More ambiguous than you think (spoilers)

Watched the film over the weekend: definitely reminded me of JACOB'S LADDER, STAY, THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON, OFFICE SPACE and FIGHT CLUB.

However, contrary to popular belief that the main character did himself in at the very end, I think that's a little ambiguous based on the creative direction of the final scenes. For instance, there's no indication the "What If" fantasy was over; it looked like Bob Maconel was still in his own world. (Whereas in movies like "Stay" and "Jacob's Ladder", you eventually see the main characters post-mortem at a point of view other than their own.) Maconel seemed to have witnessed what happened after his "death", and the uneven continuity in the final minutes suggests he was still "imagining" what would happen if he pulled the trigger, but for a different purpose.

Working in multiple positions in office environments over the years, I must give kudos to the writer/director for realizing how dehumanizing, aimless and lonely it is, however, I've never known anyone like the "Paula" character. But young/unqualified/pretty women advancing to high levels by either "knowing someone inside" or "discreet quid pro quo" is very true. That's the Magna Carta of corporate politics: if you're not a pretty young woman, or you don't know someone inside, you ain't got *bleep*. Even if Maconel was the "weak and diseased" person he was talking about, you really can't help but empathize with his plight.