The ending is arguably the most important part of a movie. After spending hours invested in a story, it needs to have an ending that feels rewarding, and worthy of the story being told. Just think of movies that have told great stories, only to have an ending that leaves you wanting to throw something at the screen, or let down by its conclusion.
A bad ending can ruin all the goodness that came before it, just as a good one can make all the events worth it, or even tie all the loose ends together in unexpected ways. Here are a few endings that perfectly close out their films.
Updated on August 9th, 2023, by Soniya Hinduja: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
25 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Randle Patrick McMurphy is a 35-year-old offender sentenced to serve six months time doing prison farm work. But instead, he fakes insanity to get himself moved to the hospital, which is controlled by Nurse Ratched, an authoritative head of administration. Led by Jack Nicholson’s charismatic and rebel leader, all the psych ward patients get together and ban against her iron rule. McMurphy has brought joy and madness back into their lifeless routines.
But when he goes too far in questioning Nurse Ratched’s methods, his freedom is put at stake. Towards the end of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, we see that McMurphy undergoes lobotomy, which renders him a lifeless vegetable. But his friend Chief decides to end his agony by smothering him with a pillow and freeing himself from the tyranny of the ward. It’s almost a dreamlike and uplifting ending.
24 Lost In Translation (2003)
Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, Lost In Translation is a poignant comedy-drama that revolves around Bob and Charlotte. Bob is an American actor visiting the country to shoot an ad film and Charlotte is a young woman left behind by her photographer husband. They meet in Tokyo at a hotel bar, and almost instantly. Forge an unlikely connection. They know that their friendship is fleeting, but they cherish what they have amidst the chaos and loneliness in this foreign country.
As Bob’s trip comes to an end, they spend one final night wandering the neon-lit streets. After saying goodbye, Bob leans close to Charlotte and whispers something in his ear. The audience never finds out what he says, but the way Charlotte’s expression soothes, you can tell that it’s nothing bad. However ambiguous, the ending resonates with the overall aesthetic of the movie, which is about finding love in an isolated corner of the world.
23 Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Warren Beaty and Faye Dunaway star in this biographical neo-noir crime drama that may have received hate and frowns upon its release, but is rightfully considered a classic now. Bonnie and Clyde follow America's iconic outlaw couple – a bored waitress and the man she falls in love with, an ex-con – as they rob banks and gas stations and begin a series of criminal activities across the country. Of course, they are being pursued by the police.
But for some reason, the public is invested in and charmed by their fame. After months on the run, Bonnie and Clyde are ambushed in a hail of bullets they never saw coming. Their car is riddled with holes. And the scene has such a devastating yet poetic effect on the viewer not only because of the violence but also because of the final shots of both their faces before everything ends in a flash of red.
22 The Truman Show (1998)
The Truman Show is a mesmerizing film that starts out pretty straightforward. But soon, its commentary on free will and delusion sends you reeling about life itself. Jim Carrey’s lead protagonist is an insurance salesman living in an idyllic small town, completely unaware of the fact that his entire life is a reality show. That there is a global audience viewing his routine rollout at every stage, on the clock. But as Truman turns 30, tiny cracks begin to appear in the facade and he notices something.
He starts questioning the strange and repetitive nature of his life and embarks on a journey to discover the truth. Soon, he is exposed to a massive dome that covers his world. Just as we watch Truman’s realization sink in and the panic rising in his eyes, the door opens and he faces freedom and the real world.
21 Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Widely regarded as Gloria Swanson’s greatest film ever, Sunset Boulevard sees the actress portraying Norma Desmond, an aging and washed-up silent film star. She still believes that she’s a young screen goddess and refuses to give up on her fame and career just yet. But with only a huge mansion, a butler, and an adoring script boy by her side, Norma has little choice but to hire a struggling screenwriter to write a new script for her.
Norma sees him as a key to her glorious Hollywood comeback. But Joe only wants Norma’s money so he manipulates her and fuels her delusions. At the chilling end of the film, Norma shoots Joe dead for abandoning her, and the movie jumps back to the present day when she is being arrested. She stands in the spotlight one last time, with a pool of press and public waiting, and declares, “I’m ready for my close-up.”
