The Ending

The 5 possible endings I discussed in my last post are all clever ways to wrap up my narrative. I initially thought that I could start filming and decide later on, but I think that it is better to have a clear sense of the end before I start so that I build up to a justified finale. In this post I shall make a choice on which one of my five endings I intend to use. 

• I like the simplicity of the first ending, where Dylan leaves everything peacefully and chooses to let the father go. Although it is not an eventful or thrilling finale, I think that it shows the depth of his characterisation and a subversion of audience expectations. It goes for the less is more approach, adopting more of a dramatic ending than a thrilling one.  

• The second ending is another subversion of audience expectation as they initially think Dylan has chosen to redeem himself and spare the father.  He isn't entirely villainous because we see him consider letting the father go, but then give in to his darker side. This is probably the most true to Dylan as a character, who we learn has had a rough life as a street kid, and so his capacity for forgiveness will be somewhat inferior to his capacity for revenge. 

• This conclusion brings the biggest sense of finality to the story. It would show how he refuses to make a choice between revenge and forgiveness, and instead chooses to die the same way his brother had, creating a deeper bond between them. However as much as like the eeriness of this choice, I think it is also quite drastic, and I wouldn't have had the time to build up the character to justify his suicide. So I fear it would feel too abrupt and misunderstood by the audience, which is why I won't use it. 

• I think the idea of Dylan waking up and revealing that it was all a dream is a clever twist, but undermines the emotional build up. It would definitely complement the thriller conventions, leaving the ending to be speculated on as he looks down at the gun, but I think it is counterproductive and erases any of the dramatic elements that preceded it. Therefore this won't be the ending I adopt.

• Again I really like the idea of having Dylan already killed the man and the narrative playing out as an alternative to this reality, but it once more undermines the build up because it is seen as fake. Like my fourth ending, I think that it neatly adheres to thriller conventions and subverts expectation, but I think that this could be adding a twist for shock factor rather than using it to drive the narrative. I want the story to be gritty and grounded without seeming intentionally misleading. So I shan't be using this conclusion either. 

Ending 1 or 2?

So, a thought-provoking ending that shows the protagonist experiencing a deep psychological change, or a subversive ending that shows the protagonist contemplate forgiveness but eventually gives in to his darker side? I think that both of them hold potential, and both of them still keep Dylan as a human, sympathetic character, even though in one of them he does kill the father. That being said, I have made my decision on a matter of believability.

Although I like the second ending and the harshness of Dylan's inner conflict, I think that shooting the father in front of his son isn't really believable. It would leave a witness (his son) and also be happening in a public place, in broad daylight. Therefore I think that the first ending would show Dylan come to his senses a bit more, not just emotionally but sensibly as well. Knowing he was driven to this by grief but eventually realising that what he's doing isn't moral and wouldn't even be a smart crime. So I am going to keep it simple and remain with my first ending, because in my opinion it would complete a good character arc and use the ending to serve the drama, not the thrills. 

I shall now try and write this ending into my screenplay.