The Five Devils (2022) Ending Explained
TL;DR:
The Five Devils (French: Les Cinq Diables) is a 2022 mystical drama directed by Léa Mysius, blending elements of magical realism, queer romance, and time travel. The film follows Vicky, a young girl with a supernatural ability to recreate scents, who uncovers buried secrets about her mother Joanne's past when her mysterious aunt Julia returns. The ending reveals that Julia and Joanne were once lovers, and Joanne's present-day marriage to Vicky's father is built on repression and unresolved trauma. Through Vicky's time-bending scent experiments, the past and present collide, culminating in a haunting, ambiguous finale where Joanne seemingly embraces her true self-or perhaps succumbs to the weight of her choices.
The Ending Explained:
The climax of The Five Devils hinges on Vicky's discovery of her mother's hidden history. Using her olfactory powers, Vicky recreates a scent from Joanne's past, triggering a surreal journey into a pivotal moment: a fire years earlier that drove Julia away and forced Joanne into a heteronormative life with Vicky's father, Jimmy. The fire, sparked by Jimmy's jealousy, becomes a metaphor for the destructive power of repression. In the final act, Vicky's interventions blur timelines - Joanne confronts her younger self and Julia, while present-day Jimmy grows increasingly unhinged. The film ends with Joanne and Vicky fleeing their home, possibly to reunite with Julia, though the resolution is deliberately open-ended.
Unresolved Questions & Interpretations:
1. Does Joanne reunite with Julia?
- The film's closing shots imply Joanne chooses freedom, but her destination is unclear. She may seek Julia, or she may simply be running from her past.
- Alternatively, the reunion could be symbolic - Joanne accepting her identity without necessarily finding Julia.
Is Vicky's power real or metaphorical?
- The film treats her abilities as literal, but they could represent a child's intuition about family secrets.
- Some argue the "time travel" is a hallucination triggered by Joanne's guilt.
What caused the fire?
- Jimmy's violent outburst is the explicit cause, but the fire also symbolizes the erasure of queer love in a hostile environment.
- Julia may have started it accidentally while trying to protect Joanne.
Themes & Symbolism:
The ending underscores the film's exploration of memory, identity, and the suffocating nature of small-town life. Joanne's arc mirrors the struggle of queer individuals forced into conformity, with Vicky's powers acting as a catalyst for truth. The recurring motif of water (the lake where Julia and Joanne secretly meet) contrasts with fire, suggesting both cleansing and destruction. The title The Five Devils could refer to the five central characters, each haunted by their own demons, or to the five senses-particularly smell, which ties the narrative together.
Personal Opinion:
The Five Devils is a visually stunning, emotionally resonant film that lingers long after the credits roll. The ending's ambiguity feels purposeful, refusing tidy resolutions to reflect the messiness of repressed desire and familial bonds. Adèle Exarchopoulos delivers a powerhouse performance as Joanne, conveying decades of pain in a single glance. However, the surreal elements may alienate viewers seeking concrete answers. While I appreciate the poetic ambiguity, I wish the script had delved deeper into Julia's perspective-her absence in the present makes her feel more like a plot device than a fully realized character. Despite this, the film's bold blend of genres and its haunting score make it a standout in queer cinema.
Final Thoughts:
Whether interpreted as a supernatural fable or a psychological drama, The Five Devils challenges audiences to confront the ghosts of suppressed histories. Its ending is less about closure and more about the courage to face the past-and the price of ignoring it. The film's richness lies in its unanswered questions, inviting repeat viewings to unpack its layers of scent, memory, and desire.