As Smith points out, "the excision of a real and romantic and political past for Anderton in the character of Conor, his gone lover, leaves his character seriously unmoored".
Individuals with minority reports however, have a chance to change their futures according to Huemer, and since there was no minority report (i.e.; no possible alternative fate) for Anderton, he could only change his future by having access to the precogs visions.
The subsequent accusation of paedophilia hounds Anderton from the parish.
Spielberg said that Anderton is being punished for his previous callous unconcern for anything but the effectiveness of the PreCrime program.
At the beginning of the film, Anderton shows little concern for the precogs; when Witwer feels pity for them, he responds: "It's better if you don't think of them as human".
In fact, his false father has gambled on Anderton's uncontrollable hunger for vengeance, placing what looks like a sure bet: that the hero, confronted with his child's killer, will repay one murder with another -- or with many, like his Hollywood brethren.
For much of the movie, Anderton believes he has been framed for a murder that he will never commit.
Instead it ended in fairytale, with Anderton crashing home the winner for Bournemouth against Chester in the 88th minute.
Anderton is haunted by guilt for letting his son out of his sight on that terrible day at the pool, and he refuses to displace that guilt with a bullet.
Brown balls are for premeditated crimes, and when Anderton's own name comes down the shoot, he dashes off for his life.