20 Planet of the Apes (1968)
Planet of the Apes takes viewers on a journey with a spaceship crew, who crash on a planet where apes have human intelligence and rule over humanity. Taylor, one of the astronauts, is captured and grows close to a captive named Nova. Taylor’s ability to talk places him in danger on the planet, as humans are mute.
He is able to escape and flee to a zone outside the ape’s control, where the remains of the Statue of Liberty stick out of the sand. This reveals that the movie’s action is actually taking place on a future version of Earth, and not a different planet as everyone assumed. It’s a jaw-dropping twist that makes you question the whole movie, and see everything in a new light.
19 It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
It’s a Wonderful Life is a holiday classic that tells the life story of George Bailey, from childhood to adulthood. We watch George grow from a kind boy to a kind man when he is falsely involved in a scandal of missing money. Seeing no way out of his situation, George prepares to kill himself but is stopped by an angel named Clarence.
Clarence then shows George what the town would be like without him, and how many lives he’s touched. George then affirms that he wants to live, and returns to his family on Christmas Eve. While celebrating, everyone in town raises enough funds to cover the missing money. It’s heartwarming and sentimental and remains a perfect, hopeful ending more than 70 years later.
18 Titanic (1997)
Titanic is set aboard the iconic doomed ship and tells a love story between Rose, a wealthy young woman, and Jack, a poor young man. An elderly Rose narrates the story of their love to a ship-diving crew who is searching for a valuable necklace.
In the end, we see that Rose has the necklace, which she returns to the ocean. She goes to bed, and the scene cuts to the young version of her back on the Titanic, reuniting with Jack. It renews the movie’s focus on Rose, and though there are debates on whether she dies or not, it’s an excellent ending where she gets to celebrate all she’s done, and then reunite with Jack.
17 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War brings together heroes from across the MCU, as they team up to stop Thanos from obtaining all the Infinity Stones, and erasing half the world’s population. Though they fight, for the first time in an MCU movie, the heroes don’t win.
Thanos snaps his fingers and wipes away half of humanity, including some of our beloved heroes. Watching each hero be dusted away brings the emotion, while the final scene of Nick Fury being dusted before he can finish swearing brings in much-needed humor. It’s not just a perfect ending to this movie, but a perfect set-up to the next one.
16 Toy Story 3 (2010)
Toy Story 3 sees Andy preparing to leave for college, and grappling with whether or not to give up his toys. When the toys are accidentally brought to a daycare, they fight to return to Andy. Though they return, they must face the truth that Andy no longer needs them.
Andy then gives his toys to a young girl named Bonnie, and as he leaves, Woody lets out an emotional “So long, partner.” It’s a farewell to Andy and the times they shared, but it’s also a farewell to childhood and an acknowledgment of growing up. The franchise continued, but this perfect, heartbreaking ending marks the real conclusion of their story.
15 Psycho (1960)
Psycho is set at the Bates Motel, where Norman lives with his mother. When Norman meets Marion Crane, their paths intertwine until she is killed. In the ensuing investigation, it’s revealed that Norman’s mother isn’t alive, and Norman is the killer.
This twist has withstood the test of time, and it deepens in the movie’s ending: it’s revealed that Norman killed his mother and her boyfriend out of jealousy. He then preserved his mother’s body, and took on his mother as another aspect of his personality, concluding with him sitting in prison and hearing his mother confess to the murder. It’s a chilling ending that reaffirms the movie’s greatness, and Norman’s evil.
14 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King concludes the trilogy in epic fashion. Frodo and Sam continue to bring the ring to Mordor, while Aragorn and his allies take on Sauron. After a long fight, both succeed.
In the end, Aragorn is crowned king of Gondor, and when the Hobbits bow to him, he acknowledges their friendship and tells them to bow to no one. It’s a celebration of the characters and all they’ve been through, and the final moments bring even more emotion: Frodo chooses to stop suffering from his trauma, and spiritually moves on, while Sam tells his stories.
13 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial focuses on the friendship between a young boy named Elliott and the alien he finds one night. The two form a quick bond where they can feel each other’s emotions, which leads to great humor and emotional moments when the government intervenes and almost kills E.T.
