My friend and I had different interpretations of the end scene.
I saw it as hopeful.
In Wanda's world, everything's alright.
She's got an extra cigarette behind her ear, laughter and music around her, she's had some drinks and she's survived another day...just barely, and best of all she's free.
I too felt the end was quite positive. I sensed that she was now amongst friendly local people, not necessarily people who were looking to use or exploit her.
Wanda, however, I think is ultimately self-destructive and her own worst enemy. At the end of the movie, we see her in friendly circumstances, but, to be realistic, she probably messed that up too.
Yes and no. She survived the misadventure with crazy Mr. Dennis, but she's basically back where she was at the start.
shareThere is nothing hopeful about the ending of this film. All the men are predatory in this film, and Wanda is rudderless, dim, and pretty. This does not make for a healthy combination for her. She is an easy target for abusive men. She will likely be pimped out or just used up by all the men she encounters. A sad, haunting story that is all too common in the lives of many, many women.
shareFor me, I'd point back to the scene just before that, where the man takes her to the gravel pit for sex and, for the first time that we see, she actually makes a decision and says no, I don't want this.
That gave a little hope, because I felt that maybe she's finally learning something, learning that she has some control, she not just a feather on the breeze.
Then the last scene, in the bar, she's right back where she started; in a bar, mooching drink/cigs/food and I can't help but feel that, had the film lasted 10 minutes more, she would have been right back in one of those men's car/room/motel room, just hoping for someone to take care of her.
I also thought it was hopeful. She is brought into the bar by a woman. The woman is lively and sits at the table. Yes, there are mainly men, but they seem more jovial than predatory. Her collar is dirty. Her face is bruised/scratched. But the people at the table don't judge her or condescend. They shared their cigarettes, bought her a hot dog and poured her a beer from their pitcher. It was the first time we see her belonging to some sort of community. At all other times she's dependent on one, individual man or another. I do see what you mean, CaptainTerrific. Unfortunately, 10 minutes later she could be hanging all of her hopes on one of those men at that table at the Sandy Hook Bar.
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