MovieChat Forums > Another Earth (2011) Discussion > The ending is obvious...

The ending is obvious...

posted 12 years ago by khurambashir
95 replies | jump to latest

I have run this movie through my mind several times, and there is only one conclusion:

As Rhoda suggest at the ending to John: They might be alive.

As the perfect mirror image shatters right before the accident (as Rhoda look up and sees Earth 2), it is up to chance what happens afterward in Earth 2, because the mirror image is broken. There is no longer symmetry. The paths of Earth 1 and 2 diverge.

Therefore you could argue both for and against whether or not John's family lives.

I'm having a good day: They're probably alive.

The day before yesterday they were dead.

[–] super-staff 12 years ago

As the perfect mirror image shatters right before the accident (as Rhoda look up and sees Earth 2), it is up to chance what happens afterward in Earth 2, because the mirror image is broken. There is no longer symmetry. The paths of Earth 1 and 2 diverge.

Therefore you could argue both for and against whether or not John's family lives.

I'm having a good day: They're probably alive.

^THIS.

[–] jingizu_z 12 years ago

I love this movie and love that they left the ending open to interpretation. I don't think the ending is obvious at all, it is quite ambigeous and all the different opinions on it, confirms that.

For me there are two possible endings and I constantly fluxuate between the two.

One - Rhoda2 never had the accident, went to MIT and actually went to Earth1 as part of the science team. She also met John1 who told her about Rhoda1 and her guilt. Why do everybody assume that Rhoda2 also won the contest?

Two - John2 died instead of his family in the crash, and John1 rejoins he family and gave his return ticket to Rhoda2, perhaps so that she may also find redemption as Rhoda1 did.

Hmm, I can't choose between the two. I think John's family is alive on Earth2, but whether John2 is alive, well that is another matter. Besides, if both Johns are alive, how will that effect their future?

Damn I love movies that make you think afterwards! :)

[–] mh0830 12 years ago

lmao great post, the last bit about them being alive then dead before was great.

[–] razzzor-1 11 years ago

I think the director planned it so that Earth 2 Rhonda didn't kill John's family.

Her reasons for winning the contest had nothing to do with her life and going to prison, it was just some garbage history. So both Rhonda's could have won.

There's a bit of a hole in that Earth 1 Rhonda had a reason to enter, but why did Earth 2 Rhonda enter? Surely she'd have moved ahead in life, got a family herself perhaps, a career.

I think it's telling that Earth 2 Rhonda has her hair done, isn't dressed like a bum... she's had a better life.

At first, I thought both Rhonda's killed John's family, and the only difference was John didn't accept the ticket. However if that's the way the story was to go then Rhonda 2 would never have left Earth 2 and John forgave her. If that's what was intended by the director for the conclusion for this story, it would have been obvious, as that would be the main point of the film - forgiveness.

So the only other theory is she just decided not to leave him the ticket. But if they were in such synchrony over the four years, why would that detail change? There was nothing to suggest it did.

Nope, they went out of synchrony right from the start and Earth 2 had no car accident. And I think that's pretty obvious.

[–] hidekun 11 years ago

My thought is that Rohda didn't kill the family (most likely killed only John (like they've already said here), but that's open for discussion), and Rohda2 coming to Earth 1 means that John stayed there and gave Rohda2 his place on the ship. That would explain the 4 month period a bit better than that in earth 2 they took 4 more months to do the same trip.
Great movie BTW.

[–] doroha2188 11 years ago

I think maybe the accident didnt happen at all on Earth 2 and when John got there and met with his other version of him and his family they probably went to meet Rhoda on Earth 2 and earth 1 John explained what happened on earth one and sent her to meet earth 1 Rhoda to talk to her about how things worked out on earth 2 for everyone. I loved the movie but really wish they showed at least 1 conversation between the Rhodas

All Hail me the king of all losers! Or don't I give up easy

[–] natebouchard 11 years ago

I tend to agree that its unlikely the accident happened on Earth 2. Rhoda 2 has pretty clearly not gone to jail as she's made to look very well put together. Without the crash, she would still get on the flight. She was chosen not because she went to jail but because she had a mix of qualities that meant her life would be an all-or-nothing affair. And by not crashing she never met John 2.

This does beg the question of what John 1 gets out of all this though. He gets to see his family with a happier version of himself and...not much else. Perhaps he takes solace that they are still out there and heads back to Earth 1 to reunite with Rhoda.

My big question relates to Earth 2 itself. It clearly does get closer as the movie progresses but the idea that it wasn't real makes no sense. If it wasn't, none of the other characters would acknowledge it. I suspect that, given the issue of synchronicity being brought up a fair bit, that the nearing of Earth 2 was due to the two slowly merging back. As time passed and John 1 and Rhoda 1's relationship developed, the Earths came closer to being made singular again. The damage of that car crash essentially was being healed. There's an air of destiny about this conclusion which the movie itself shares so I prefer it myself.

