No Country For Old Men: Ending Explained 

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Moss made a mistake of going back to give that guy water.

The fact they created such suspense in the film, without any music is amazing.

“No country for old men” has to be the coolest movie tittle ever

i came here for the ending explanation now im even more confused

"If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?" Chigurh is one of the most terrifying characters in film history.

For me this movie is one of the very few 'slow paced' movies I can re-watch without getting bored. Probably one of my favorite movies.

Bascially he's Jim Gordon living in a "Gotham" without a Batman

everybody acts like the coen brothers are the genius of this movie. Yes they did a great job, but it was Cormac McCarthy who is the genius of the storyline

One thing this video missed is Anton's need for the kid to take the money for the shirt to confirm his belief that there is no honest good in the world. That everyone deep down wants something for everything. But other than that it was perfect but that's just my opinion.

*"Chaos is subjective. What is chaos for the fly is perfectly normal for the spider."*

As I grow older, I too feel like the world is “not like what it used to be.” I guess it’s the same for all.

as far as I remember, this has been the only American movie I needed subtitles for

Also when Carla Jean refuses to call the coin flip, she is destroying Chigurh's sense of randomness that goes along with his killings. He uses it to feel merciful and wants to think the outcome of the coin flip is a result of chance or fate. When Carla calls him out on this, he is left feeling conflicted. This is why he gets hit by the car while he is leaving her house.

This movie is breathtaking on so many levels but it interestingly shows that you don't necessarily need a score accompanying a movie for it to be a masterpiece.

Tommy Lee Jones's performance in this film was brilliant. I found the final scene very moving. The look of uncertainty and a level of fear in Tommy Lee's face is sad.

In truth, the sheriff realized this killer is much too dangerous for him to deal with... so maybe it's best to "retire" while the getting's good-and search for another line of work that is less stressful so that he can enjoy his golden years. When one thinks about it... that's a reasonable plan.

"a selfish villain in a western can be defeated, but how do you defeat an idea?" Wow, that caught me off guard. A+

"Then I woke up." Best final line for a movie ever

I also love the shots of Moss flipping through the money in the case. He only discovers the hidden tracker by chance, the third or fourth time he examines a stack of bills. Think of how differently things could have ended up if he had just found the tracker the first time by chance.....

I've only seen it twice so I may need to watch it a few more times but this is what I got... It was a wake up call for the 3 main characters. Moss got cocky forgetting he was facing more than one enemy and was killed because of it. Bell realized that he was not built for the game anymore and retired because of it. Chigurh had his first tinge of remorse and lost focus because of it, which accounts for his inability to react to the vehicle coming towards him. They all paid a price for their folly. Lewelyn's arrogance killed him. Bell's apprehension retired him. Anton's remorse broke him.

At the end the sheriff visits his uncle. I think it's his uncle. He tells him he feels overmatched by the current crime wave with its drugs and murders. His uncle tells him a story about how his grandfather was murdered by bandits. I think it's his grandfather. He goes on to say the sheriff is being vain in thinking the world has ever been anything other than rife with chaotic carnage and murder. Nothing's changed. The sheriff then is able to see things as they are and feels peace in acceptance of things as they are. He regains connection to the world and to his past and to his dead father symbolized by the dream of his father waiting up ahead for him. He accepts that our lives are governed by chance beyond our control. He learns that men have always lusted after power and money and some kill to get it. The sheriff is moral but his mistake was in trying to impose his morality on an amoral, chaotic world.

I just realized this movie is now 10 years old

I had to sleep alone so I thought I would not watch a horror movie and so I watched this instead, now anton chigurh haunts me in my dreams welp 😭

Literally, every line in this movie is great, even from the small characters

I've always subscribed to the fact that there were never "good old days", just romanticized memories. I love that this film explores that getting old inhibits one's abilities to handle situations that a younger person has the energy to confront, regardless of the outcome. Age plays a major role in attempting to control chaos, no matter if it's for good or bad. Bell knows this in spite of his desire to think that good could always prevail. He feels that way like we all do as we grow old. Retiring removes him from the idea that he could bring justice at any cost because becoming old leaves will always leave you in a world where it's up to the next generation to fight for good.

2007 was a really good year for movies, we got arguably the Coen Brothers best movie and Their Will Be Blood both of which will go down as classics. Also keep up this great content.

The older you get, the more you will "get" this movie (and book's) last scene.

Found it odd from the beginning that he kept that sachel. From the outset I would have transfered that kitty to something I own and stumble across that tracker in the process.

the only "good guy" is the sheriff,he lives....barely.

