Let Them All Talk (2020) Ending Explained
TL;DR:
Let Them All Talk (2020), directed by Steven Soderbergh, follows acclaimed author Alice Hughes (Meryl Streep) as she embarks on a cruise with her estranged friends Roberta (Candice Bergen) and Susan (Dianne Wiest), alongside her nephew Tyler (Lucas Hedges). The film's ambiguous ending leaves Alice's literary intentions unclear-whether she's writing a memoir exposing her friends or a novel inspired by them. The cruise serves as a catalyst for unresolved tensions, culminating in a quiet but profound moment where Alice seemingly reconciles with her past. The film's open-ended conclusion emphasizes themes of forgiveness, artistic integrity, and the complexities of long-term friendships.
The Ending Explained
The finale of Let Them All Talk is deliberately ambiguous, mirroring the film's low-key, naturalistic tone. Alice, a Pulitzer-winning author, spends the cruise ostensibly working on her next book, which her agent (Gemma Chan) believes will be a lucrative memoir. However, Alice's true intentions remain opaque. In the final scenes, she reads aloud a passage to her friends-a moment that could be interpreted as either a heartfelt tribute or a veiled critique. The film cuts to black before revealing the book's contents, leaving viewers to ponder whether Alice has chosen to immortalize her friends' flaws or celebrate their shared history. This ambiguity reflects the film's broader exploration of how art intersects with personal relationships.
Unresolved Tensions and Reconciliation
The cruise forces Alice, Roberta, and Susan to confront decades of unspoken grievances. Roberta, who believes Alice based a damaging character on her in a past novel, seeks closure, while Susan plays the peacemaker. The ending suggests a tentative reconciliation, particularly in the scene where Alice helps Roberta down the ship's stairs-a metaphor for her finally acknowledging her friend's pain. Yet, the film resists a tidy resolution. Alice's final words—“That's all I have”—could imply she's done with the past or that her story is incomplete. The lack of a dramatic confrontation underscores the film's realism: some wounds never fully heal, but understanding can still emerge.
Tyler's Role and the Theme of Observation
Tyler, Alice's nephew, serves as a surrogate for the audience, observing the dynamics between the women. His budding romance with Karen (Gemma Chan) adds a layer of youthful contrast to the older women's reflective journey. In the end, Tyler's presence highlights the generational divide in how people process relationships. While Alice and her friends grapple with decades of baggage, Tyler and Karen's connection is immediate and unburdened. This juxtaposition suggests that while time complicates relationships, it also deepens them. Tyler's final smile at Alice hints at his growth from observer to participant in life's complexities.
Unresolved Questions and Possible Answers
- What is Alice's book really about?
- A memoir exposing her friends' secrets.
- A novel fictionalizing their dynamics.
- A meta-commentary on the ethics of writing about real people.
- Does Roberta forgive Alice?
- Yes, symbolized by their physical connection in the final scene.
- No, but she accepts their relationship as it is.
- Why does Alice choose to read aloud to her friends?
- To test their reactions before publishing.
- To offer closure or an apology.
Personal Opinion
Let Them All Talk is a masterclass in subtlety, with Soderbergh's direction and Streep's performance elevating its quiet brilliance. The ending's ambiguity is frustrating yet fitting-life rarely offers clear-cut resolutions. I admire how the film trusts its audience to sit with uncertainty, much like its characters do. The cruise setting, a microcosm of life's journey, underscores the idea that some conversations are endless. While some may crave more closure, the film's restraint makes it linger in the mind. It's a poignant meditation on how art, memory, and relationships intertwine, leaving us to wonder how much of ourselves we reveal-or conceal-in our stories.
Final Word Count: ~600 words (expanded to meet token requirements upon request).
Key Themes: Ambiguity, forgiveness, artistic responsibility, the passage of time.
Why It Works: The film's open-endedness invites multiple interpretations, ensuring it resonates long after the credits roll.