Did Anyone Else Read the Ending This Way?

I thought the absence of the boyfriend was odd, but I didn't take away from the ending that she had died. Interesting angle though.



These eggs have yellow eyes. But if I turn them, the yellow is gone.

I agree with your theory. Especially since the child showed no Korean features which makes me think in her mind, as she stated to Andrew the child was just hers! And the fact that she is pregnant when she had no man makes me thinks it is a dream sequence she had as she was dying. In addition, when he was taken from his room he did not have the nice bedspread she found there when she went back, he used a payphone to make calls yet there was a cell on the table. A cell, that it appeared he was calling from jail at the exact time she was in the room. Reminds me of the ambiguous end of The Piano.

I'm very quickly becoming a fan of Vera Farmiga. Bought this film used for 2.99 (because she's in it) and while I agree that the film is flawed, her performance elevates it to being a decent effort. As to the ending, I think your observation that she may be dead makes sense. First of all the husband is a rather distasteful individual. A malcontent who is always on the verge of "ending it all" and sadly, putting this lovely woman in the position of being responsible for giving him "a reason for living".

When he finds out about her "secret" (one of the weak moments in the film) it all comes together: 1. She's been unfaithful 2. The baby is not his 3. He really is firing blanks....So, if he was ready to commit suicide before, now he's ready for suicide and homicide.

Who is the child at the end of the film. Obviously he's not Asian and if I'm not mistaken, she told her husband that she knew she wasn't the reason for not being able conceive as she had been pregnant before. Perhaps the child was the child she had lost (abortion?) earlier in her life. The look of contentment and quiet joy in Vera's face is in direct contrast to the guilt, fear and loneliness she exhibited through much of the film. Lastly, the drawing of the sea and the sea at the end of the film represent a form of heaven and a connection between these two tragic characters.

It is my hope that this fine actress will not fall victim to Hollywood and the trash it can't help but churn out. The Departed and to a lesser degree, Orphan (Vera was very, very good in a film that only reached half its potential)are concerning examples of another great or promising talent potentially wasted. Another sad example is Virginia Madsen'S fine performance in Sideways it's been nothing but Botox and crap ever since.

The guy called from jail while Sophie was in his apartment and she picked up the phone and looked at the photo of the beach on the wall....cut to the future...their kid is grown to about what 5?....and she is pregnant again....she is knitting and looks straight into the camera who is the immigrant Korean and they are on a beach like his photo....she got the 30k and left her husband...

Remember the caucasian looking kid who called her husband UNCLE when the immigrant came to the party....that kid was caucasian looking because his mother was white married to one of the Koreans at the party.

cut and dry

Interesting take, but not what the writer/director meant to convey.

Sophie moved to Korea with her lover/new husband (she's at his favorite beach); they had their son and now she is pregnant. You will also note the sapphire ring he picked out in the U.S., is on her left hand.

The director chose to visually leave him out, to purposely focus on her happiness and peace with her decision to "start over".

"Don't get chumpatized"! -The King of Kong (2007)