MovieChat Forums > A Perfect Day (2016) Discussion > Questionable ending? (morally...?)

Questionable ending? (morally...?)

posted 8 years ago by Silverhawkins
1 reply | jump to latest

I loved this film, but at the end I was left in two minds about what the moral upshot was. It seems like one of the themes is the futility of aid work (the ball, the rope), and another theme is almost "it'll work itself out in the end" (the body in the well, the prisoners). I was almost under the impression at times that they were doing more harm than good, or if not actively causing harm, doing very little to actually help anyone. In fact, the old woman with the cows kind of epitomises their situation ie. they call to her to be careful of the mines, but she's perfectly capable navigating her way around them safely, and they end up relying on her in order that they can progress safely.

Beautiful film, but I was left pondering what Fernando Leon de Andres' intention was with this conclusion.

Recent favs: Sicario | Ex Machina | Enemy | Captain Fantastic | Hunt for the Wilderpeople

[–] alwaysannoying 8 years ago

I don't think there was meant to be a moral upshot at the end. You could see what they went through -- and the attempts to stop them -- as an object lesson in futility, but it just seemed like the ending was saying things are what they are, and life goes on.
The old woman seemed to fit into that theme too. Yeah, there's mines, but the cows still need to be put out to pasture, so what can you do except get on with it?

...here is little Effie's head
whose brains are made of gingerbread