A powerful ending can change the way people feel about an entire movie, especially one that creates a sudden, disarming impact. This is often a moment of heartbreak that subverts people’s expectations of lighthearted entertainment in most movies, but it can also be a cerebral ending that drives home the themes of the narrative.

Often, a great ending is the thing that audiences think about most, long after the credits roll. It can reframe an entire story, urging people to go back and watch the movie again knowing what’s in store for the characters. This can create a deeper appreciation for the stortytelling, but there’s no real way to recreate the shocking impact of a perfect finale.

8

The Prestige (2006)

Christopher Nolan Clearly Knows The Importance Of A Good Ending

Many of Christopher Nolan’s best movies leave the audience with a striking image. Oppenheimer‘s instantly iconic final line, Inception‘s spinning top and Commissioner Gordon’s speech in The Dark Knight show that Nolan understands the importance of a good ending.

The Prestige delivers what may be Nolan’s most jaw-dropping finale, as a series of twists pile up on top of one another. As Nolan reveals the mechanisms behind the illusions of Borden and Angier, he also reveals that he has been playing his own trick on the audience from the very beginning.

7

Se7en (1995)

Se7en Ends On A Harrowing Note

Like Christopher Nolan, many of David Fincher’s best movies are also known for their powerful endings. None are more captivating than Se7en which has the potential to leave audiences speechless long after the credits roll. The famous “what’s in the box?” finale has been spoofed many times, but there’s no denying its effectiveness.

Se7en sums up Fincher’s obsession with criminal psychology, which can also be seen in other works like Mindhunter, Zodiac and Fight Club. The ending reveals the extent of John Doe’s twisted philosophical game with the detectives, deepening the theme of good and evil that runs throughout the narrative.

6

Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019)

Céline Sciamma Uses Music To Deliver A Stunning Finale

Portrait of a Lady on Fire is one of the best romance movies of recent years, and its heartbreaking ending is perfectly weighted. The period romance uses a framing device to tell audiences from the beginning that Marianne and Héloïse don’t end up together, but the nature of their story is still immensely powerful.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire‘s ending unfolds through Marianne’s eyes, as she spots Héloïse watching an orchestra. The meaning of this moment carries a lot of weight, especially after Marianne sees from Héloïse’s portrait that she never stopped thinking of her. Each frame of Portrait of a Lady on Fire has the beauty of an oil painting, but Céline Sciamma uses music sparingly, and to devastating effect.

5

Heat (1995)

Heat’s Dual Protagonists Have Their Fateful Shootout

Heat is one of the best heist movies ever, partly because it pays equal attention to the thieves and the detectives. While most crime movies pick one side as their heroes, Heat shows that Neil McCauley and Vincent Hanna have a lot in common, and they are only separated by the arbitrary lines of the law.

Throughout their game of cat-and-mouse, McCauley and Hanna develop a fierce respect for one another. Despite their similarities, they are both committed to coming out on top, no matter what. The final shootout at the airport turns out to be a hollow victory for Hanna, in the same way that it’s a noble defeat for McCauley.

4

American Fiction (2023)

American Fiction Pulls Back To Reveal Another Layer

American Fiction received five Oscar nominations, but it still deserves more love from audiences. Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut adapts the Percival Everett novel Erasure, with Jeffrey Wright delivering an outstanding performance as a writer who only finds success when he starts pandering to Black stereotypes for a white audience.

The ending of American Fiction reveals that the whole story has been a movie pitch from Monk, but the producer dislikes his ambiguous, challenging finale. Instead, he suggests a schmaltzy rom-com angle or an exploitative burst of violence. Monk’s acceptance to work within the system, rather than tearing it all down, inevitably urges the audience to think more deeply about Jefferson, Everett, Wright and the other Black creatives behind American Fiction.

3

Whiplash (2014)

Whiplash Is Over In A Short, Frantic Burst

Damien Chazelle packs a lot of chaos into Whiplash‘s relatively slender runtime, and it all builds to a finale with plenty of payoff. Andrew’s drive to be the best drummer he can be leads him into Fletcher’s grasp, and he finds himself in an abusive student-mentor relationship that threatens to destroy him.

By risking embarrᴀssment on stage, Fletcher proves in the ending of Whiplash that he’s willing to burn his immaculate public reputation to humiliate Andrew. In the end, Andrew’s decision to continue drumming shows that he can achieve greatness, but at the cost of his physical and mental wellbeing. He’s chosen his pᴀssion over his health and sanity.

2

Roman Holiday (1953)

William Wyler’s Classic Rom-Com Ends In Heartbreak

Roman Holiday launched Audrey Hepburn to stardom, and it’s still one of her best movies. She strikes up a sizzling chemistry with Gregory Peck, which helps turn Roman Holiday into a classic. The romance between a European princess and an American reporter always seems doomed, but their enjoyable dynamic is enough to make audiences wish for an uplifting ending.

Ultimately, Roman Holiday‘s ending is an abrupt return to reality. After her whirlwind adventure in Italy, Princess Anne returns to her duties, leaving Joe Bradley behind. They meet one last time, as the Princess addresses the Italian press, and they are restricted to stolen glances. The final image of Joe walking through the empty atrium is enough to move anyone to tears.

1

Kes (1969)

Kes Ends On A Grim Note

Kes tells the story of a boy who finds some solace from the harsh conditions of his life when he learns to train a kestrel. Billy is bullied both at school and at home, and he faces an uncertain future in an economically deprived area of Yorkshire. Kes gives him a focus, but even this minor oasis is snatched away from him.

Kes is loaded with powerful symbolic imagery. Billy enjoys watching Kes exercise the freedom that he knows he will never have, and the bird’s natural beauty creates a striking contrast against the dreary urban landscape that Billy finds himself trapped in. It seems like there should be a triumphant denouement at the end of Kes, but Ken Loach refuses to sugarcoat Billy’s bleak circumstances, or the depth of his heartbreak.