the ending

Thanks, you're very well spoken...I understood the meaning of the last scene, but my question was that the wife was telling a story about someone getting chased, and how something happened to some woman they knew, then the two guys exchanged a look. A look, as if they each knew not to say anything about them knowing about the situation, or something. I don't know nevermind. Wasn't Winston's performance wonderful? One of the most rememberable performances ever.

"Exterminate all rational thought..."

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Griffin that was very well written and the sentiments are totally how I would convey the scene.
I've lived around and grew up with those sort of people and normality is what these people go back to. It's like- just accept your lot in life, no matter how hard you have it.
It's a beautifully acted scene by all and because I've seen situations like that I didn't find it uncomfortable- because Val will always go back to that and like another poster on here said- it has a double ending nin a way. Either they have a future ahead of them like this or things will change.
I love the ending. It's very ambiguous.
What I associate with more is Jamie Foreman's character. He obviously thinks a lot of Val but he wouldn't cross Ray's character either. He is his mate and can't get involved. It's there on screen in his eyes. Jamie is a brilliant actor and very good himself at portraying unsettling, frightening characters who can seem like every body's best mate. Here, he has a heart in there within the brutality of his lifestyle. I think that was a good part of Oldman and Foreman's characterization of Mark to have him have some love for all of Ray's family.
I've seen first hand how bastards treat their wives and girlfriends and we (their friends or the girls friends) have to look on and just be uninvolved because everyone loses in the end. Family, kids, friends, in-laws,etc.
It's a fantastic film and I must also say how brilliant Creed Miles and Steve Sweeney were too.
My old mates are just like them and I lived that sort of existence- drugs, glue, sharing your super stregnth lager with passing street riff raff too. I
Gary Oldman is certainly switched on to the absolute authenticity of characterization. He knows his characters so well, and it's a credit to him that he picked one of the greatest group of actors working today.
You can see in Foreman's excellent portrayal that even he would like to see Ray change.

Kathy Burke played the perfect domestic-violence victim too; the look in Winston's eyes when he was beating her shouting *beep* *beep* *beep* - unsettling.

Do you think Ray had changed his ways at the end ?. I'd like to think that after Val told Ray what she thought of him, and with him getting upset in that scene, he would have realized that what he did was wrong, and with them getting back together at the end, i'd like to think that Ray had got some help and changed the way he acted.

The scene where he broke down crying when he was on the phone to Val was heartbreaking. That scene, the scene where he was talking about his father, and the scene where Val stood up to him and he looked like he was about to cry, made me feel some sympathy for him. What he did to Val was terrifying, and i'm not sure if she should have forgiven him, unless of course he did get some help, but this film makes you understand why people like Ray behave the way they do. Deep down they are insecure people. It's a very thought provoking film.