10 Best Feel-Good Endings Of Movies, According To Reddit
There are many different ways to end a movie that can still be satisfying. Some stories need a darker and more depressing conclusion and others work best to leave things ambiguous. But there is something special about a movie that leaves viewers with a smile on their faces that really sticks in the audience's mind.
Sometimes it comes after a long and difficult journey in which the heroes have earned a happy ending. Others communicate a message that is warm and positive. Fans at Reddit have highlighted some of the best feel-good endings that leave things on a high note.
10 Midnight In Paris (2011)
While time travel stories are usually big, grand adventures, Midnight in Paris took an intimate and charming approach. Owen Wilson stars as a man visiting Paris where each night he is transported back to the city as it was in the 1920s where he meets some of his heroes like Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
In the end, he realizes that he is attempting to escape his problems in his own world and is chasing this feeling of nostalgia. He returns to the modern world and meets a woman who shares his love of walking in the rain. Redditor BH_That_Guy said the ending "left me with a big smile on my face."
9 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Christopher Nolan's Batman movies were always a darker take on the Caped Crusader but that doesn't mean he didn't want to end the trilogy on a happier note. After Batman is thought to be dead after saving Gotham, the final montage shows Bruce finally living a peaceful life while John Blake takes up the mantel of Gotham's hero.
Though many have pointed out the plot holes that help to make the ending possible, it is hard not to be charmed to see the hero get a happy ending. Redditor Occams_Lazor_ felt "Bruce definitely deserved that."
8 The Apartment (1960)
From legendary filmmaker Billy Wilder, The Apartment is a hilarious and touching romantic comedy starring Jack Lemmon as a man who allows his bosses to use his apartment to carry out their affairs only to fall for one of the mistresses, played by Shirley McLaine.
The end of the movie finds McLaine joining Lemmon in his apartment, realizing he is the one who has treated her with kindness and respect. As they play cards together, they smile at each other, hinting at a bright future together. Redditor awesomeness0232 admitted the ending "always cheers me up."
7 Gravity (2013)
The sci-fi thriller Gravity is one of the most heart-pounding movies of all time yet it also managed to deliver a feel-good ending. Sandra Bullock stars as an astronaut who is left stranded in space after a destructive accident.
The movie is an intense survival story as she faces countless dangers and obstacles in her attempts to get back home. However, after all the struggles, it is a relief at the end of the movie to see her land on Earth and take her first steps on the ground. One Redditor called it "a very uplifting and powerful ending."
6 Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
The Best Picture-winning Slumdog Millionaire had an unusual premise that made for a surprisingly uplifting movie. Dev Patel plays a young man who grew up in the slums of Mumbai and uses his experiences to excel on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
As he reaches the final question on the game show, his true motivation becomes clear and he uses his phone "lifeline" to reconnect with the woman he loves. Redditor blinkfan02 admitted that it was "very obvious throughout the whole film what is going to happen" but it didn't make their reunion any less touching.
5 Groundhog Day (1993)
Often praised as one of the most original scripts of all time, Groundhog Day helped launch the time-loop subgenre of movies. Bill Murray plays a self-centered weatherman who finds himself reliving the same day over and over while covering a small-town Groundhog Day festival.
The ending finds Murray's character using his time to make the lives of everyone he meets better as well as falling for his colleague before finally escaping into the next day. Redditor RADDman claimed that seeing the character's turnaround "just feels so good."
4 Edge Of Tomorrow (2014)
Another great time-loop movie is Edge of Tomorrow which transplants the concept into a sci-fi action story. Tom Cruise plays Cage, a soldier who fights and dies in the same battle against alien invaders with the help of skilled warrior Rita (Emily Blunt).
At the end of the movie, both Cage and Rita seemingly die while stopping the aliens. But the day resets with the world still saved. Cage seeks out Rita, and though she doesn't remember him, he smiles at seeing her alive. Redditor ParkerZA felt that smile was " fully deserved" after seeing everything he's gone through.
3 The Breakfast Club (1985)
John Hughes's The Breakfast Club is one of those movies that seems to have defined the 1980s. It follows a group of high school students from very different backgrounds and social circles forced to spend their weekend in detention together.
Throughout the movie, the kids figure out how to put aside their differences and move past the limiting labels they have given each other. It ends with the iconic image of the "criminal" student pumping his fist in the air after getting a date with the popular "princess." One Redditor expressed that they find the ending "satisfying every time."
2 Chef (2014)
Though he is mostly known for his work in the Star Wars and MCU franchises, Jon Favreau delivered a smaller and personal project with Chef. Favreau plays a top restaurant chef who, following a meltdown, buys a food truck and does a road trip with his young son.
The end of the movie sees him not only reconnecting with his love of cooking but also becoming a better father. The final scene sees him opening a new restaurant surrounded by his family and friends. Redditor Smidgens called it "one of the happiest movies I've ever seen."
1 Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi (1983)
Bringing the original Star Wars trilogy to an end was a daunting task and while Return of the Jedi might not be the best of the three movies, it does offer a hugely satisfying end. There are so many happy moments to conclude the story, from Darth Vader's redemption to the Death Star blowing up to the celebration on Endor.
It is an epic feeling to see this story come to an end with moments that are touching and uplifting. Redditor piraterio pointed to the moment Vader asks Luke to remove his mask " just to see him for the first time with his own eyes" as particularly special.