An Explanation For The Ending

Rating: 10/10 (15 August 2008)

An explanation for the ending: an implied scene5 The ending of the film should be understood in the context of preceding scenes, and in particular, the scene just prior to the final scenes of the film - in the motel - where Anton is hiding behind the door with a loaded gun, and the Sheriff holsters his gun and sits on the bed. This scene ends with the Sheriff noticing, and focusing on, the coin left on the floor by Anton. The focus on the coin incidentally, was the Coen Bros. clue to the viewer. This scene implies that Anton 'gets the drop' on the Sheriff, and gives him a chance to escape by calling the coin toss correctly. This then explains the ensuing scenes where the Sheriff discusses his retirement plans to his friend and his wife, and recounts his dark dream to his wife; a dream of a dead father and mortality. A dispirited Sheriff has realized he is no match for Anton. Hence the film's title: "No Country For Old Men". This implied scene underscores the greatness of this film. Most films, particularly Hollywood films, usually make everything obvious to the viewer, leaving no room for thinking by viewers. The Coen Bros. have elevated film-making to new heights. On another level, they have elevated the notion of randomness or chance in the world, to a primary theme, in this film, as commented on elsewhere by some contributors. It seems that Cormac McCarthy, (the author of the novel on which the film is based) had been reading the works of Nassim Nicholas Taleb and his discourse on randomness/chance in "The Black Swan" and "Fooled By Randomness". In the Talebian view of life, the real terror for us humans, is that our lives are determined by chance. We have no real control or escape from chance events. Anton is the embodiment of a random event. Its no surprise that Anton strikes a deep chord of terror in viewers given that the whole history of human civilisation has been fundamentally aimed at gaining security and protection from random events.