There are a few movies where the hero loses, but it’s even rarer to see every character ending up as a loser. Most movies put the hero through several trials before their eventual victory, so it’s always a welcome surprise when a film dares to be different and subverts this norm. In some cases, there are no winners to choose from, which can leave audiences with a hollow feeling.

Some of the most interesting and rewarding movies are those which buck the trend of having their heroes winning in the end. These types of unexpected endings can linger in the mind, as audiences attempt to decipher the deeper meaning of such a shocking finale.

10

Parasite (2019)

The Oscar-Winner Has A Gut-Wrenching Gear Shift

Parasite starts out with the infectious joy of a heist movie, as the Kim family conspire to embed themselves in the lives of a much wealthier family. It’s a joy to watch their scheme paying off, and Bong Joon-ho’s dark satire also delivers plenty of hilarious moments.

Despite its relatively upbeat start, Parasite turns on a dime at the midpoint and becomes a claustrophobic thriller. Suddenly, the Kim family’s situation doesn’t seem so humorous. Parasite‘s twisty ending wipes away any hope that the Kim family’s plan will pay off, which reinforces the stark social inequality that runs throughout the movie.

9

Nightmare Alley (2021)

Guillermo Del Toro’s Period Thriller Has A Dark Ending

Nightmare Alley is a remake of a critically-acclaimed 1947 movie, and Guillermo del Toro makes the wise choice to keep his version in the same time period. This helps give Nightmare Alley a film noir feel, as a dark criminal tale winds toward a harrowing conclusion. Stan Carlisle goes from rags to riches and back again, but his actions also ensure that he harms everyone he comes across.

Nightmare Alley shows the dangers of its world from the beginning, as Stan drifts along until being drawn in by the music of the circus calliope. There are a few hints of the dehumanization that awaits him early on, but the strange atmosphere of the circus is enough to make audiences wonder about the true nature of the geek. Ultimately, there’s no real magic, merely illusions that work using deceit or outright abuse.

8

The Irishman (2019)

Martin Scorsese’s Epic Crime Drama Has A Chilling Anticlimax

When The Irishman was first released, a lot of the discussion around the film focused on its mammoth runtime. While many other directors would choose to cut some material to focus on the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, Martin Scorsese’s broad scope gives The Irishman a more powerful finale.

There are a few moments toward the ending of The Irishman when Frank is given the chance to repent for his sins, free of any criminal charges or repercussions from his former ᴀssociates. Still, he keeps his mouth shut. Having given his entire life to his work and having gotten nothing in return, he consigns himself to his fate without any silver lining.

7

Heat (1995)

A Game Of Criminal Cat-And-Mouse Ends With A Loss For Both Sides

Years before The Irishman, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro worked brilliantly together in Heat. De Niro plays a daring bank robber, and Pacino plays the troubled detective tasked with putting him and his crew behind bars. It’s a thrilling game of wits, and the stakes always seem lethal. Ultimately, both men wind up losing in their own way.

Heat is one of the best heist movies ever, largely because the dynamic between the two characters is so intoxicating. The audience ends up rooting for both men, even though their goals are diameterically opposed. Although Detective Hanna wins the final shootout, his hollow resignation shows that it’s a Pyrrhic victory.

6

Citizen Kane (1941)

Orson Welles’ Masterpiece Is All About Empty Riches

Often cited as one of the best movies ever made, Citizen Kane follows the investigation into a dying millionaire’s last words. The story examines chapters from Kane’s life, showing his rise to the top, but his destructive nature and his empty pursuit of meaning is also on display.

In the end, the reporters are unsuccessful in their mission to decipher the meaning behind “Rosebud“, but they aren’t the only losers. Of course, Kane ends up dying alone in a vast, empty mansion, having ruined every relationship he ever had. His ex-wives and former business partners are also left struggling to pick up the pieces.

5

Dr. Strangelove (1964)

The Whole Word Loses Out In Stanley Kubrick’s Satire

Dr. Strangelove is one of Stanley Kubrick’s best movies, bringing his underrated comedic flair to the forefront. The Cold War satire ends in mutually-ᴀssured destruction, as humans are unable to override the weapons systems on both sides of the divide. The only character who achieves his goals is Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper, a paranoid, unhinged man who has clearly suffered a severe mental break.

There are a few survivors at the end of Dr. Strangelove, but it’s hard to call them winners in any sense of the word. The men in the war room prepare themselves for a century of life underground in nuclear silos, but there’s no indication that humanity has learned any kind of lesson, and the Russian ambᴀssador’s covert pH๏τography proves that the war still isn’t over.

4

In Bruges (2008)

Martin McDonagh’s Crime Comedy Ends In Disaster

It’s clear from quite early on in In Bruges that not all the characters will be living to the end, but the scale of the violent climax is still a shock. Ray’s depressed state makes him constantly unpredictable, and Harry’s volatile temper is just as hard to anticipate, albeit for entirely different reasons.

Once the truth behind Ray and Ken’s trip to Bruges is revealed, Ray seems doomed. In the end, he’s the only character out of the main three who might still be alive. His fate is left ambiguous, but even if he survives, it wouldn’t be much of a victory for him, considering the trouble he’s in and the fact that Ken died to protect him.

3

The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Don’t Die (2019)

Zombie Movies Often End In Devastation

Zombie apocalypse movies usually end in disaster, but there’s often a ray of hope which emerges from the darkness. The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Don’t Die weaponizes this anticipation against the audience, as Jim Jarmusch kills each and every one of his characters in a hilariously senseless finale.

There’s no silver lining, no moral and no meaning to the utter destruction of The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Don’t Die. It’s the ultimate ᴅᴇᴀᴅpan joke that Jarmusch plays on his audience. Even the distant narrator is eaten alive before the credits roll. This feels strange and incomplete, simply because zombie movies have conditioned audiences to expect at least one survivor.

2

The Godfather Part III (1990)

Michael Corleone’s Luck Finally Runs Out

The first two Godfather movies end with Michael Corleone rising from the embers of chaos, тιԍнтening his grip on his criminal organization and his compeтιтion. There’s no such triumph at the end of The Godfather Part III, as Michael dies having killed, betrayed or otherwise failed everyone who was once dear to him.

The remarkable finale to The Godfather Part III shows Michael’s rivals being picked off as he attends the opera, which echoes the bloodshed at the end of the first movie. This time, there’s one final twist, as Michael’s daughter Mary is sH๏τ on the opera house steps. This accidental killing means that Michael ends up losing just as much as his rivals. The Corleone family is finally shattered into pieces, putting an end to the saga once and for all.

1

Romeo + Juliet (1996)

On the surface, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet looks like a radical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play, but it’s actually surprisingly faithful to its source material. With a few minor exceptions, Romeo + Juliet sticks to Shakespeare’s script, and the gangland setting is just what’s needed to revitalize the drama.

True to the play, Romeo + Juliet ends with both lovers dying, which consтιтutes a devastating loss for both their warring families. The Montagues and Capulets come together to commit themselves to a peaceful future, but this is merely a consolation after a heartbreaking tragedy that leaves no victors.