Finally! A channel makes a good video about 'No Country for Old Men'!

I remember when I went to see this movie in the theater. After it was over, I wanted to ask for my money back! I hated the ending....made me so mad, BUT after watching it a second time, I began to understand the underlying meaning. I have watched it over and over again. It has become one of my all-time favorite movies. Each time I watch it, I learn something new. It is a movie that you just can't "watch." Every line means something and it goes so much deeper than what you are observing with your eyes....(if that makes any sense). So if you watched it once and hated it, give it another chance and you might change your opinion about this great, well-written movie. Peace

Bell understands that Chigurh is still at large. I always had this sense that by the ending, Bell is afraid that he may one day come for him and his wife, and he'd be powerless to do anything about it. Another thing: Anton Chigurh = Ant on Sugar.

I said "Finally!" out loud.

this channel is way too good for the amount of attention it gets

No Country For Old Men is one of my favorite films of all time. It's just so freaking interesting with what it has under the surface and that you can talk about this film with other people. And I love films like that. Easily in my top 30 of all time.

What country is for old men? Traditionally, women do what they have always done, make their home and fill it with children and grandchildren. Men have always had to work in the world - a world where things are always changing, skills and knowledge become obsolete, jobs and whole industries disappear. Old men become disoriented because they can't keep up with all the changes, and the loss of dreams, failed plans and ambitions, and the loss of friends, mentors, guides, and even enemies. At the beginning of the film, the sheriff says that engagement with the world is a conscious decision, requiring ambition, energy, and courage, which even puts your soul at risk. "Okay, I'll be a part of the world." When we are young, we do it because we have to, but we all wish to reach some sort of plateau, where we imagine we will have "made it" and we can enjoy the life we have made for ourselves. The older we get, the more we have to accept the fact that we can't make it to that plateau. Maybe we can settle for a quiet cabin in the country, but we aren't going to be able to accomplish much more than we already have. The sheriff's friend mentioned that we reach a point where we can't even hope to regain what we have lost. At best, we concentrate on stopping further losses. We prepare for retirement and death. Old men have always faced these facts, but perhaps never more than now, because technology is changing so quickly. Police work today would be unrecognizable to that sheriff in 1990: cell phones, satellite tracking, DNA evidence, public and private cameras taking pictures and audio everywhere, homeland security, etc. (The sheriff didn't even like dealing with the DEA, which was just one relatively new government agency in 1980.) He would be twice as overwhelmed and over-matched today. Old men find that all the adults are gone and they have become "the adults", just as they find they are losing their capacity to deal with all the new things, new people, new culture, etc. The dream of his father giving him money is an account of youth. Out parents give us our start in learning the skills to work with the world, but so much of our knowledge and skills become obsolete, and our resources are spent pursuing things that didn't pan out. When a man realizes he no longer has the time or the strength to accomplish projects in the world, he falls back into maintenance mode. He experiences life as something similar to the second dream. He travels alone at night through a storm in a high mountain pass. Even an evening's cold weather could kill him. His father passing him with the light to prepare a place for him evokes the role of Jesus to go prepare a place for us. Old men think of death and what comes after. Is there only darkness, or will there be comfort on the other side of that night? It is a dream of returning to youth, or at least the attitude of youth, when we take it for granted that someone is minding the store and our parents can take care of us, and some kind of authority will be equipped to recognize our efforts and reward us when we do well. Old men are generally unnoticed, and always have been. No matter who or what they were in their youth, they become just "old men". An old man napping in a chair with his week old coffee at his side. Then he woke up. I know the last dream he describes because I have them too, but there is no father on his horse with a light - just an endless devouring darkness. But I move on into it alone anyway, even with no notion of what I will find. My attitude is more like the young man who found the money. He explained to his wife that it didn't matter what went wrong. Things were done, and the only thing to do was go forward. With that attitude, you can even cross over death.

A must watch movie a neo noir western with a potboiler of a plot and an excellent cast and of course direction really everything bout movie is amazing two thumbs up 10\10 100%!!

What you missed is that the sheriff understands that this "better time" never existed when he tells the story of the shootout at the cabin many years ago. It shows he knows that the world of his father was never that way.

Sorry, but Moss' death is not a comeuppance and the movie spends no time detailing any past sins. In fact, while he's not perfect, he's pretty close ("I know what beer leads to", etc). I think the point of Moss' death is to reinforce the arbitrary, nihilist, no-justice worldview. If anything, in a universe with a God he should have achieved redemption by taking the Mexican water, but it actually led to his demise.

