musk.

the last jedi is the GOAT

He does the same thing to mysteries that he did to star wars and it's great.

The Last Jedi was great though.

There are people in the comments who believe the Last Jedi is the best SW movie

Its hard for me to take you or this video seriously since you resort to bashing Rian Johnson over a movie that a lot of us thought to be the best in the three movies of the Star Wars sequel. Might I suggest you just get over your hatred for it?

The Mona Lisa is painted on a wood Panel not canvas would it burn like that was miles really a fool who bought the recreation that was hanging in the museum at the time thinking it was real or just a better burn up for visual?

What if the Beatle's song - "Glass Onion" have also multilayer onion ring meaning? The Mathematica principal publishers Edmond Halley in 1692 conjectured that the Earth might consist of a hollow shell about 800 km? (500 mi) thick, two inner concentric shells, and an innermost core. Atmospheres separate these shells, and each shell has its own magnetic poles. What if the sun rotates inside hollow earth and when sunlight hits glass inner spheres it creates an onion or tulip bulb Lennon lyrics: Looking through the bent-backed tulips. Tulip and onion-shaped bulb. This is David Brown's "DaVinci Code" stuff.

He made the best Star Wars movie imo. And I hope that future SW fans will appreciate it more.

I actually really enjoyed his Star wars movie Just not as a f****** Star wars movie lol

Was looking forward to watching this and you ruined it in less than 30 seconds.

glass onion = meh movie...wheels spinning. knives out is great.

I want Johnson away from starwars, but for the sake of Johnson. Most of starwars is no more than forgetable kill-time entertainment after the Original Trilogy. I mean, i love starwars: but there is no sacred story, character or worldbuilding to protect; everything has been done and redone before: (the lore has been retouched so many times and) most of it is in the range of ok...fine...regular (i am also talking about comics, games and novels i read from both old eu and new eu), and StarWars survives everything; we are not gonna loose it for a movie someone doesn't like; the galaxy won't be destroyed forever. Like, people still watches starwars after ix, and that one was a Franchize killer. If suddenly something energetic and good comes out, the hype will rise again. In the case of Johnson, he is yet to make a mediocre, forgettable movie. And for some reason, being involved in something something starwars may destroy some people's career and potential, as much as it can boost them. Johnson doesn't need boost.

Man I hate being stupid

I bet you got an a in English 😂

Was excited to watch your video until you made the fateful TLJ cut within the first 30 seconds. Nope. Can't do it. I'm out.

Can't agree with this at all. For me this was the first nail in the coffin. For years I listened when ppl said RJ was a hack and said to myself that ok. X has its flaws but it works. Y has its flaws but it works. He sucks at SW. I always found an excuse for his shortcomings. This is the point I realized that it works despite RJs contribution, not because of it. It works because of good actors working together elevating a mediocre story into something else. IDK if it was the wrong actors or how they were paired off or how they interacted but this one was a fail for me. I doubt i'll be as forgiving with RJs work moving forward. And as an FYI if your story has as a centerpiece the destruction of a piece of art that is supposedly a heritage of mankind you're no better than isis. Go had in hand and wreck what better ppl have done with far fewer resources while proclaiming yourself to be better than them. Even though had you been born in their time you would be lucky to be anything but a speedbump in the civilization's progression.

Ben Shapiro should have watched this, before opening his big mouth.

Helen destroying and in the final shot replacing the Mona Lisa is obviously Rians self insert as the guy who destroyed what no one wanted destroy, star wars. It goes perfect with his “let the past die, kill it if you must” Also, this is an anti-whodunnit. (Just like TLJ was an anti-star wars film. Yea. Thats his one trick. A true “disruptor” if you will.) There is no mystery in here. The film makes that clear as soon as Helen smashes the puzzle box at the start. This film has the exact same philosophy as TLJ, so I find it weird you hated that and loved this.

Not even twenty seconds before the 10000th bad Star Wars take on RU-vid. Too bad, it sounded like an interesting video. I'm out!

That last scene destroyed the movie for me, I could not get over it. She destroyed such an important piece of art (with all the other ones) for her own interest, for her own revenge. It made me hate the caracter so much. I'm French and love art, so I might be bias lol

My personal opinion is that Glass Onion was a silly, pretentious, and incredibly bloated movie. Craig's "southern" accent was waaaay cringe-worthy, and too many things were too simple-mindedly telegraphed. Did anyone see that roomful of glass sculptures and not know they'd all end up broken on the floor? Did anyone hear the word Hindenburg and not know the story would end in a fiery paroxysm? This kind of english-style drawing-room mysteries are supposed to be clever and subtle - not bludgeon you over the head...

I appreciated the movie for consistency, great reincorporation, and tight storytelling, but Johnson's politics that he stuffs down your throat are such a vapid turnoff that it made me hate this movie. Johnson is a clever, good filmmaker. He's also a smug, pretentious, out of touch prick and his personality simultaneously is the strongest and weakest part of every film he does.

Just couldnt resist bashing Star Wars could you. 👎🏽👎🏽