"I'll get my camera"
The role reversal, her wanting the connection with her father/family, while the father was unable to be in that moment while being, previously, the greatest proponent of exactly that.
That's what I took away from it. Great way to end it, and relevant.
Interesting take on it. I was frustrated by the ending initially, but after digesting the film for a day or so it has grown on me. I'm really eager to give it a second viewing. Experiencing it the first time I had no idea what to make of it but I loved the rest of the film so I'm invested in figuring it out for myself. The only scene more confusing, and baffling, was the "encounter" involving the cupcake. I am mildly perturbed by that scene lol. Beyond relieved I didn't take any family members to see it with me. Good lord.
And before some a-hole trolls me that I should watch Michael Bay films instead; (1) How original (2) I'd consider suicide first
I thought he would take the time and connect with his daughter after she did this wonderful thing by presenting herself as a combination of 'mother and father'.
The question is, WHY wasn't he able to 'be in that moment', when the whole movie portrayed him as a person who would NEVER run for a camera to snap a special moment, but savor it. The film deliberately showed her father in the background, walking away to get his camera. For me, the father's choice didn't match his character, but just inserted to make a point (his daughter's pain and loneliness).
Yeah that last scene was a bit of a headscratcher for me. Is it really a 'Cats in the Cradle' story in the end? I truly thought the film was doing something else throughout, more of an uplifting story of a man feeling his mortality trying to connect with his daughter and aid her in reconnecting with that which will make her truly happy (she seems to find that place during the singing scene).
And when they hug in the park that seems to be the conclusion of that story, with the funeral etc being a coda.
After all that to say, "yeah well he's actually less present than you'd think", and to end on her looking disappointed and alone, didn't seem to line up with what we'd seen. I kind of saw it in a slightly more positive light, in that she is able to act the goof like her father yet she still has a ways to go, hence not feeling comfortable in the getup when alone. But she's on her way.
Also worth mentioning, I guess she did change jobs and move to Singapore, so she seems to have moved her life into a better direction.
Anyways I've searched quite a few places for some insight into the ending and the themes at large, with little success. Any thoughts out there?
Yes--that hug in the park could've been a good final scene--or, at the funeral, when she puts on her mother's hat and father's teeth, a fade-out of them connecting. But I have a theory--many European films, German and Scandinavian especially, do not believe in happy endings. It's a 'cop out' to populism, Hollywood, middle class values or whatever the hell else. A happy ending would be 'politically incorrect'. I'm not saying all movies should end happily--that would be sickening--but to feel a movie should end on a sad note in order to be considered serious or real is its own form of conformity.
shareBut I have a theory--many European films, German and Scandinavian especially, do not believe in happy endings.
I think she took the teeth out because he father wandered off to get the camera, so the moment was lost; not because she snapped back to rigidity.
And remember, she 'eased up' to a pretty good degree at the birthday party.
They were father and daughter in reality and in playful spirit. Let them laugh together at the end. This was a comedy, after all.
Well just before he goes to get the camera, he says to his daughter that he couldn't enjoy the good moments (like her daughter learning to drive a bike), they pass by before you realize that they were special. So this time, he went to get the camera, to capture the fun and lovely moment with his daughter.
For a brief moment, I feared he was gonna collapse or something by the way. But no, that'd be groundless. Loved the movie. Great actors (Y)
Well just before he goes to get the camera, he says to his daughter that he couldn't enjoy the good moments (like her daughter learning to drive a bike), they pass by before you realize that they were special. So this time, he went to get the camera, to capture the fun and lovely moment with his daughter.
I can see your angle on the ending ..you might be right. I first took it as he said he was getting a camera, but didnt intend to come back at all, rather to just go with the memory instead.
shareI dont think he intended to get the camera or to come back. He savored the moment, after saying how life goes fast, and memories are hard to preserve. So my take is he said he was getting the camera, but took away the memory with him instead.
shareI agree. I didn't like the movie as a whole, but the ending was done really well.
share