10 Movie Mysteries FINALLY Explained
1. Why Does It End With A Shot Of The Washington Monument? - Wedding Crashers
Wedding Crashers isn't a mentally taxing movie or one that leaves the viewer with much to think about when it ends, but nevertheless, there are those who have questioned why the hit rom-com ends on a memorable closing shot of the Washington Monument of all things.
As the two central couples drive away, the camera pans up and lingers on the triumphant visage of the Washington Monument in a way that feels incredibly pointed and meaningful. And yet, what does it actually mean?
Fans will of course remember that a scene earlier in the film is set at the Lincoln Memorial, as Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn's protagonists consider whether their wedding-crashing behaviour might in fact be a little childish and irresponsible, with the Monument visible in the background.
In a 2020 interview with USA Today, director David Dobkin revealed the true meaning of the Monument in the movie.
In the scene at the Lincoln Memorial, it represents "the goal on the horizon that they want to reach," of moving away from their shenanigans and finding love, while the film's final shot sees them moving closer to that goal by literally being closer to the Monument as they drive away.
And no, having the physical embodiment of success being a giant marble obelisk wasn't lost on Dobkin:
"In the end, they got closer to the big phallus in the sky."
There you have it - Wedding Crashers is a more thematically rich movie than anyone surely expected.