: While the audience sees subtitles for French dialogue, Tony remains oblivious to what is being said around him. This mirrors his frustration and the "inexplicable" nature of his loss.
: Because the subtitles are missing at this critical moment, neither Tony nor the non-Russian-speaking audience can be sure if the boy recognizes him. This leaves the central mystery of the show—and Tony's search—hanging in a permanent, heartbreaking state of uncertainty.
The lack of subtitles at key moments serves to "uproot and displace" the viewer, forcing them to share Tony's violent transition from hope to total disorientation.