Going crazy or already crazy? You've got two different characters – one is a European pioneer settling in the woods of Upper Canada, the other, the son of an important scientist, is a fanatical wild man whose lunacy is the only thing that brings logic to his role. Gilliam's portrayal of Jeffrey Goines' madness in 12 Monkeys is quite different then Atwood's portrayal of the pioneer's insanity in " Progressive Insanities of a Pioneer." Goines is a certified lunatic who doesn't second-guess his condition. The pioneer, on the other hand, is losing reality's grip and doesn't know how do respond. Both of these characters, however, are a cause for puzzlement; one needs to re-assemble the pieces of their personality into something linear in order to make sense and give you an idea about what their real role is really all about.
             Goines is a real nutcase; he is gleefully crazy. He's typical, jam-packed with facial tics and hasty gestures. Jeffery Goines can be portrayed as humorously insane, but the fact of the matter is that he's a very clever man who tends to over thinks: "you play games you're voluntarily taking tranquillizers." Even though at the asylum you don't know who his father is, but you get the idea he's a powerful man: " And when my father gets upset the ground shakes". Goines knows that his father is up to no good and maybe by helping Cole's try to escape he's indirectly helping him. Gilliam's portrayal of Goines insanity is meant to throw us off. We don't take him very seriously because of his humor and the consistent rants about anything and everything. But in the end he throws us all off - including James. Cole thought he was the one to blame for releasing the virus; not knowing that the poster "We did it" was referring to the freeing of the animals. Gilliam's portrayal of Goines insanity is...