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Another question about the ending (Spoiler)

posted 7 years ago by jmc4769
15 replies | jump to latest

One of the scenes near the end of the movie shows Elle's son and his girlfriend getting out of a fancy car and acting sweet towards each other like they have made up. Anyone have any ideas about the significance of this scene? Did Elle buy the car for her son? Did she buy the car as a reward to the son for killing her rapist? Why did the son and his girlfriend all of a sudden make up? The previous time we saw them, the girlfriend had kicked him out because he lost his job.

[–] Vicenzo-VV 7 years ago

Maybe before the incident she thought he was a bit of a pussy, but all of that changed of course after he killed a big guy with a piece of wood.

"Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man..."

[–] jmc4769 7 years ago

My theory is that Elle and her son planned the killing of the rapist. As a reward she set him up in a nice apartment, bought him an expensive car, and gave him a generous allowance. She obviously had plenty of money from her gaming company. Afterwards the girlfriend, who I see as a gold digger, was happy to get back together with Elle's son.

[–] Vicenzo-VV 7 years ago

Ahhh you wanna answer your own array of questions.... Sorry for interfering.

"Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man..."

[–] Cornelia123 (784) 7 years ago

No way she planned the killing with her son. He knew nothing about it and truly believed she was being attacked. He seemed like a pretty innocent and naive guy, and never in a million years would he have thought his mother was having it off with a violent rapist.

[–] A (2) 7 years ago

[deleted]

[–] A (2) 7 years ago

Is incest unimaginable?

[–] Cornelia123 (784) 7 years ago

There were no indications of incest going on between mother and son. She was fucked up, but I don't think it went as far as that.

[–] Popcorn Kernel (2368) 7 years ago

It seemed like the girlfriend took him back after he grew a backbone and became a 'hero" (of course the gf and the son never find out that mom set up the whole situation).
Mom probably rewarded him with the car and money for "rescuing" her.
Everyone seems to live happily ever after. :p
Even her best friend takes her back! I cannot understand that, but she seemed able to manipulate others quite easily and was always surrounded by friends even though she was so incapable of any empathy or human emotions.

[–] [email protected] (1288) 7 years ago

agreed she was devoid of emotion on all levels

[–] Popcorn Kernel (2368) 7 years ago

How does someone like that have so many friends that have stuck around years? What is in it for them? I can understand her being able to MAKE friends because she can fake it for a while, she can hook people in, but how do they stay friends with her after finding out she's hollow?
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me continuously over and over for 20 years, I'm pretty much asking for it by that point.
Are they maybe a little masochistic?

[–] [email protected] (1288) 7 years ago

I know right? What was the big draw towards her? The best friend forgives her and even asks to move in, when she cheated with her husband, and the religious neighbor (rapists wife) is totally fine and even says thanks for giving him what he needs? Sorry but women dont forgive that easily.

[–] Popcorn Kernel (2368) 7 years ago

Exactly. In real life women (and some men) hold grudges for much smaller injuries, and they sometimes keep chewing on that bone for the rest of their life.
You can't shit on people over and over and have them just go "lalala lets have lunch Tuesday". Unless the people somehow want to get shit on.
To maintain a friendship over decades, both people need to feel like they are getting something out of it. They go through patches where one might give more and one might take more, but it evens out over years and both feel fulfilled by it.
What does this hollow toxic woman have to offer as a friend?
The 'happy' ending just left me cold because it's so unbelievable.
Up until that point I was somewhat on board, with the very interesting portrait of a damaged empty person. But they totally lost me with the ending.

[–] TheMan18 (12454) 7 years ago

The ending of "Elle" to an extent remind me of an ending of Takashi Miike's "Audition" (1999), except here, the young son attacks and kills a man in defense of his mother.

[–] [email protected] (1288) 7 years ago

Agreed. Especially the best friend at the end. Oh come on now. She had a normal reaction when Michelle told her she was cheating with her husband, but then at the end, it lost credibility.
I missed the first ten min of the movie, but found it again to record in a few days. I believe she was really attacked the first time. Then after that, when she trusted him enough to get her in the car crash, and to go to the basement with him,,,well that was getting a bit unbelievable. I am on the fence with the movie. It kept my attention, but the ending was lame, and I will watch the beginning again to really judge it.

[–] chrichrichri (184) 5 years ago

Michéle got from her father a certain certain cruel pleasure, which she found a way to outlive with her sadistic neighbour. His son killed this sadistic pleasure for her, which meant relief for her and a way of realising that she can take initiative in healing social problems of her closest beyond just uncovering what is wrong with their relationships.