Great post. This film is phenomenal ..... totally engaging for the viewer; quite simple to grasp on one level, yet flush with deeper notions of life, purpose and meaning. AND .... not riddled with the formulaic musical and behavioral ques to "lead and entice" the viewer long enough to stay engaged past the next mouth full of popcorn. This film was certainly deserving of the oscar, and so much more.

Finally i found the greatest "review" of No Country for Old Men movie. You know, its one of the best movies ever because there are so many philosophical meaning about life or especially about our society today. Great job ScreenPrism !!!

This movie was so under rated. I found Chigur absolutely fascinating, along with his use of the cattle gun. That has to be the most unique weapon in any movie ever.

To me this is a masterpiece, thank you for this analysis

I love hearing other's dreams it's a depth into their mind and you can learn a lot about them

And time ticks on as we all sit here trying to make sense of this world. Tick,tock, tick, tock.... Eerily brilliant!!!

Great Analysis! Two comments: 1) "Carry the fire" is a huge theme in another Cormac M work -The Road. 2) If Chigurh is a pure manifestation of chaos, what do you make of his two human moments where he shows weakness? The first is when he tries to drive-by the crow on the roadside sign, but misses. The second is when he's recovering from his gunfight with moss in the motel room, sees his reflection, and looks away in embarrassment and disgust.

This vid has been very helpful to me as I am currently studying this film in college. One of the questions we could be asked about in our exam it is about the ideology of the filmmakers, so this was perfect in answering that question!

10 years later and were still fawning over this film. I think the film is timeless.

You're like a refreshingly unpretentious version of Nerdwriter. Subscribed 👍

This doesn't answer the question as to who would win a coin toss between Chigurh & Two-Face.

Thank you for an insightful and skillful essay. You did a masterful job. The excerpt from Oprah's interview with Cormac McCarthy was a special treat. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better you split the arrow in the bull's-eye.

wow you guys put a lot of work into cracking this down. very much appreciated

Good video- this is one of my favourite films, yet the ending always confused me. Although I have research it, this has helped me understand it the most! Well done.

This is an excellent analysis - I understood it when I watched it but you put it into a context that I never fully fleshed out for myself - thank you!!!

I actually have a more positive take on the film. Allow me to explain. Bell becomes bitter from the fact that he is overmatched by Chigurh and the Mexicans. This is illustrated by many things, but the most on the nose moment is when he has a heart to heart with the other older law enforcement officer: "kids with green hair and bones in their noses" the other man says. "Once people stop saying sir and ma'am, everything else just goes out the door", Bell says. This is a highly bitter and old-mannish thing to say from an otherwise very wise and (socially) intelligent man. His bitterness and cynicism takes a philosophical turn in the scene with his cousin Ellis. He says: "I always thought God would just come into my life. (...) but I don't blame him he didn't". Then his cousin Ellis, whom we know has dabled in cynicism himself because Ed Tom is surprised that he has let go of his feelings of revenge, chides him for assuming to know what God thinks. He then tells him the story of their uncle who was brutally murdered more than 70 years prior to the events of the movie. This illustrates that Ed Tom's bitterness is for the birds, West Texas is and always has been a tough place to live for the old and the young. The fact that he has gotten older and does not want to face those dangers head on anymore (like Llewelyn did) has changed, not the country. Now the final two scenes could be read as signifying the randomness of fate, even for Anton Chigurh, and how there is no comfort for an old man like Ed Tom. But then again, you can also attach meaning and justice to the fact that, when Carla Jean forces Chigurh to take responsibility for his moral choices ("the coin don't got no say"), and stops being "the one right tool" without any moral agency, he suddenly becomes part of a moral universe and is hit by a car through no fault of his own. Poetic justice? Or that God came into Ed Tom's life through his dreams, to show him his father is waiting for him somewhere in the dark? Or maybe there simply are multiple readings of the ending for whomever wants to have a more optimistic viewing of the film.

Just one point: The Cohen Brothers did not write that story. The film is an adaptation of a book written by Cormac McCarthy. There is nothing in the film that is not in the book - the only differences are what the Cohens left out. If you want to know what the film is about, read the book.

Great job, I will you my Ph.D. in cinema. At 73, my country is no longer for me either, but I can hope there is a campfire waiting for me.