Despite their friendship, E.T. still wants to return home, and Elliott helps him. In his farewell, E.T. reminds Elliott that he will always be with him, before flying away on his ship. It might be a sad ending that can still cause tears, but it’s a fitting one that shows how much the two meant to each other.
12 The Graduate (1967)
The Graduate stars Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin, a college graduate who’s lost in life. Back living with his parents, he begins an affair with an older married woman, Mrs. Robinson. After pressure from his parents, he then begins dating Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, Elaine.
He navigates this tricky romance until everything comes out, and Elaine is sent to marry someone else. Benjamin finds the wedding and runs inside the chapel as it ends, escaping with Elaine and boarding a bus. The movie ends with the two of them sitting on the bus, their triumph slowly fading as they must face the reality of the future.
11 Citizen Kane (1941)
Citizen Kane is often considered the best movie of all time, and it fittingly has a perfect ending. The movie explores the life of Charles Kane, a businessman whose death opens the movie. His final word is Rosebud, and a reporter investigates Kane’s life to find what the word means.
After exploring Kane's life, he is unable to find an answer – but the final scene reveals it. While cleaning out his mansion, the staff finds the sled he was playing on the day he was taken from Colorado. The sled is named Rosebud. It’s a clever callback to the past that shows that this childhood memory is what he truly valued.
10 Inception (2010)
Inception follows Dom and his team of thieves who steal information from people by invading their dreams. Dom is also haunted by memories of his dead wife, and blames himself for her death; after they were trapped in limbo on a mission, he messes with her dreams to convince her to wake up.
However, it left her unable to distinguish reality, and she killed herself. This emotional element underscores the thrilling mission. After succeeding, Dom spins a top to see if he's in reality or a dream. The top spins indefinitely in a dream, but the movie ends before we see if it stops or not, causing many debates. It complements the movie’s mystery and uncertain nature of dreams with a breathtaking ending.
9 The Usual Suspects (1995)
The Usual Suspects revolves around the police interrogation of Verbal Kint, a con man who is one of the only survivors of a ship fire. Through flashbacks, Kint explains the events that led to the fire, and how they were caused by the crime lord Keyser Söze.
After Kint is released, the closing scene reveals that he was Söze all along, and told a fake story by using details in the interrogation office, like a coffee mug. It’s an ending that puts all the movie’s pieces together and solves the mystery. It makes you realize all the details you missed and makes you want to immediately rewatch to see things in a new light.
8 Se7en (1995)
Se7en teams up Morgan Freeman as Somerset, a detective approaching retirement, and Brad Pitt as Mills, a new detective. The two investigate a series of murders based on the seven deadly sins. After tracing the murders to John Doe, Doe brings them to the desert, where he will reveal the remaining victims.
In the desert, Doe reveals the box contains the head of Mills’ wife, to represent envy. Mills then becomes wrath and kills Doe. The studio originally wanted it changed, but the movie's creative team held out to keep it. Like The Usual Suspects, it makes you want to watch it again and remains a jaw-dropping ending that perfectly concludes the mystery.
7 Casablanca (1942)
Casablanca is an excellent romance about Rick, an American expatriate who owns a club in Casablanca, during World War II. His ex-lover Ilsa visits the club, now with a husband, Victor. Victor needs Rick’s help to escape Casablanca and continue fighting the Germans in the war; this leaves Rick torn between wanting to help and wanting to reclaim his relationship with Ilsa.
Though he originally plans to frame Victor and live with Ilsa himself, Rick forces Ilsa to go with her husband, so she doesn’t regret it one day. It may not be the expected happy ending, but it’s one that truly shows Rick’s love for Ilsa, in letting her be happy.
6 Field of Dreams (1989)
Field of Dreams stars Kevin Costner as Ray, an Iowa farmer who worries about not accomplishing anything, especially after the broken relationship he had with his dead father. While walking through his cornfield, a voice says, “If you build it, he will come.” Ray then builds a baseball field, which draws the spirits of deceased baseball legends.
In the end, one final player meets Ray: the young version of his father. The two reconnect and play catch together, while rows and rows of cars arrive to see the field. It’s a joyful, heartwarming ending that celebrates people embracing baseball and memories of childhood, while also showing the reconnection of a father and son.