The Oscar-nominated romantic drama Brooklyn, based on Colm Tóibín’s novel, captivates audiences with its emotional and thought-provoking conclusion. In this 2015 film, Saoirse Ronan delivers a remarkable performance as Eilis Lacey, a young Irish woman who makes the bold decision to immigrate to Brooklyn during the 1950s. Caught between two worlds, Eilis navigates a complex love triangle involving Tony (played by Emory Cohen), an Italian American plumber in New York, and Jim (portrayed by Domhnall Gleeson), a promising suitor from her hometown of Enniscorthy. Brooklyn received critical acclaim and secured three Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Ronan, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Recognized by the BBC as one of the 100 greatest films of the 21st century, Brooklyn is a heartwarming historical narrative delving into the essence of what it truly means to call a place home. Saoirse Ronan, already celebrated as one of her generation’s most talented actors, further solidified her reputation through this poignant role. The film’s unforgettable finale encapsulates its central themes, bringing a satisfying closure to Eilis’s love journey. Notably, the film adaptation diverges from Tóibín’s original novel, offering a distinct yet equally memorable conclusion.
Discovering the Impactful Ending of Brooklyn
Eilis Faces a Heartfelt Decision Between Two Lives
Tragedy strikes when Eilis’s sister, Rose (played by Fiona Glascott), unexpectedly passes away, prompting Eilis to return to Enniscorthy to support her grieving mother (portrayed by Jane Brennan). Before departing her new life in New York City, Eilis marries Tony, who dreams of building a family home on a plot of land in Long Island. However, upon her return to Enniscorthy, Eilis grapples with nostalgia for her past and begins to contemplate the possibility of not returning to Tony in Brooklyn, revealing the emotional conflict of her dual existence.
Related
Every Time Saoirse Ronan Was Nominated For An Oscar (& Who She Lost Out To)
Saoirse Ronan has been nominated for an Academy Award several times throughout her career, but she’s never been able to secure a victory.
Eilis then takes over Rose’s former role as a bookkeeper while Jim expresses his intentions to propose. This leads Eilis to confront a pivotal moment when her former employer, Miss Kelly (played by Bríd Brennan</b), discovers Eilis's secret and resorts to blackmail. This conflict serves as a stark reminder of Eilis's previous feelings of oppression and confinement in Enniscorthy.
Fed up with Miss Kelly’s manipulation, Eilis reaffirms her commitment to Tony by stating her full married name. She confides in her mother about Tony and leaves a heartfelt farewell note for Jim before heading back to Brooklyn to begin her life alongside her husband. In the film’s touching final scene, Eilis joyfully reunites with Tony, signifying not just a choice of love but also her identification with the place she now considers home.
The Reasons Behind Eilis’s Return to Tony
Eilis Upholds Her Commitment, Embracing the More Challenging Path
Ultimately, at the conclusion of Brooklyn, Eilis assesses her options within the love triangle and makes the decisive choice to part ways with Jim in favor of returning to Tony. Although it remains uncertain if a life with Tony is her ultimate desire, Eilis recognizes that honoring her marriage commitment to Tony is imperative. Regardless of her feelings toward Jim, Eilis made a promise when she married Tony, and she’s determined to uphold that vow.
Making Eilis happy seems to be Tony’s top priority — he even plans to build them a house from scratch — whereas Jim’s wealth and ambition make him a little self-absorbed.
After establishing a new life in Brooklyn, Eilis feels a profound sense of belonging. While Jim may appear to be a more suitable match for Eilis than Tony, it’s evident that Tony’s commitment to her surpasses Jim’s. Tony’s focus on Eilis’s happiness is evident in his plans for their future, including building a home together. In contrast, Jim’s ambition often overshadows his attentiveness to Eilis’s needs.
Despite Jim’s seemingly better match for Eilis, the reality is that her affection for Tony may not stem from genuine love, but rather from a fear of loneliness. Eilis does not willingly choose to return to Tony; her decision to recommit to her marriage is catalyzed by Miss Kelly’s threat to expose her secret about having a husband in America.