I love this movie and the final scene is one of the best ever. I agree with your analysis. Personally, I also see the horn of fire and his father's waiting up ahead as a reference to Bell's death. He's an old man, he's retired -- when he looks ahead, he faces another sort of black. His father has gone ahead into that unknown, and will be there. Not literally, I don't think Bell believes they'll meet in an afterlife, but that his father carried a kind of decency with him that Bell admired, and he has gone on to a place of peace, away from the chaotic darkness of the world and into the sweeter darkness of oblivion, having lived in a way that was morally acceptable to himself and admirable to his son, Tom Bell. Tom's father carries the fire, just like the father in The Road. He taught his son to 'carry the fire', too. That's how I read it. :)

I know its beside the philosophical meaning but its so nice to have intelligent characters that consistently make smart choices.

I never tire of this great piece of film. It's my favorite role of Tommy Lee Jones. Usually the book is better but, in this exception, both film and book are outstanding.

Screen Prism videos are amazing as always but really nothing can beat the dulcet tones of Susannah's voice. Please bring her back as soon as possible, if not faster.

Deep! and well thought out! Kind of like a reflection of our society facing itself in the mirror. Great video! Thank you. L.H

Wow, thanks for this detailed and understandable explanation. You gained yourself a loyal sub for future deep ending films! Appreciate it!

Trust the Coen Brothers to do a great job on a sensational thriller. Cormac McCarthy’s writing was astonishing

I still need to get around to watching this movie. I have heard so many good things about it. Im sure the video is great but I cant watch this until I watch the movie... which is apparently 10 years old... Im slow.

Best ending of any move IMO and Lee Jones desserved the Oscar, even though javier bardem played terrific.

The suspense here is real, i was on edge so many times, not many movies do that with me where i dont know what’s gonna happen. Thank god I watched this movie

One of my favorite Coen brothers' movies. I like the characters and the dialogue.

One of the best movies of all time!!! It took a while for me fully appreciate this movie from beginning to end. But eventually, I was able to disabuse myself of my typical Hollywood filmic expectations so I could see the haunting beauty of the message in the ending.

I applaud you on an interesting take on the deeper meaning of this extraordinary film.

"and then I woke up". An ultimate Camus movie.

Just watched it, hands down, terrifying villain

The movie does create tensions excellently and I cannot deny its brilliance, but for some reason it just didn't really connect with me and I didn't enjoy it as much as others did.

oh thanks man i watched this film about year ago but i failed to understand what it was about i searched some videos or article but it didn't help thank you for your amazing video dude

Fantastic Breakdown!!

I subbed because you took me somewhere else I once lived in and didn't understand anything, but now I do.

Just finished watching this movie for the second time ever. This film is an absolute gem on realities many complex and horrifying unknowns. Certainly quite the bag of cats being let loose, but who's to say it's impossible to occur to begin with? Great video

Thank you for this is accurate analisys - this is possibly the best movie ever made

Excellent explanation of one of my favourite films.

Just watched it might be my favourite movie ever

"That is no country for old men" is the first line of W.B. Yeats's poem, "Sailing to Byzantium," which is about yearning for the ideal growing stronger as earthly passions--sex, money--become weaker. Cormac McCarthy chose it for the title of his novel, on which the movie is based.

Gosh darn it. I don't speak English very well, so I have a hard time understanding this very speech. And I've read how amazing and mesmerizing it is. Reading subtitles just doesn't cut it.

👌👌👍 this was fantastic. Thank you for this

One of the best movies ever with a strong message......another is "FALLING DOWN".

1 must agree that Tommy Lee Jones is a good Mumble artist than many rappers these days

MIND.................BLOWN.................THANK YOU.

Best video I've seen about the movie, your last words got me contemplating my own life!

It took me a while to realize his wife was the Scottish girl in trainspotting.

