The Wisdom of Crocodiles 2000

Neuropsychologists assert that “we don’t have one brain. We have three—one that is human, built over another that is mammalian, built over yet another that’s reptilian. So, when a psychiatrist asks you to lie down on the couch, you’re being asked to lie down with a horse and with a crocodile.” [Steven Grlscz]

In the midst of a tragic scene, a wrecked car hangs perilously in the treetops, and the unfortunate driver is a young woman. Investigators arrive at the scene, noticing the absence of blood but failing to connect the dots. Among the crowd of onlookers, her fiancé, Steven Grlscz, is a silent observer. As he grapples with his emotions, he jots down a single word in his diary: despair.

Later that day, when waiting for the Tube, Steven intervenes to save Maria Vaughan from jumping in front of the train. Their encounter leads to a passionate love affair. When Steven believes that Maria reciprocates his feelings, their relationship takes a dark turn—he lures her into his bed, drinks her blood, and ultimately disposes of her body at sea. The next entry in his diary reads: disappointment.

Unconventional for a vampire, Steven possesses unique traits: he can walk in the sunlight, consume regular food, and lacks the typical fangs, yet he must drink blood monthly to survive. He preys on young women, establishing connections before sealing their fates. During a visit to a museum, he sketches Anne Levels [Elina Löwensohn], an asthmatic structural engineer. Their subsequent meeting at a cappuccino shop leads to plans for a date, which Anne cancels to focus on her work. Undeterred, Steven brings her takeout, initiating a meticulously orchestrated relationship between predator and prey.

As Steven’s past catches up with him, news breaks of Maria’s body being discovered. Anxious about the implications, he calls the police, aware that their investigation could lead back to him. Inspector Healey and Sergeant Roche begin to probe his life. Steven concocts a story about an argument with Maria that ended their relationship, thus positioning himself as a prime suspect. Despite this, he and Inspector Healey form an unexpected bond after Steven saves him from an assault.

With Anne, things appear hopeful. In his diary, Steven describes her as confident, independent, witty, and a fascinating storyteller. His fascination leads him to keep detailed notes on his relationships. During a tour of his workplace—a medical research facility—he shows Anne crystals formed in human organs, asserting that emotional turmoil leads to their creation. During a harrowing incident involving the gang that previously attacked Healey, Steven showcases his extraordinary vampiric abilities to protect Anne, further cementing their bond.

However, suspicion looms. Inspector Healey and Sergeant Roche remain wary, questioning people around Steven’s movements. A toll collector fails to identify Steven during a lineup, momentarily alleviating the pressure. As Steven and Healey’s friendship deepens, Steven returns Healey’s stolen crucifix, leading the inspector to reconsider Steven’s character, especially upon learning that he saved Maria’s life.

Tension escalates when Anne confronts Steven after a brief spat, leading to a period of silence between them. After an intense workday, Anne realizes her feelings for him and reaches out. Perhaps surprisingly, Steven confesses his struggles with his vampiric nature: his desperation for blood has him deteriorating, prompting an urgent need for love. He believes that true love could cure him, wondering if Anne might be that cure.

In a poignant twist, Steven offers Anne a knife, suggesting that one cut could end his life within minutes. Yet, rather than flee, Anne chooses to stay and care for him as he weakens. Despite his instincts urging him to feed, Steven finds himself unable to harm her, revealing his real craving for love rather than the darker side of his nature.

As Anne’s affection for him deepens, he finds hope, and when he leaps into a final act of desperation, the fate of both hangs in the balance. “When I was a boy,” Steven reminisces, “I fell out of a tree but managed just to grab a branch. I hung there for a long time, terrified, the silence and the pain in my arms, and the blood pounding in my ears. And then I fell.”

As events unfold, an altercation pushes Anne to the edge, leaving her torn between life and death. As she attempts to sever their toxic bond, Steven’s realization of their connection leads to one final act of love. The story culminates in a moment of heartbreaking clarity, and with a profound release, Steven lets go of life, leaving Anne to navigate the aftermath of a love entwined with darkness and vulnerability.