Howeever, as it got nearer to the end, I half-expected the landing on Earth 2 (and a corresponding landing on Earth 1) to trigger the two Earths to recombine. I expected Rhoda to find herself driving again, undistracted by anything in the sky. Something along the lines of the Donnie Darko "tangent universe" where the universe splits and seeks to right itself. I was happy that wasn't the case and given how conscious the director was about the visibility of Earth 2, I don't take the cloudy day to be without purpose. Without a second Earth in the sky, looming ever closer, it implied to me that things were undecided from here on out. That meeting oneself meant anything could happen and that both Rhodas and Johns (as well as both Earths) were free to be whatever they chose.

[–] Kifcog 11 years ago

Hi Guys,

I love the way everyones glass is half full whilst looking for meaning at the end of this film.

I love films that make you think at the end, especially when they bring out conflicting opinions about the 'meaning'. I also expected the landings to trigger the earth's to recombine and Rhoda to find herself back at the accident with no Earth2 to distract her. But hey, ho.. If that happened we'd all be moaning about how predictable the ending was..

So here's my theory.

The accident happened on both earths exactly the same way, Rhoda did her time on both earths and wrote her essay on both earth's the same.. The difference was, when she knocked on John's door, Rhoda2 didn't bottle it and told John2, who she was and said her piece.. Maybem her forgave her, maybe not.. But no relationship blossomed and Rhoda kept her ticket.

When John1 arrived on Earth2 he didn't find his family, he found himself, still alone.. And to make matters worse he had left Rhoda, who had begun to love behind. And her doppleganger was also gone.. So now he's all alone.

Right at the end, both Rhodas' faces seem to tell a story.. Rhoda1's is saying, I know you only have bad news for me.. And Rhoda"'s is saying.. Yep.. Bad news..

I think Rhoda2 looks more sorted because she said her peice and moved on whilst Rhoda1 never moved on from the accident

That's my opinion anyway.. Feel free to disagree... lol

[–] jalbert1 11 years ago

I think it's meant to be ambiguous but the only way it really makes any sense is for both Rhodas to have had the accident. The idea that Earth 2 Rhoda somehow qualified for the trip without having the compelling story of being an ex-con seems extra unbelievable. The symmetry of the two planets, at least for the Rhodas, ended when Earth 2 Rhoda decided to take the trip herself. Instead of 'Another Earth' they should have just called it 'Sucks To Be That Guy'.

[–] cargolot 11 years ago

I like the first idea that i found in google. I think I haven't read it here yet:

Maybe Rhoda2 didn't won the ticket. Maybe without accident he studied something realated to space and she earnt the place by her merits or was hired or invited or something. Remember she was interested in space from the begining. Remember her room full of planets.

_

So we know what happened on earth 1. I like to think rhoda2 comming to earth 1 just shows us the broken mirror theory was right. The man met, found or saw his family, and about rhoda 2 it explained in the previous paragraph.

Spain

[–] ghoolsby 11 years ago

The obvious conclusion would of course have been a mid-space collision of two space shuttles, or perhaps the Earth 2 John Burroughs coming to meet her, but since the synchronicity was broken, I guess a twistier ending was in order. Were we the earth 2? Was the alien earth the one in the movie? It makes sense. Flava Flav has a career in that earth.

I wanted to see Rhoda land on Earth 2 to find a parallel earth but all the people are duck billed marionettes. HI, RHODA, I'M JUST LIKE YOU the earth 2 Rhoda marionette would scream into her ear.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (51864838) 11 years ago

I find the different interpretations interesting, excellent thread. For me, the end was always the question of how would I react confronted with an image of me that (presumably) always has done the right things? The film ends right there after Rhoda has apparently accepted their fate or situation.

Maybe it would be interesting but otherwise I would not really like being confronted with a perfect version of myself. Like in the movie it is unclear how the protagonist reacts when her perfect alter ego takes a step in her direction.

[–] walkerus 10 years ago

I can't get it out of my mind, but if there was another earth a few hundred thousand miles away, the tides would be massive and the wrench on the plates would cause earthquakes, problems with earth/sun orbits, problems with Earth 1 moon and Earth 2 moon and their orbits etc etc......... but forgetting all the problems .. I think that on Earth 2 Rhoda won the competition and travelled to Earth 1 and that why she met herself..... meanwhile John has shot off to Earth 2, even if his wife and family are alive on Earth 2 there will be another John and that could be very interesting!

[–] Raimar_Lunardi 9 years ago

As I posted on the other thread:

It was a one-way travel... (No coming Back)

A succesful MIT graduate won't want nor have a touching story to convince the millionaire...

...

Condensating the timeline:

Rhoda1 gives her seat to John 1, ok, we saw that in the movie...

For the ending have some logic, closure and to become a "good ending":

John 2 must have died and his wife2 and kids2 not... (so Jhon1 would end happy there on E2).

Rhoda2 MUST have had killed (someone), face jail, get out and try to suicide... (so she could write the touching story).

So, if it was John2 that died on E2, it all pieces together like a puzzle... If he did not die, it would end up like E1... (And we know for fact it is not 100% equal because R2 comes to E1...)