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Hollywood is known for producing movies with incredibly confusing endings that have become a major hit among audiences. Industry stalwarts like Christopher Nolan, David Lynch, and Denis Villeneuve have perfected this style of storytelling, drawing viewers in with mystery and intrigue.
Also, the element of the unknown piques viewers and allows them to interpret it in multiple ways. This adds an extra layer to the x-factor of the movie, making it even more appealing. Hence, it is not a method Hollywood will stop experimenting with anytime soon.
Over the years, several Hollywood movies have had open endings, without any concrete conclusion. While some of them are classics, some are fairly new. Nevertheless, it has got the audiences scratching their heads over possible outcomes.
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Some of these movies are Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan and Mother!, Justine Triet's Anatomy of a Fall, Christopher Nolan's Inception, and Denis Villeneuve's Arrival. There are others on the list too.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for several popular movies. Please read at your discretion.
10 movies with confusing endings
1) Mulholland Drive
First on the list is Mullholand Drive. The surrealist mystery thriller movie was written and directed by David Lynch, and to date remains one of his best works. The film starred Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Justin Theroux, Ann Miller, Mark Pellegrino, and Robert Forster.
Besides being engaging throughout, the movie had quite an eventful ending. The beginning was wonderfully tied up with its ending, yet it was difficult for the audience to decipher the events. Was the entire plot a figment of Diane Selwyn's imagination, is a question that continues to baffle viewers to this day.
2) Donnie Darko
Released on October 26, 2001, Donnie Darko is a science fiction psychological thriller movie written and directed by Richard Kelly. It starred Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Mary McDonnell, Katharine Ross, Patrick Swayze, Noah Wyle, and Seth Rogen.
Similar to Mullholand Drive, Donnie Darko's ending also connects back to the beginning, leaving the viewers questioning the events depicted. Was Donnie simply hallucinating or was he some superhero, who could see the future? These lingering questions left the audience perplexed.
3) No Country For Old Men
No Country For Old Men is one of the movies with a very confusing ending. The movie written and directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen starred Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin.
In a trademark Coen brothers' move, No Country For Old Men was left on an ambiguous note. It ended with Sheriff Ed Tom Bell retiring from his job, and sharing the memories of two dreams, with his wife. The dreams seem to be interconnected with things happening around him. They might have been more than just a dream, but the director does not address that.
4) Shutter Island
Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island is undoubtedly one of those movies that will leave you questioning your sanity by the time the end credits roll. Released on February 19, 2010, the movie starred Leonardo DiCaprio in the role of U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and simultaneously as a patient at a psychiatric hospital.
As a U.S. Marshal when tasked with finding the truth behind the disappearance of a patient from the psychiatric ward of a hospital in Shutter Island, Daniels uncovers truths he probably should not have.
5) Inception
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Inception starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, a man who could enter the subconscious minds of others and extract their secrets.
After completing an assignment given to him, Cobb returned to his children towards the end. He spins the top which allows him to distinguish between reality and imagination. However, the scene was cut off before the audience could realize what the result of the spinning was, thereby leaving the movie on a cliffhanger.
6) Black Swan
Black Swan is another movie that left the audience scratching their heads. Released on December 3, 2010, the movie was written by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, and John McLaughlin and directed by Darren Aronofsky.
Known for making movies with multiple interpretative endings, Aronofsky did his best to trick the viewers into believing it was a normal ending. However, Black Swan finishes with Nina finally completing her ballet routine of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and collapsing to the ground soon after. Was she really hurt, or was she just hallucinating? It's hard to distinguish.
7) Enemy
Enemy was directed by Dennis Villeneuve, whose ending will be discussed for years. The movie starred Jake Gyllenhaal in a double role, as Adam Bell and Anthony Claire who look the same but are not identical in their personalities.
The movie ends in quite an unconventional way with Anthoy presumably taking Adam's place. But with that being said, the end is subject to multiple interpretations.
8) Arrival
Dennis Villeneuve is no stranger to making magnificent science-fiction drama movies with confounding endings. Arrival starred Amy Adams as Louise Banks, a linguist hired by the United States Army to ease communications between humans and extraterrestrial beings, who were expected to disrupt life on Earth.
Like Mulholland Drive and Donny Darko, Arrival goes full circle with the events at the movie's beginning, setting the ground for the events occurring towards the end, and leaving the viewers confused.
9) Mother!
Mother! is another masterpiece by Darren Aronofsky, overlooked by many due to its complex plot. The movie starred Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, Brian Gleeson, and Kristen Wiig.
The story revolves around Mother, who is married to Him, and depicts how she is taken for granted over time. The ending shows a burning Mother, which leaves a lasting impact on viewers. But was the plot that simple, or was it an allegory for something else? The question remains unanswered.
10) Anatomy of a Fall
Anatomy of a Fall written by Justine Triet and Arthur Harari concludes the list with its unique storytelling and the classic mystery of the whodunit. Released on August 23, 2023, the courtroom drama starred Sandra Hüller as Sandra Voyter, a writer and the main suspect behind her husband's death.
The movie ended with Voyter being acquitted of the charges of her husband's murder. However, several scenes in the movie subtly hint at her potential involvement in her husband's demise. The movie never addresses it and leaves the viewers to draw their own conclusions and interpretations.
The movies listed above are available on several popular OTT platforms. They are just a click away for anyone looking forward to watching them.
