MovieChat Forums > California Split Discussion > What's up with the ending of this movie?

What's up with the ending of this movie?


I thought this movie was pretty good up until it's abrupt and terrible ending. What's up with the ending? It's like Cincinnati Kid all over again...

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I love this movie and the ending is one of my favorite things about it. Although the movie functions in large part as a comedy, it's really one of the most convincing and real films about gambling and the addiction of gambling that has been made. The pursuit of a big win and the thrill of laying it all on the line is really all that matters; the pay-off is never as good as the thrill of risking it all and is in fact kind of an empty and sobering experience. Bill has gambled down to his last dollar and won all the money he could've hoped for... now what? It could really function as a metaphor for all forms of addiction, as when you reach a certain point in your addiction the pleasure of whatever your particular vice is ends up being outweighed by the whole experience of pursuing it (i.e. heroin addicts who spend their day hustling to get a hit, then feel minimal pleasure from the actual drug since their addiction is so far gone; yet they will repeat the same behavior the next day and the day after and so on). Bill reached that point. His victory gave him no pleasure and by the end of the film he was exhausted. Great movie, brilliant ending.

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Totally agree. Love the ending. Would have been so easy to end on an obvious negative - them losing all the money - which, I imagine, is what everyone expected - The ending is perfect the way it is. Great film.

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=7917401/ - Vote History

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I found it abrupt also, but extremely appropriate because it leaves everything open to the viewer. Kudos to Altman for thumbing his nose at conventional storytelling.

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Great and a fitting ending.

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[deleted]

i didn't think it could end any other way tbh

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