Netflix's 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things' ending explained: Who is the janitor in the film? 

I'm Thinking of Ending Things is a surrealist psychological thriller by Charlie Kaufman, who wrote and directed the film. It is based on Iain Reid's eponymous novel published in 2016. The film was initially released in select theaters on August 28, 2020, and later, aired on Netflix on September 4, 2020.

The film follows two subplots that intercut throughout its 134-minute runtime. The first one includes a young woman (Jessie Buckley) and her boyfriend Jake (Jesse Plemons) taking a trip to visit his parent's house. The second plot revolves around an old janitor (Guy Boyd) working at Jake's former high school, who is the older version of Jake himself.

Under Kaufman's direction, nothing is as it seems as the director masterfully juxtaposes scenes from different timelines and perspectives to tell an unsettling story.

The film's mind-bending plot acts as a fusion between reality and fantasy, to the point that it is hard to separate one from the other. Its central theme is about one man's crippling loneliness seemingly brought on by the absence of a loving family, relationships, and friendships.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers. Reader's discretion is advised.

---

The janitor's fate in I'm Thinking of Ending Things

Most of the events in the movie take place inside Jake's mind. The only real events in the film involve the old janitor, who we learn later on, is Jake himself. He hallucinates all the happy and not-so-happy moments with his parents and girlfriend to cope with the debilitating loneliness of his day-to-day life.

In one of Jake's elaborate fantasy sequences, he is seen (as relatively young) receiving the Nobel Prize. He follows up his acceptance speech by performing the song Lonely Room from the musical Oklahoma! in front of an enraptured audience that includes his parents and girlfriend. The poignant moment in the film points to Jake's unfulfilled potential and unmet dreams that never came to fruition.

At the end of the film, we see Jake end his shift as the school janitor on a cold, snowy night. He sits inside his car, strips, and cries inconsolably. His mind conjures up positive memories from his childhood as the last act of reprieve.

The film's next shot is from early morning the next day and depicts Jake's car fully covered in snow, indicating that he likely died inside his car at night.

---

Who is the young woman in I'm Thinking of Ending Things?

Jessie Buckley seen in the Netflix movie I'm Thinking of Ending Things (Image via IMDb)

Played by Jessie Buckley, the young woman is called different names such as Lucy, Louisa, Lucia, and Ames throughout the movie. She is not Jake's real-life girlfriend, but a figment of his (older Jake's) imagination as he wonders how different his life would have been had he found true love and companionship.

She is, in fact, a woman that Jake noticed at a bar years ago, but could not muster the courage to speak to. This is evident from the fact that her name, profession, and other details of her backstory change numerous times throughout the story.

Thus, alludes that she is a projection of Jake's memory, which has become unreliable with old age and, possibly even, from a decline in his cognitive health.

Jake seemingly never had a girlfriend or any lasting romantic relationship in his life. Therefore, he regrets not speaking to this woman from his past and fantasizes about having an ideal relationship with her. Sadly, dreaming up the fulfillment he could have enjoyed with her becomes his only way of experiencing any semblance of joy.

---

Mystery behind the phone calls in I'm Thinking of Ending Things

Jesse Plemons seen as Jake in I'm Thinking of Ending Things (Image via IMDb)

During her time at Jake's family farm, the young woman frequently gets phone calls from a mysterious man, who repeats the same things every time. During one of these calls, the man quotes the same line as said by the janitor at the start of the movie. This confirms that the caller is indeed Jake talking to his subconscious.

---

What happened to Jake's parents?

David Thewlis and Toni Collette as seen in I'm Thinking of Ending Things (Image via IMDb)

Jake's mother (Toni Collette) and father (David Thewlis) come across as slightly eccentric in the movie. His interaction with his parents at the dinner table (even in his own imagination) seems uncomfortable and tense. Thus, proving that he had a complicated relationship with them while growing up.

His parents are shown in different age groups: as a newly married couple, middle-aged parents, and near the end of their lives. In reality, his parents likely passed away a long time ago. After his parent's death, Jake seems to have felt completely abandoned and alone.

---

Meaning behind the film's title

An image of the old Jake from the Netflix original movie I'm Thinking of Ending Things (Image via IMDb)

At first glance, the film's title I'm Thinking of Ending Things seems to hint at the young woman considering breaking up with her seven-week-old boyfriend. Upon taking a closer look, however, the title seems more reminiscent of Jake's situation as he is deeply depressed and contemplating taking his life, to end his misery once and for all.