Netflix's I'm Thinking Of Ending Things Ending EXPLAINED

8. The Young Woman Is Jake's Idealised Partner

I'm Thinking of Ending Things
Netflix

Having established that Jessie Buckley’s character is a figment of an elderly janitor’s imagination, we can now start to dig a little deeper into her character and what she tells us about Jake.

Throughout the opening of the film where we see the couple engage in long conversations during their road trip, we get an impression of what kind of person the young woman is. We learn that she’s highly intellectual, a physicist working on an important paper, and a poet. And during a very awkward dinner with Jake’s parents, we also find out she’s an extraordinarily talented artist.

However, when she enters Jake’s childhood bedroom, she discovers a book containing the poem she recited to him earlier in the car (Eva H.D’s Bonedog). Looking around the room, eagle-eyed viewers will also spot various other books, paintings, and films that she’s able to discuss in detail.

This woman isn’t a poet or a painter; nor is she a scientist. She's anything that Jake wants her to be, a reflection of his own passions and interests. The reality is that Jake never got to know this woman (not even her name) and can therefore only imagine who she is.

Contributor
Contributor

Glasgow-based cinephile who earned a Masters degree in film studies to spend their time writing about cinema, video games, and horror.