MovieChat Forums > The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008) Discussion > Anyone else annoyed at the abrupt ending...

Anyone else annoyed at the abrupt ending?

posted 12 years ago by kawaii_korn
32 replies | jump to latest

I read all the reviews of people saying how amazing the movie was... I agreed until it ended without any real conclusion. It failed to follow the basic literary rules of dramatic structure: having a falling action after the climax, which it much needed. It was just rising rising rising, climax-THE END!

Even a 5 minute conversation between the parents would have been enough to save the ending.

Kind of dissapointing, and will probably prevent me from ever watching it for a second time. :/

[–] DavidTL 9 years ago

I fully agree, but I also think dramatically it works best as it is for the film and message it is trying to say.

[–] debtysall 8 years ago

The ending was perfect..a conversation between the parents!?? There would be nothing to say. In fact they would not even be able to speak probably. . It reminded me of the ending of Das Leben Der Anderen, at first I was mad cos he didn't talk to him, then I realized less is more. As an audience, we don't need everything spelled out really.

[–] estocade 8 years ago

OP got traumatized subconsciously(he should be) and projects his discontent on the actual movie, otherwise he wouldn't come all this way to went/cry.

Yes, the ending was abrupt, as well as Bruno's life, and his friend's, and their friendship, and their hopes of finding boy's father, and Bruno's father finding Bruno.

Maybe they will meet in different life, and maybe there will be no electrical fence between them, and their friendship will last longer.

The ending does not want to placate the viewer but to leave him in stupor, thus the viewer channels the emotional truth of the event that has transpired. Maybe he will do some research, some EXPLORING...

[–] orangeisthenewawesome 8 years ago

Nope. Thought it was chillingly appropriate.

Even if it means me taking a chubby, I will suck it up!

[–] darkfrances (47) 7 months ago

At the very end I was looking at the screen in half-disbelief - seriously?

My reaction had been caused primarily by how in-your-face the ending was, after a rather subtle story.

I guess that if they had added SOMETHING after the climax, it would have make the ending feel less silly.

Sure I know that human beings like you and me and our kids had been gassed and burned, and it was a horrific act. But if we're talking about a movie (not history itself), I would rather not feel like someone sounds a massive church bell in my ear at the end of an Edvard Grieg concert, while yelling AIN'T YE IMPRESSED NOW BY THE SADNESS AND THE IRONY!!