10 INCREDIBLE Closing Scenes & What They Teach Screenwriters

The closing scene of any film is crucial. The last scene and image should stick with viewers. If done well, it can prove to be a vital cog in a successful film.

In contrast, an unsatisfactory ending can ruin a film. This is especially the case if it feels rushed, confusing, or if the main character experiences no growth or change.

The best story endings conclude the arc of a character’s journey in a satisfying way. This doesn’t mean your characters have to live happily ever after and have all their problems solved.

However, a well-written ending should make viewers feel like the film was worth watching. Because nothing is worse than watching a film with an ending so bizarre it makes you wonder what the point of it all was.

The closing scene should be a satisfying punctuation mark on the story. It doesn’t have to wrap up everything. Indeed, some of the best endings are relatively ambiguous. But the closing scene has to feel definitive. The writer has to purposefully leave the audience with a meaningful message pertaining to what they have just watched.

So let’s take a look at 10 amazing closing scenes and examine what makes them so successful. 

The closing scenes discussed in this article cover a range of genres and styles used to end a film. This is to showcase the different ways a film can come to an effective conclusion.

*Due to the nature of the article, there are spoilers ahead!

10 Incredible Closing Scenes