Warning: Major SPOILERS for Finch ahead.
The new Tom Hanks science-fiction film Finch has a rather unusual ending that may need further explaining for some viewers. The Apple Original Film was released on November 5th, 2021 after multiple delays due to the coronavirus pandemic and having been previously pulled from its theatrical release for that reason. The post-apocalyptic movie has a very small cast of five actors and a dog, as well as Caleb Landry Jones as the voice of Jeff, Finch's robot companion, who factors into Finch's ending.
The film opens in a post-apocalyptic city suffering from dust storms, with Finch (Tom Hanks) scavenging a superstore for any supplies with his dog-like robot, Dewey. They return to his bunker where his real dog, Goodyear, awaits. Finch slowly builds a sentient, humanoid robot, who later chooses the name Jeff. Jeff's most important instructions are to take care of Goodyear above all else, to the point that Finch becomes enraged if Jeff does anything that might endanger Goodyear. And their world is indeed dangerous. Finch demonstrates to Jeff that UV rays are now so harmful that they instantly burn skin, explaining that solar flares and the "Swiss cheese" ozone layer have made Earth inhospitable, with no crops of any kind. Eventually, the trio realizes that they will need to head west to California (in particular, the Golden Gate Bridge) if they wish to survive.
Every Major Movie Role Tom Hanks Turned Down
Eventually, Finch makes his motives for protecting Goodyear clear. Tom Hanks' character reveals to the robot that the dog was hiding in the backpack of a young girl who was gunned down in a fight for supplies. He also reveals that he is dying and needs someone to care for the dog. In the end, Finch doesn't make it to San Francisco, though Goodyear and Jeff do. The loss of the film's only human character leaves several questions unanswered.
How Did Finch Die?
Finch's age isn't revealed in the film. He only mentions his family at the very end (his father was never present and his mother seems to have ed). Yet abruptly in the third act, Finch begins coughing up blood. He decides to head inside their RV, play with Goodyear one last time, and then es quietly. With no illness mentioned, it isn't clear exactly what killed Finch. However, earlier in the film, the audience sees Finch, and parts of what will become Caleb Landry Jones's Jeff sorting and digitizing books. These include dog care guides and an RV manual, information Jeff will need when Finch is gone. Finch later stops to read a book titled The Effects of Exposure to Ionizing Radiation. The camera pans over several books on UV and sun exposure with Post-It notes attached to them. From this, it can be inferred that Finch self-diagnosed himself with radiation poisoning, and that's eventually what he succumbed to.
What Does The Butterfly Mean?
After Finch dies, Jeff completes maintenance on the RV and feeds Goodyear. Abruptly, Jeff looks up to see a butterfly fluttering silently around the vehicle. This is the first and only time in the movie an animal other than the dog, Goodyear, is seen. Finch's death in the movie, which is one of 2021's smartest sci-fi movies, is tragic, but the butterfly implies there's still hope. It's one of several bits of foreshadowing in the film that hint perhaps Earth isn't as desolate as Finch believes, or at the very least, the planet is starting to rebound and heal itself. If a butterfly is able to exist, that implies a source of food and that there are signs that life is on the mend. This gives Jeff hope that he can provide for Goodyear.
Why Was Goodyear Finch's Only Living Companion?
Goodyear's origin story is very clearly discussed in Finch, but its titular character doesn't get the same detail. Finch doesn't have other human companions, just the robot, Jeff, and the dog, Goodyear, after his first robot, Dewey, falls into a trap. Finch never says exactly why he doesn't have friends or relatives, but a lot can be inferred from what he tells Jeff about his past. He had a strong relationship with his mother, whom he cared for as she aged, but his father was completely absent. He dreamt of traveling in better times but never did. Like his character in Castaway, Tom Hanks's Finch has few friends now, but this time it's because he had even fewer before the solar flares began. When he flashes back to finding Goodyear, he re humans killing each other for food, further illustrating that Finch had no reason to trust anyone, either before or after the apocalypse.
Why Are They Only Able To Go Outside In One Area?
Finch makes it clear throughout the movie that Finch and Goodyear can not go outside in the sun as the UV rays result in instantaneous burns and the radiation exposure is too severe. Yet, as the trio travels west, they go outside one day and are surprised to find they're completely fine. Jeff asks Finch what's going on, but Finch doesn't seem to understand the reason for it, either. They decide to enjoy their time in the sun, with Finch even putting on a suit to celebrate the rare moment of joy in their grueling existence. There is never an explicit explanation for what's happening, but shortly after this, the butterfly appears. Much like the flower in Pixar's movie Wall-E, it seems to hint that the land is healing the further west one goes. For whatever reason, the ozone layer there is either thicker or that part of the country has started to rebound for reasons unknown. It foreshadows that as Jeff and Goodyear continue Finch's journey, they will find that the world isn't as hopeless as previously thought.
Why Doesn't Goodyear Initially Like Anyone But Finch?
Goodyear is only ever seen with three other characters: Finch, Dewey, and Jeff and the canine is very skeptical of the robots. He avoids Dewey and Jeff, barking or becoming defensive every time they get near. Even as they reach a portion of the U.S. where they can go outside, Goodyear refuses to play fetch with Jeff and will only return the ball to Tom Hanks' character. Finch remarks that Goodyear has to learn to trust Jeff and it's an understanding that it's not just Finch who has been traumatized; Goodyear has seen the worst of humanity, too–after all, his previous owner was killed in a mob of people. Goodyear has seen and experienced the same hardships as Finch in witnessing death, having a lack of food, and the danger of radiation exposure. Once Finch dies, Jeff proves that he will take care of the dog by providing food and driving him to safety, but more than that, the movie also shows there are signs of hope for Goodyear's relationship with Jeff, as well. In the end, the audience sees Goodyear happily walking with his robot caretaker across the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Real Meaning Of Finch's Ending Explained
In the ending of Finch, when they finally reach the Golden Gate Bridge, they find it is overgrown with vines and plants, something they hadn't had in the radiation-scorched wasteland they'd left behind. On the fence, people have stuck messages to loved ones letting them know where they can be found, hinting that Jeff and Goodyear's story wouldn't be the only one with a happy ending; dozens, maybe even hundreds of loved ones have the potential to be reunited. While Finch himself doesn't live to see it, the film's message is ultimately one of hope in the bleakness. The world is not doomed. There are still places that are safe and healing from the solar flare. Finch's ending, while poignant and bittersweet, leaves audiences with the knowledge that the world and its people will eventually be okay.
