Return To Sender is a 2015 crime drama starring Rosamund Pike and Shiloh Fernandez. The plot revolves around a woman who is sexually assaulted and wants to face her assailant to get closure. Here’s a short article on the ending of the movie Return To Sender and some FAQs answered; spoilers ahead.
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Ending Explained
William sexually assaults Miranda on a blind date and gets imprisoned. Surprisingly she keeps in touch with him and meets him regularly at prison. The ending of Return To Sender shows that Miranda is a sociopath responsible for the death of her mother and her dog and now surgically removes William’s genitals as revenge.
Return To Sender: Why kill the dog?
The dog didn’t like her for some reason; it barked at her constantly. She doesn’t like that. So she slow-poisons it and kills it with antifreeze. It appears the dog was also her test subject before administering the antifreeze to William.
Return To Sender: Why kill the mother?
Miranda’s dad was not around a lot when she was young. It appears Miranda and her mother didn’t get along too well. One day when her mother has an asthma attack, Miranda doesn’t give her the medicine, which results in her mother’s death.
Return To Sender: What happens to Williams?
It’s unlikely that Miranda could have performed an outstanding surgery. The chances are that Williams bled to death, and Miranda buried him next to the dog.
A note from Barry
I've always believed the best part of a movie isn't the ending—it's the discussion afterwards.
Every week I read theories that are completely different from my own, and that's my favourite part of running This Is Barry.
If you have your own interpretation—or you're simply curious to see how others understood the movie, I'd love to have you join the conversation.
Barry is a technologist who helps start-ups build successful products. His love for movies and production has led him to write his well-received film explanation and analysis articles to help everyone appreciate the films better. He’s regularly available for a chat conversation on his website and consults on storyboarding from time to time.
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