The Ending Of Back To The Future Has Reddit Divided

The ending of "Back to the Future" is typically considered to be a feel-good coda to Marty McFly's (Michael J. Fox) adventure, but it might not be all sunshine and rainbows after all. Following his time-traveling trip to 1955, where he meets his parents' younger selves and ensures they live happily ever after, Marty returns to his own time period to find his folks happy. All appears to be well on the surface, but is the ending of Robert Zemeckis' beloved sci-fi comedy actually bleak?

This is the view of Reddit user u/Boomfan67, who argues that Marty returns to a life he doesn't know as his parents, George (Crispin Glover) and Lorraine (Lea Thompson), are essentially different people, and all his memories are lies. Potentially even more disturbing, the ending is portrayed as a positive outcome for the family, with our protagonist oblivious to the grim reality he finds himself in.

Perhaps it takes watching "Back to the Future" more than once to see beyond its cheerful sensibilities and agree with the Redditor's cynical view of the film's ending. Of course, not every fan is going to agree with this observation, though some do actually think there's some truth to it.

While "Back to the Future" raises a few unanswered questions, some fans feel that the ending's feel-good qualities shouldn't be disputed. Redditor u/recently_muted claimed to empathize with Marty McFly's new situation as they also grew up with unhappy parents, and they'd copy the character's actions if they could. "[I]f I could go back in time and make it so my parents ended up as happy people, I would do it in a second."

Meanwhile, u/MalcolmTuckersLuck believes Marty's life hasn't changed that much, and people shouldn't read too deeply into it. The conclusion, they argue, is meant to highlight how George and Lorraine lived up to their potential, and any bleak observations about the film's final moments entirely miss the point of its message.

That said, some people agree with the darker take on the ending. As u/Several_Dwarts pointed out, Eric Stoltz, the actor originally cast as Marty, questioned the film's conclusion by noting that Marty hasn't experienced the life he returns to after his adventure. Perhaps this is why he wasn't regarded as a good fit for the project, but he certainly isn't the only person to hold such views about the movie. Elsewhere, u/Typical80sKid noted that there could be some level of health-related side effects to the change as well, as Marty might eventually feel like he's suffering from memory loss.

If you enjoyed this article, read about the fascinating origins of "Back to the Future."