# Movie "Setup" Explain why you would pour antifreeze on someone before you off them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117 "2011-11-07T00:12:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/1 "2011-11-07T00:12:12Z")
I was watching the movie, “SETUP” with Ryan phillipe and 50 cent, not a bad movie but not good either, but what baffles me is during a scene where Curtis is about to kill Ryan for backstabbing, he pours a container of some prestone or something that looks like it greenish in color slightly translucent, before throwing him a shovel to dig his own grave. It has been on my mind for the last 2 days why that would be done? It was cold im sure it was also in Detroit, and like i said it was right before someone was going to get killed. Could this have an effect of burying somebody? Make the body “Freezeproof” or serve another purpose. Googling pouring antifreeze on someone results in a waste of time. Could any other dopers put in their two cents as to why this was done or could it be something that i will die not knowing? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/2 "2011-11-07T00:50:35Z")
> [@lurkedtolong](#): > > Could any other dopers put in their two cents as to why this was done or could it be something that i will die not knowing? Well, you wouldn’t necessarily have to die not knowing – you could always ask why somebody is pouring antifreeze on you. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/3 "2011-11-07T01:14:49Z")
A few different fuels can have a greenish color, such as kerosine or diesel. Maybe it was something like that? ---
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/4 "2011-11-07T01:25:57Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > A few different fuels can have a greenish color, such as kerosine or diesel. Maybe it was something like that? Sure, but this was bought in a home goods store along with the shovel. Would kerosene or deisel be available at that type of store? I remember there use to be a alternative gasoline that was on the market for a year, marketed as “RESCUE” it was a gallon of fuel for gasoline cars that could be safely stored in the trunk for extended periods of time. Can’t find it anymore though. Also there was no lighter or burning anything to ignite said fuel. I thought it would make that person colder lowering the freezing point on that persons skin making them generally miserable to die cold and wet. The bottle looks just like every antifreeze or coolant bottle. I can’t verify if it was or was not flammable but I will keep that in mind as i try to figure this out. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/5 "2011-11-07T02:21:23Z")
Just to make sure I’m understanding the scene correctly, a bottle of antifreeze (or whatnot) is poured on the victim BEFORE he’s made to dig his own grave? If I’m understanding that correctly, I can’t think of a single explanation. I’m not aware of antifreeze having any interesting properties other than being fairly toxic to drink and keeping water from freezing. ---
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/6 "2011-11-07T03:22:38Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > Just to make sure I’m understanding the scene correctly, a bottle of antifreeze (or whatnot) is poured on the victim BEFORE he’s made to dig his own grave? > > If I’m understanding that correctly, I can’t think of a single explanation. I’m not aware of antifreeze having any interesting properties other than being fairly toxic to drink and keeping water from freezing. Yes you got the scenario correct, first curtis removes tied up person from trunk of car. Second person recieves mild beating. Third complete dousing of entire bottles content on to person. Finally is thrown a shovel and told to dig. Sidenote, the fluid didn’t have any immediate effect on victim such as a acid might cause. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/7 "2011-11-07T03:39:51Z")
From personal experience undiluted antifreeze will feel warm on more tender parts of your skin such as being splashed on the inner forearm. Doubt this is what the screenwriter had in mind. ---
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/8 "2011-11-07T03:48:56Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > From personal experience undiluted antifreeze will feel warm on more tender parts of your skin such as being splashed on the inner forearm. > Doubt this is what the screenwriter had in mind. So it might be causing discomfort or burning on open facial wounds and skin, would it be possible it was mentioned to prevent the body from deteriorating quickly and if so what would be the point. These two items were purchased just for this scene so it was preemptive that this was gonna be used on the victim. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/9 "2011-11-07T03:53:48Z")
I haven’t seen the scene in question but I thought it would be an implicit threat when digging your own grave: dig or we set you alight (with whatever we just doused you in) and you die in flames, rather than being cleanly shot. ---
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/10 "2011-11-07T04:15:05Z")
If the liquid was flammable wouldn’t a gunshot from 5-6 feet likely ignite it anyways ensuring a flaming death? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/11 "2011-11-07T04:51:17Z")
> [@lurkedtolong](#): > > If the liquid was flammable wouldn’t a gunshot from 5-6 feet likely ignite it anyways ensuring a flaming death? No. I’m not a gun expert but I’ve seen enough MythBusters episodes to know that bullets don’t typically ignite stuff. If they were pouring something flammable on the guy, maybe the plan went like this: make him dig his own grave, kill him, burn the body so it’s harder to identify, then bury it. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/12 "2011-11-07T05:16:23Z")
