Emily the Criminal (2022) Ending Explained
TL;DR:
Emily the Criminal follows Emily Benetto (Aubrey Plaza), a debt-ridden millennial who turns to credit card fraud to escape financial ruin. The ending sees Emily successfully executing a high-stakes scam, securing enough money to start fresh, but at the cost of severing ties with her criminal mentor, Youcef (Theo Rossi), and leaving her old life behind. The film concludes ambiguously, with Emily driving away, her future uncertain but her transformation into a self-reliant, hardened criminal complete. The ending underscores themes of desperation, capitalism's failures, and the moral compromises people make to survive.
Detailed Explanation of the Ending
The climax of Emily the Criminal revolves around Emily's final heist, where she and Youcef orchestrate a high-risk credit card fraud operation targeting a wealthy buyer. However, tensions escalate when Youcef's volatile brother, Khalil (Jonathan Avigdori), violently intervenes, leading to a chaotic confrontation. Emily, displaying her newfound ruthlessness, outmaneuvers them both, taking the money for herself. The film's final moments show her abandoning her old life-quitting her dead-end job, cutting ties with Youcef, and leaving Los Angeles-hinting at a new beginning, albeit one built on crime.
The ending is deliberately ambiguous. Emily's expression as she drives away is neither triumphant nor remorseful, but resolute. The film doesn't moralize her choices, instead framing them as a pragmatic response to systemic exploitation. Her journey from a vulnerable, indebted woman to a self-sufficient criminal reflects the movie's critique of late-stage capitalism, where legitimate avenues for success are increasingly out of reach. The open-ended conclusion leaves it unclear whether Emily will continue her life of crime or eventually face consequences, reinforcing the film's bleak yet realistic tone.
Unresolved Questions & Possible Answers
- Does Emily regret her choices?
- Possible Answer: The film suggests she doesn't. Her final actions-coldly cutting ties and taking the money-show she's embraced her new identity.
- Will she continue a life of crime?
- Possible Answer: Likely yes. The system that failed her hasn't changed, and she's now skilled in fraud.
- What happens to Youcef and Khalil?
- Possible Answer: Their fate is left uncertain, but their criminal enterprise is likely destabilized without Emily.
- Is there any chance of redemption for Emily?
- Possible Answer: Unlikely. The film portrays her arc as irreversible, with no clear path back to legitimacy.
Personal Opinion on the Ending & Film
Emily the Criminal delivers a gripping, morally complex finale that stays true to its themes. Aubrey Plaza's performance is magnetic, making Emily's descent into crime both unsettling and weirdly empowering. The ending works because it refuses easy answers - Emily isn't punished, nor does she get a clean happy ending. Instead, the film leaves her in a gray zone, forcing the audience to grapple with the idea that sometimes crime is the only viable option in a broken system. It's a bold, unflinching take on economic desperation, and while the pacing drags at times, the payoff is worth it. One of the most underrated crime dramas in recent years.
Final Thoughts
The film's strength lies in its refusal to judge Emily, instead presenting her choices as a natural outcome of societal neglect. The ending's ambiguity ensures it lingers in the viewer's mind, prompting reflection on how far someone might go when backed into a corner. Whether you see Emily as a villain, antihero, or victim depends on your perspective-and that's exactly what makes the film so compelling. If you enjoy morally gray narratives with sharp social commentary, Emily the Criminal is a must-watch.