Eilis’s Choice in the Novel’s Ending: A Complex Decision
The Novel’s Ending Leaves Room for Interpretation
Colm Tóibín’s novel presents a slightly different conclusion compared to the film adaptation of Brooklyn. In both narratives, Miss Kelly learns of Eilis’s husband in New York and uses this information to manipulate her. While Eilis still chooses Tony over Jim in the book, the ending is more ambiguous, as Eilis takes a taxi to the dock. The novel’s conclusion lacks the sweeping romantic finale found in the film, intentionally leaving the story’s resolution open to interpretation.
The film adaptation introduces an additional scene where Eilis encounters a young woman embarking on her first journey to New York. Eilis offers her valuable insights on overcoming homesickness and establishing a new life. This moment echoes a previous interaction where a more experienced traveler guided Eilis during her initial trip to America. In terms of character development, this scene symbolizes Eilis reassuring herself that she has made the right decision in leaving Jim and returning to Brooklyn.
Exploring the Possibility of a Sequel to Brooklyn
A Follow-Up Novel Will Continue Eilis’s Journey
In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Colm Tóibín revealed that he is currently developing a sequel to the original Brooklyn novel: “I got an idea. It is a sequel with all the same characters, but something else.” While Tóibín will continue Eilis and Tony’s story in print, there has yet to be any formal confirmation regarding a cinematic sequel. In the same interview, he expressed skepticism about the possibility of a film adaptation for his upcoming sequel: “We were so lucky the first time… It would be unlikely you would get that luck a second time.”
If Tóibín creates a compelling sequel narrative in his next novel, and if the original director and screenwriter return, a film adaptation could indeed flourish.
It might be wise to consider Brooklyn as a standalone film. Unlike franchises such as Star Wars and Spider-Man, which are designed for sequels that continue their heroes’ journeys, Brooklyn emphasizes introspection and emotional depth. The unique qualities that make Brooklyn special and memorable are more challenging to replicate than the action-packed excitement of blockbuster films. However, given that Saoirse Ronan consistently delivers exceptional performances, if Tóibín crafts an engaging sequel story and the original creative team reunites, a follow-up film adaptation could indeed be successful.
Unpacking the Significance of Brooklyn’s Ending
Brooklyn Challenges Conventional Notions of “Home”
Thematically, Brooklyn delves into the concept of “home” and its meaning. Upon her initial arrival in Brooklyn, Eilis experiences profound homesickness and yearns to return to her family in Ireland. However, as she meets Tony and falls in love, she begins to view New York as her true home. Conversely, when she returns to Enniscorthy, she finds herself longing for the life she crafted in Brooklyn, illustrating the complex emotions tied to belonging.
Related
10 Films & Series Made In Ireland (& The Real-Life Locations You Can Visit)
Ireland’s cinematic landscape and generous tax breaks make it a popular filming location for movies & TV shows. Find out what’s been filmed here!
Eilis’s return to Brooklyn beautifully resolves the theme of “home.” The essence of what defines home transcends mere geography; it is intricately tied to the love shared and the relationships built within that space.
Critical Reception of Brooklyn’s Ending
The Ending Enhanced the Film’s Acclaimed Status
Brooklyn garnered widespread acclaim, but its ending served to elevate the period drama in critical eyes, transforming it into something truly extraordinary. In Glenn Kenny’s review for RogerEbert.com, he emphasized that the film might be misperceived as a lighthearted romance without substantial depth. However, he argues that the ending disproves such notions, offering a profound commentary on the importance of acceptance over merely making the right choice:
The persistent feeling that this movie so beautifully creates is that even when the world is bestowing blessings upon us, it’s still at the bottom a sad place, and the key to an emotionally healthy existence involves some rooted acceptance of that. The movie ends with Eilis having made some substantial steps to that accepting place, and also determined to move purposefully forward.
Peter Bradshaw’s review in The Guardian also highlighted how Brooklyn‘s ending addresses the multifaceted emotions faced by many immigrants. Eilis’s return home in the film’s final act reflects not only her doubts about her new life in America but also reinforces the concept of that new life when juxtaposed with reminders of her past:
Brooklyn addresses the great dual narrative of the
