So this year I finally broke down, decided to join the ranks of entertainment-addled modern man, and gave my mother permission to get me a TV/DVD for Christmas. It’s the first time I’ve had a boob tube since moving out on my own.
Now it’s time for me to work throught the list of all the movies I’ve ever wanted to see but haven’t yet. At the same time, I’d like to build a new list. I love movies with surprise endings or surprising major plot twists. I know there are a lot out there, but having been out of the popular entertainment loop for years, I’m having trouble thinking of many. I’ve seen The Sixth Sense and Memento. I’ve never seen The Crying Game or Fight Club, but I’ve had them spoiled for me. The Usual Suspects is the only other famous surprise-ending film I can think of right now. That’s certainly on my list.
Everybody, please recommend your favorites!
NB: I’m not looking so much for films which keep you in suspense by witholding information from you until the end, a la this summer’s Identity, in which you are wondering throughout the whole movie who the killer is but don’t find out until the end, and thus you’re aware throughout the whole film that there is a secret to be revealed. Though that type of movie is fine, I’m more interested in ones in which the ending or plot twist comes pretty much out of left field, as in The Sixth Sense.
“Swimming Pool” seems to fit your description pretty well. However, KNOWING that there is a plot twist coming out of left field kinda’ takes away from it a little bit, so I don’t how advised it is to even ask your question.
I’m just going to recommend a bunch of good films – you decide which ones have “twists” for yourself after you’ve watched 'em.
Fight Club
Glengarry Glen Ross
American Buffalo
The Usual Suspects*
Magnolia
Seven
The Shawshank Redemption
Secretary
The Road Warrior
Ocean’s Eleven*
Sneakers***
Fair warning: movies with an astrerisk are in the “heist” genre, where several characters come together to steal something. If you’re not a fan of this genre, these movies may leave you cold. If you even think you might like a heist movie, start with The Usual Suspects or Sneakers and go from there.
No Way Out with Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman and Sean Young.
It’s a pretty good movie for the genre, and I did not see the ending coming at all. It’s hard to recommend as a “surprise ending” movie, because saying that it has a surprise ending is sort of spoiler in itself.
So, either “sorry” or “you’re welcome” … take your pick.
Identity starts out as a typical ‘who’s murdering all these people’ movie then turns into something new. Strangely I have a hard time deciding which part of it I liked the best. The orginal plot or the twist.
Wild Things, starring Matt Dillon, Kev Bacon and Denise Richards, is pretty much the ultimate plot twist movie, and is available to rent just about everywhere.
Unfortunately it means sitting through some steamy sex scenes featuring a very undressed Denise Richards, but try not to let that spoil your enjoyment too much. And remeber, if anyone walks in while you’re watching one of these scenes, you rented the movie for the plot twists, the plot twists, honestly, the plot twists…
