Most movie goers view films to be entertained and escape from reality, so it is not hard to understand why most films have completely unrealistic endings. Every now-and-then a movie comes along that has an ending so realistic, it often leaves us shocked.
WARNING: this post is about realistic endings so, if you don’t want to see a spoiler on a movie you haven’t seen yet feel free to skip that movie. Be sure to continue to read about what made the other endings so shocking and maybe live on the wild side a bit and take a spoiler peek.
1. Funny Games
This deep psychological thriller is about two ordinary looking young men who invade a family’s home, takes them hostage and murders them. The director really proceeds to mess with you as the seemingly ordinary murderer talks directly to the camera and makes you feel guilty about watching the systematic murder of an entire, innocent family.
What makes the end so realistic: The entire family is murdered and the killers start immediately after looking for another family to torture. This ending further reminds us that in life the good guys don’t always win and murderers are often free to kill many people before being caught.
2. Irreversible
Indie French film Irreversible tells the story of a woman who is brutally raped and the actions her male friends take after the incident. The film is told in reverse and the rape scene is shown in real time making it extremely hard for many people to watch.
What makes the end so realistic: The final scene is the beautiful woman starting the day reading a book in the park. You know the horrible things about to happen to her, but there is nothing she can do to avoid her fate as she doesn’t even know what’s coming. The end brings home the message that there is often nothing we can do to change how our days will turn out.
3. Requiem For a Dream
One of the few films that takes an unapologetic look at the world of addiction through the eyes of an older woman, her son, the son’s girlfriend and the son’s friend. It’s an urban nightmare at its strongest.
What makes the end so realistic: The entire film is disorienting and can evoke many moments of squirming, but it’s the end that makes the entire thing one of the most depressing endings in history. It’s the realization that most drug addicts sell their soul to drugs way before they even think about getting help. The director doesn’t sugar coat this truthful message at all!