I Think We're Alone Now: Ending Explained + Film Analysis

I Think We’re Alone Now is a 2018 post-apocalyptic science fiction story starring Peter Dinklage. Unlike most action film’s that use the aesthetic of the World’s End, I Think We’re Alone Now has a heart and human story behind it that I think works beautifully as an analogy of modern-day issues.

Throughout this video, I will be discussing the ending of I Think We’re Alone Now as well as the themes of the film. There will be heavy spoilers and I definitely recommend that you give this one a watch if you’re looking for something slightly different.

With that out the way, I’m Deffinition and I ruin the movie, so you don’t have to!

Plot Synopsis

I Think We’re Alone Now centres around the character of Del, played by Peter Dinklage. After an undetermined Post Apocalyptic event wipes out the majority of humanity, Del believes that he is the last man on Earth and lives alone in a small town library.

After being awakened one night by Fireworks, Del discovers Grace and the two form a friendship. Eventually, we learn that Del is indeed not the last man on Earth and there exists a community of 1,000 people.

Del was unaware of this because he refused to leave his own little world. Two visitors from the community inform Del that there are procedures that allow survivors to forget their past traumas entirely and that these are what have allowed the human race to continue and thrive. Stubborn as ever, Del turns down Grace’s invitation to join the community and returns to a solitary lifestyle. Now unable to live alone, Del journeys out to find Grace who has had some mind modification, though we eventually learn that it has not worked.

The two then travel to the community where they discover all of the population blissfully ignorant to what has come before. Shunning this Del and Grace decide to return to their own little town where they can live together with one another, ending the film.

Ending Explained

Obviously there is a lot to unpack from the film and to me, the clearest analogy that can be drawn is that of the immigration crisis that is rampant in modern politics. Del walling himself off from the World can be viewed as symbolism for The current US Government’s plan to build a physical wall between the border of the country and Mexico.

Del has forgotten how much diversity and different demographics have positively impacted his life and he now lives in a little bubble, refusing to venture outside of it which leaves him trapped from people who currently live the happy and carefree life that he is desperate for.

The fireworks that awaken him could be viewed as a metaphor for the fireworks that are set off on the 4th Of July, when America celebrate their independence. This remembers a period when the Country joined the rest of the World as it’s own entity. America was once a country that was welcoming to all from around the world, however, it has slowly begun to strengthen it’s borders and retreat to it’s comfort zone much in the same way that Del and Grace do at the film’s close.

This isn’t some idolisation of the rest of the world and I’m certainly not trying to paint America in an ignorant life. Juxtaposing their plight, the cult too makes promises of escaping one’s past and being perfect. The film beautifully showcases that there is no true utopia other than the one we make for ourselves. Things like the pretend parents tracking down Grace due to a scar on her neck which clearly contains a tracking device informs the audience that not everything that glitters is gold and there are people on both sides that will twist the truth to get what they want.

It’s a beautifully complex film and I definitely recommend that you watch it.