César didn't 'win'

That's just what you think.

What makes you think he'll be arrested? The "Monday" title card at the end clearly suggests that he intends on doing it all over again, so we have to assume he's made efforts to disappear.

I don't think Cesar was going to be arrested based on that letter. He's certainly got away with the murder by that point.

However, what you've said makes me think. Perhaps something similar happened to his mother? In hospital he strongly suggests that she considers him a disappointment or is ashamed of him in some way.

What if Cesar was an illegitimate child and he wants to produce an illegitimate child himself to be shunned the way he was?

If that's the case, then yes it doesn't look like the woman is going to shun her child, so in that sense you'd be right. That being said, Cesar's mother didn't give him up. They lived in shame together. So to a certain extent, it's up to interpretation. And certainly the letter wiped the smile right off her face all over again, which is Cesar's primary goal in everything he does.

To you cynical types who seem to enjoy what Cesar did to people.

I think Cesar is not perfect, and he slips time to time.
Just one slip too much, and he'll be apprehended.

He may have got away with murder this time, but the police was pretty close on his tail. And they did actually suspect something. He got away by pure coincidence. Ninja and Superman he isn't.

Clara most probably would bring this diary to the police, who will store the evidence. Next time there's a similar story elsewhere, it may come to attention of the police.

The friend who works in the police told me: please, do report every crime even if they can't catch the perp right now. If there are reports of multiple seemingly minor crimes in a certain place, the police will give it a closer look -- even if the elementary crime is not worth the police time.

So the most realistic end is, he gets caught, convicted and goes to prison.

Clara did not push away the baby. He's not guilty of his lineage. So she'll get over it and the smile will come back onto her face.

"Sleep Tight".

I thought the exact same thing. They made you fear for what she'd choose a moment when she lifted up the baby.

So long as the lunatic believes that Clara has been destroyed, he "wins."

How you view the situation is a matter of what beliefs you hold with regards to human nature and the journey of the soul.

I watched the movie this morning. So I’ve had several hours to ponder my own opinion on this issue. Throughout the movie, I felt nothing but spite for Cesar. So much so that I was praying that someone would just take him out by any means possible. I felt such bitterness towards him. That was my gut reaction. But, now that I’ve had several hours to think about it, I feel nothing but the utmost empathy for him.

IMHO, I don’t think there are any winners or losers in this situation. Life is not a game; it is a learning experience – it is a journey. Life only becomes a game if you view it as being one. While Cesar might have felt this, Clara did not. This was not a game for Clara; she was never keeping score because she was busy living a fulfilling life.

There are many ways to look at this movie. For me, the film juxtaposes two individuals at different levels of spiritual evolution – with two radically different consciousnesses. You have Clara, who is a genuine, good-hearted, and optimistic woman by nature. So intense is her propensity for goodness, that she hugs the illegitimate child she’s given birth to close to her, accepting it with unconditional love (as the OP mentioned). This is definitely a sign that she is a spiritual adult.

Unlike Cesar – a miserable wretch of a creature, who engages in extremes acts of deception just to feel a smidgen of joy. His happiness hinges on the misfortune of others. It was difficult to watch how he brought his poor bed-ridden mother to tears with his pessimistic attitude; and also how he demeaned Mrs. Veronica (the woman with the dogs) when she had nothing but nice things to say about him. This is a soul who does not recognize the goodness in others because he does not know his own worth as a human being. That is the main problem with Cesar. He is unable to be happy because he is unable to love. This is truly heartbreaking.

Yes, one can interpret his raping Clara and impregnating her with his seed as a “win” for him. But imposing on the freedom of others in order to achieve his sadistic goals, will not result in fulfillment for his soul. A happiness that hinges on the unhappiness of others is not true happiness, no matter how you slice it. It is a fleeting feeling of perverse joy.

But perhaps, this perverted act has in a strange way brought him closer to happiness? Maybe he will try to live differently now? Maybe he will become a better person knowing that his likeness lives in the world? Then, in this case, he – his soul - will truly have progressed. I say “progressed” and not “won”, because, as I mentioned before, life ain't a game.

But that’s my own opinion. That’s what’s so great about movies. There are no right or wrong answers. Just different perspectives.

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There's only one instant, and it's right now. And it's eternity.

- Waking Life

For a guy who struggles to get out of bed every morning, never had the feeling of happiness and wants to kill himself if he doesn't distract himself by doing things like this, I seriously doubt that he can ever win one way or the other.

To the people who think he got away: I don't think he can get away with it if he keeps on living in Europe because no matter where he is, if they catch him, he will be transported back to Spain and convicted for murder.

I still think that Clara's life was ruined big time though. No matter how positive she is this whole experience will leave her scared for the rest of her life no matter how positive she'll try to be.