The Ending of "25th Hour" *SPOILERS*

So, please someone explain for certain what happened.

Did he go to the west, did he die from the beating, did he go to prison and his father was just handing out possibilities?

Someone told me that his dad says "We could get on GW bridge and go west" and that at the end, they are seen passing the bridge and so that he went to prison.

Someone else said he didn't go to the hospital and the last shot we see of him with his eyes closed is because he's dead.

Someone else said it's obvious that he went to the west because of what you see and described.

Any certain answers?

Well, he most certainly did not die.

I think the ending with Norton living out West was just imagined in their minds of what he "could" do.

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Suspect's Reviews

He definitely went to prison. Them passing by the bridge is the deal maker.

The ending is much more ambiguous in the book.

**EDIT**
I'm pretty sure Spike Lee answers your question on the commentary track.

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"No form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to our emotions, deep into the twilight room of the soul." ~ Ingmar Bergman

It's obviously a fantasy. He goes to prison, that's clear from the last shots of the flick - the George Washington Bridge is seen behind them, so no the turn "West" was never taken. There is no escape or happy ending for Monty Brogan, other than the one he imagines.


What are you on about? I love the ending of 25th Hour. The sense of regret and the longing for a new life he'll never have is poetic and completely satisfying. For me, anyway. I don't know who these "someone"s are confusing the ending for you, but it's far from ambiguous. It's perfectly clear that it's a fantasy. There are films out there with endings purposefully left open for interpretation and speculation, but 25th Hour isn't one of them.


I'm almost afraid to ask, but what, pray tell, are the many other endings that in your estimation Spike has ruined?


Yes, both Spike and novelist David Benoiff discuss Monty's fantasy in their commentary tracks on the DVD. But if it isn't clear from the movie itself, there may be little hope for "someone" to get it just because the writer and filmmaker tell you again.

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

The ending of Do The Right Thing was awful.

Also, I originally thought he lived out west and everything and that's why I said he trashed the ending. I'm glad he went to prison because that's the correct ending.

Wow. Do the Right Thing is a masterpiece, especially the ending.

As you were.

Do the Right Thing was really average. I hated the apologetic, contortionist writing. The ending was so...vapid.

SPOILERS

So a small character (Radio Raheem) is killed and everyone breaks down Sal's. Hate and anger comes from nowhere.

I really didn't like Do the Right Thing.

You couldn't have been paying less attention or you have no sense of anything if you think a white Cop killing a black man on the street is "nothing". The whole movie is about all the hate and anger in that community - from all races and ages, just barely below the surface most of the time. Particularly how it can boil over on a very hot summer day in Bed-Stuy. Yeah, it's unfathomable why the "nothing" of that death might get a little crazy in a hurry.

No, I mean the cop killing Raheem and the people getting all upset after Sal was all happy and letting them in to eat pizza after he had closed. It seemed to all come from nowhere.

I understand the importance of it and everything, I just didn't like it. It's one of those movies where I can see why others like it, but it's really not my cup of tea.