Good video. Now I appreciate this movie even more

I think it's a common misperception that modern time is more dangerous, or chaotic than our youth, or our parent's generation. In fact, as messed up as our worlds seem's, today per capita we are safer now than I was as a kid 50 years ago. No Country is a fascinating interplay between the surface plot and sub-plot that leaves us with these unanswered questions just hanging there. The heads up coin was an important part, but not the only symbolism being used though. Playing that kind of story telling three card monty with the audience, and not leaving us with a feeling of disappointment is what makes this film great. I think the scene where Moss's rifle scope was mulling over deer in a herd was the symbolic keystone that the sub-plot was built around. It was a moment where death was introduced as intensional disconnected and unimpassioned. Survival is our strongest core drive, and fear of death is what propels our survival. Personally, I believe Chigurh represents a psychological blank screen on witch the characters and audience project their own fears of evil and mortality. The opening monolog by Sheriff Bell needs to be put into context by the film's title, No Country For Old Men. I believe Bell is confessing his fear in coming to the realization he no longer has the spirit to confront evil and mortality head on, or to get there in time to protect others. With the murder of the deputy, we are introduced to the emotionless blank canvas of fear. There is no anger, excitement, passion, or vengeance in Chigurh's face, so without that cue our response is left hanging searching for some emotional meaning behind his blank stare. What fills that blank emotionless screen is a projection of our own fear of evil and mortality. In living our lives, in some way or another we face those existential fears and make our way. As we mature we develop a set of "rules" that help us navigate our fears so we can engage the world. What motivates us in taking that leap is either gratification of our desires, or satisfying the expectations of others. The thinly masked distain Chigurh has for the driver of the car and the gas station clerk is they present as totally compliant, passive, and incapable of directing their own life. This is dishonorable because it is an inauthentic way of navigating life. To death and evil their fate is nothing more than a means to an end, or the flip of a coin. In his own words he says "You've been putting it up your whole life, you just didn't know it" Although I know it would have meant nothing to Chigurh had the coin been tails, I don't think the scene would have been nearly as impactful had he killed another harmless man. Llewellyn Moss on the other hand is clearly driven by his desires and more than willing to confront his fear, and even kill or be killed in order to satisfy them. That being said, he is not motivated by greed, but fights for the money he finds and sees as his. The most important feature of his character is the blind confidence he has in directing his own fate in life, and has little concern for what others think of him. At any time he could have walked away from the money he found and the danger attached to it, but every time he chose to risk his life to keep it. Finally, Carson Wells is definitely motivated by greed and driven to satisfy the expectations of others. To him everything has its price, even what he will pay to save his own life. The most important feature of his character is his display of arrogance vs confidence which shows he cares a great deal what others think. I see the most important part of his murder was he stood more to gain by killing Chigurh than he offered to save his own life. Like Moss, his death exposed his flawed rules and having that exposed was also the sum of his darkest fear. Out of everyone, it was Sheriff Bell who had the most honorable and authentic life. The rules he lived by were well developed and showed a mature understanding of his fear, "sometimes I think he's pretty much a ghost." I have a very different view of the final scene though, I see it as someone who has come to terms with his fear, and no longer feels compelled and or capable of confronting it. I don't see a man who is surrendering to mediocrity, I see an honorable man who found peace in waking up to the realization that his fear of evil and mortality are in deed a ghost. Although it was totally overlooked in this analysis, Chigurh's interaction with the kids showed they had not yet fully developed their set of rules and were totally unprepared to navigate the morality of selling a shirt to a man who was involved in a car collision and suffered a compound fracture. In fact, I don't believe it was their ignorance that saves them though; like Sheriff Bell it was their authenticity that kept them from becoming another target. Sure, it would have been a nice neat Hollywood ending to have Chigurh punished by death from an accident, but it would have destroyed the film's profound message.

One of my top 3 favorite movies ..

One of my favorite movies from one of my favorite writers. Sometimes I think it’s just a serious version of raising Arizona also by the Cohen brothers

The wife is played by such a good actor; she nails it and shouldn't be overlooked skill-wise even though her screen time is limited, what scene time she does have is spot on & displays her deep understanding of the plot, all it's characters & the subtext of the whole movie.

Suppose i too came to the same conclusions with the main themes being that Life doesn't always turn out the way you expect it to and that karma works in mysterious ways. Very good explanation video i think, nice job.

For anyone interested, another good Cohen Brothers Film is Blood Simple. I've watched a number of their movies more than once, but I'm not sure I could stomach this one a second time. The violence was too intense. Loved the analysis on this video and all the comments.

Wow, I had no idea that two Cormac McCartney novels/adaptations reference "carrying the fire", between this (the horn in Sheriff Bell's dream) and The Road.

There is a little bit of Bell, Moss and Chigurh in each of us. While we would like to think of ourselves as being a good guy, like Sheriff Bell, the truth is we will all become like Moss when no one is looking and there is an opportunity to take something we desire. Likewise, we all have the potential to hurt others, like Chigurh, and justify our actions with something as trivial as the flip of a coin.

One of the all time greatest underrated movies ever

Thank god for the Spanish subtitles, this is my fav movie and there's no videos about it in Spanish!