Top 10 Film Noir Endings

The last noir list of the series. Short and simple.

1) “The Usual Suspects” (1995)
A brilliant, paradigm-shifting ending revealed with just the right timing, editing and flair. A popular and critical favorite.

2) “Se7en” (1997)
A clever, chilling and satisfying final twist with Biblical overtones and monstrous irony.

3) “The Lady from Shanghai” (1948)
Spawned a myriad of pale reflections, but this is still the original and best “Hall of Mirrors” ending ever made.

4) “Bob the Gambler” (1955)
Totally strange relative to the standard heist movie subgenre cliches, but pleasing, original and delightfully ironic nonetheless.

5) “Blood Simple” (1984)
Not a twist ending, but a brilliant final scene. One of my favorite final shots ever.

6) “Reservoir Dogs” (1992)
Yes, I know it’s stolen from Ringo Lam’s “City on Fire” (1987). Tarantino does it better.

7) “Night and the City” (1950)
Pathetic character flaws as tragic-ironic codas never got better.

8) “Touch of Evil” (1958)
A final scene as well composed as it is narratively constructed plus a memorable last line.

9) “Out of the Past” (1947)
A surprising "last line" delivered by a conscientious mute boy.

10) “Mulholland Dr.” (2001)
In the last ten minutes, it all starts to make sense.