The Denouement Explained — Writing a Denouement Like Scorsese, Kubrick, and The Coens

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What is Denouement — how to write an ending with examples of denouement from The Departed, Midsommar, The Shining, Inside Llewyn Davis, and Hell or High Water.

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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Denouement
00:57 - Definition & History
01:27 - 3 Elements of Denouement
02:01 - Denouement by the Book
05:21 - Alternatives & Exceptions
06:05 - Denouement in Hell or High Water
07:34 - Denouement in Zodiac
08:00 - Denouement in The Shining
08:31 - Denouement in Midsommer
08:52 - Denouement in Inside Llewyn Davis
09:36 - Wrap Up

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WHAT IS DENOUEMENT

The denouement in a story is that last bit of storytelling after the climax has concluded. It’s the story’s last chance to wrap up loose plot points, harken back to the theme, and bring a sense of closure and resolution to the narrative. In other words, writing a denouement might just be the most important part of the storytelling process. In this video, we’ll look at some examples of denouement from The Departed, Midsommar, The Shining, Inside Llewyn Davis, and Hell or High Water to see the various ways how to end a movie.

LET’S DEFINE DENOUEMENT

Denouement is a French term that literally means the act of “untying.” Think of how tangled and complicated things get between the plot, the characters, and the obstacles in their way as the story moves forward. Then when the dust settles from the climax, the storyteller can begin untying all those threads. Three goals can be considered when writing a denouement: to conclude the conflict, recall the theme, and deliver the resolution. There is no magic formula for writing an ending; each story brings its own specific ratio between these considerations. In fact, some films end without a denouement at all. Let’s look at some examples of denouement and how they approach their endings.

EXAMPLES OF DENOUEMENT

The Departed ending is a fantastic example of how to end a movie. The Departed denouement hits all three of these goals in the last two pages of the screenplay and the last 4 minutes of the film. It concludes the conflict — Sullivan seems to have emerged as the victor, and his secret as a mob spy remains intact. It delivers resolution, especially between Sullivan and his failed relationship with Madolyn, and also by Dignam bringing satisfactory vengeance by ending Sullivan’s life. It also recalls the theme — both Costigan and Dignam were attempting to transcend their social status, but by taking on false identities, they both ended in ruin. The final shot of the Massachusetts State House (Sullivan’s ideal of the perfect life) along with a scurrying rat help bring the theme to the fore.

But the use of denouement should be tailor-made for every screenplay. Hell or High Water ends with resolution and theme, but there remains an unsettled conflict between Toby and Marcus. The Shining concludes the main conflict but complicates its resolution by asking more questions rather than providing all the answers. Midsommar skips the denouement entirely, ending during the climax, but we do get a hint of resolution in the final shot. And Inside Llewyn Davis forgoes any real narrative resolution and instead uses the denouement to highlight the theme of the film — if he doesn’t become a better person, Llewyn is doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

These examples of denouement illustrate the variety of options you have when deciding how to write a great ending. Some stories truly benefit from a thorough denouement, while others are better off leaving resolution, conflict, or themes unfinished.


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♬ SONGS USED:

"The Return of the King" - Howard Shore
"Mauretania (Instrumental)" - Sam Barsh
"Fearful Continuity" - Josh Mccausland
"I'm Shipping Up to Boston" - Dropkick Murphys
"Cops or Criminals (feat. G.E. Smith & Larry Saltzman)" - Howard Shore
"Miss Thing" - Howard Shore
"The Departed Tango" - Howard Shore
"Runways" - Stanley Gurvich
"Robbery" - Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
"Time" - Hans Zimmer
"Main Title (The Shining)" - Rachel Elkind
"Fare Thee Well (Dink's Song)" - Oscar Isaac and Marcus Mumford
"Contact" - Downtown Binary

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