Maybe it was just what was sitting in the trunk and it was used to humiliate him. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/13 "2011-11-07T06:34:20Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > If I’m understanding that correctly, I can’t think of a single explanation. **I’m not aware of antifreeze having any interesting properties other than being fairly toxic to drink and keeping water from freezing.** [emphasis added] Ingredient in toothpaste. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/14 "2011-11-07T06:49:57Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Ingredient in toothpaste. :dubious: Don’t confuse ethylene glycol with propylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is traditionally used in antifreeze and is highly toxic if ingested. Polyethylene glycol is a polymer and is found in a huge range of food, drug, and cosmetic products, and is non-toxic. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/15 "2011-11-07T06:57:03Z")
Er, that first propylene glycol should be polyethylene glycol. Non-toxic antifreezes use propylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol is made out of a different molecule entirely, ethylene oxide. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/16 "2011-11-07T12:21:51Z")
> [@Cleophus](#): > > Don’t confuse ethylene glycol with propylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is traditionally used in antifreeze and is highly toxic if ingested. Polyethylene glycol is a polymer and is found in a huge range of food, drug, and cosmetic products, and is non-toxic. I was being semi-facetions there, but I was referring to that episode a while back (in 2007 I think) of some Chinese imported toothpaste containing toxic diethylene glycol instead of glycerin. This showed up, particularly, in Panama, where a lot of people got sick from it. [Poisoned Toothpaste in Panama Is Believed to Be From China](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/19/world/americas/19panama.html) (New York Times – might be behind paywall.) [Toothpaste Imported From China May Contain Diethylene Glycol](http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm153155.htm) – FDA product recall advisory. [Wikipedia discussion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diethylene_glycol#2007_-_Worldwide_toothpaste_incident) ---
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/17 "2011-11-07T17:10:04Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Maybe it was just what was sitting in the trunk and it was used to humiliate him. It could have been used to just humilate him but it was not just laying in the trunk, a special trip to the store for a shovel and a bottle of this stuff was made. Right after he goes looking for revenge. Has the shovel and bottle of stuff in the trunk with the victim. So i am thinking that he knew what he was buying it for, but the more time goes on the more i think this could have been a mistake or something to throw the viewers off possibly. ---
**Author:** ![Hennessy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hennessy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hennessy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/18 "2011-11-07T18:42:35Z")
50 Cent is a role model to a lot of kids and maybe he didn’t want to give kids the wrong idea although antifreeze is flammable, it’s better than gasoline, I dunno. Maybe it was a substitute for bleach which might have been able to kill forensics tests or keep him from being sniffed out by dogs. Could be to throw off clerk at store from raising suspicion. Probably just humiliation though. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/19 "2011-11-07T18:49:34Z")
If it were for forensic purposes, surely it would be easier to apply it after the guy’s dead? ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117/20 "2011-11-07T18:59:34Z")
> [@lurkedtolong](#): > > I was watching the movie, “SETUP” with Ryan phillipe and 50 cent, not a bad movie but not good either, but what baffles me is during a scene where Curtis is about to kill Ryan for backstabbing, he pours a container of some prestone or something that looks like it greenish in color slightly translucent, before throwing him a shovel to dig his own grave. > > It has been on my mind for the last 2 days why that would be done? It was cold im sure it was also in Detroit, and like i said it was right before someone was going to get killed. > Could this have an effect of burying somebody? Make the body “Freezeproof” or serve another purpose. Googling pouring antifreeze on someone results in a waste of time. Could any other dopers put in their two cents as to why this was done or could it be something that i will die not knowing? I’m baffled as well. Dumping antifreeze over someone will do nothing to keep them from freezing. Maybe if they could have pumped it through his veins, his body wouldn’t freeze - but he would be in no shape to dig a hole either. No idea. I hope someone comes in here with something, cause this is going to bug me. I haven’t even seen the movie. A search on IMDB doesn’t help - but I think this is a pic of [the scene in question](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3474636032/tt1748197) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-setup-explain-why-you-would-pour-antifreeze-on-someone-before-you-off-them/602117.md?page=2)