The Quiet Girl Ending Explained

Finding a way out of the darkness, embracing hope, and delving into the meaning of family — these are some of the core themes of "The Quiet Girl," an Irish-language movie that was nominated for the 2023 Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. One of the most underrated movies of 2023, the film follows a young girl named Cáit (Catherine Clinch) who is sent to live with her cousins, Eibhlin (Carrie Crowley) and Seán (Andrew Bennett), as her large family prepares to welcome a new baby. It's a move that Cáit has no say in, but still complies with, especially after hearing comments from her parents that lead her to realize that they are ashamed of her presence.

Of course, a story like this is not new on the big screen. The film may have people recalling "The Glass Castle," which stars Brie Larson and adapts a true story about childhood neglect. However, it's the ending of "The Quiet Girl" that makes it stand out. When she arrives at her cousins' home, Cáit is greeted with positivity, which helps to build her confidence. Their relationship grows with each bright moment, leading to an ending where she embraces Sean and calls him "Daddy."

That word is uttered twice, but in tones that offer two very different meanings. It's an ending that is shrouded in imagery and words that, while poignant, still leave themselves open to interpretation. It's a lot to unravel upon a first watch, so here's an explanation of the moments that explain the real meaning behind the ending of "The Quiet Girl."

In "The Quiet Girl," Cáit has several siblings and lives with Mam (Kate Nic Chonaonaigh), who is pregnant, and Da (Michael Patric), who preoccupies himself with drinking, smoking, and gambling. It is clear from the beginning that Cáit's family doesn't know or want to learn how to nurture her. This is evident when she stares at the wet stain on her bed before hiding underneath it at the sound of Mam's footsteps. A few seconds later, her sisters wonder why Mam has not made their lunches and points the finger of blame at Cáit's bedtime accident. This is after Da refuses to make the lunches, instead choosing to smoke as he walks around the house.

As Mam gets closer to her due date, she and Da decide to send Cáit to live with Mam's cousins until the baby arrives. It's a trip that Cáit seems to be embarrassed by, especially after overhearing that her parents may not want her to return. When Cáit arrives at Eibhlin and Seán's home, she immediately receives kindness as Eibhlin opens the car door with a smile, eager to meet her cousin. It's just the first in a number of incidents that happen during house chores and farm work, which help her realize that this is a very different family. It is in that difference that she finds room to grow.

Cáit grows timid and quiet as she begins the journey home to her family after her stay with her cousins. During the trip, she recalls the time that her dad lost their cow in a game of cards, reminding her cousins and the audience of what she's returning to. As Seán and Eibhlin accept Mam's invitation to stay for tea, their expressions say it all as they look around the house, possibly thinking whether or not they should take Cáit back with them. 

Da enters the room and the discomfort grows when he says that Seán and Eibhlin would never be capable of watching their many children. It's a comment that is clearly derived from Da's insecurity, as he sees that Cáit is healthy and well taken care of. The couple react with somber expressions and decide to leave.

Seán and Eibhlin's goodbyes to Cáit are quiet and poignant, with both offering short farewells as they try to hide the pain of leaving her behind. Cáit then races toward their car. Flashbacks of small, yet meaningful moments play out before she runs into Seán's arms. As they embrace, she looks up to see Da. "Daddy," she says in a hollow tone as he approaches. She then buries her head into Seán's shoulder and says "Daddy" once more. This time it's said with unmistakable endearment as the film fades out.

The ending of "The Quiet Girl" has a deep meaning that can be found in repeated utterances of one word: "daddy." Cáit's change in tone tells the audience everything they need to know about her true feelings toward Seán, who she has embraced in a deep hug. When she says, "Daddy" the first time, she is nervously acknowledging her biological father as he catches her tightly hugging Seán. Her hollow tone sounds and feels more like anguish, and it could also mean uncertainty as she is not sure if she will be punished for wanting Seán more than him. 

The second time she says, "Daddy," she says it into Seán's shoulder, and her tone is filled with admiration and longing to be with him and his wife, who is sobbing in the car. These last two words are the emotional resolution that the ending builds upon, after dropping audiences into the despair of Cáit's return to her biological family. But hope returns through flashbacks to sweet, small moments of kindness that show the audience just how big of an impact Cáit, Seán, and Eibhlin have made on each other. What happens after that is unknown.

While "The Quiet Girl" is told from Cáit's perspective, the ending could easily be seen from the viewpoint of the cousins. Early on in the film, it is mentioned that Seán and Eibhlin lost their only son after he drowned at a young age. His clothes are used to dress Cáit when Eibhlin realizes that Da has left with her suitcase. The mention of their son's death gives audiences a sense as to why they have committed to caring for Cáit. While they are helping out their family, this visit is really a chance for them to have the joy of a child in their home once again. 

However, it may also increase their grief as having Cáit around brings back memories of the child they lost. The happiness of being a parent again comes crashing down when they have to bring her back home. The looks on her siblings' faces say everything to the couple, who realize how much pain and neglect is seeping into the daily lives of each child. Following hurtful comments from Da, and Mam's denial of family issues, Seán and Eibhlin realize that they must go. They hope that they made a lasting difference in Cáit's life, even if they are experiencing a version of their grief all over again.

While "The Quiet Girl" could be interpreted as a story focused on the importance of kindness, director and co-writer Colm Bairéad told AFI that it's meant to offer a sense of childhood. "Narrative development of it isn't where the heart of it lies. It was sort of a gamble, or a leap of faith in the sense, that an audience would step into the shoes of this young girl and would allow themselves to remember what it feels like to be a child," he said. It's an approach that pays off with an emotional ending that resonates even more because it is being told from Cáit's perspective.

More than just a script was used to effectively channel her viewpoint. Bairéad said that aspect ratio increased that perspective by making the floors and ceilings more visible. "And again that appealed to us because, you know, as a child your vertical range is actually more important because you're smaller than grown-ups. So you're looking up a lot more, and we also liked the idea of that this is sort of a point of view or perspective that hasn't expanded yet," he said. 

That expansion is a key part of the film, as Cáit's time with her cousins not only expands her viewpoint on the world but also how she sees herself. This in turn increases the emotional power of the ending, when she realizes that she is enough and that there are two people in the world that want her to know that she matters.

Several flashbacks help to ramp up the emotions that Cáit is feeling as she runs toward Seán at the end, and one flashback may seem a little abstract upon first viewing "The Quiet Girl." The image is that of a single cookie which he leaves on the kitchen table for her. The film focuses on subtle moments, hoping that the audience will catch onto their bigger meaning, and the offering of one cookie is one of the biggest moments between Seán and Cáit.

Seán is somewhat quiet himself, spending time in the background as his wife tends to Cáit's needs. It's the farm chores that take up most of his day, and that's how he bonds with Cáit, who becomes his helper. However, Seán is not too keen on the idea of working alongside her at first. He hesitates around her, which could mean that her presence is bringing back memories of his late son, causing his grief to return to the forefront. 

He later yells at Cáit when she wanders off during chores, but that's meant to be a sign of concern after searching all over the property. Cáit seems to interpret his tone as anger, but their relationship takes a turn when he leaves her a cookie. It's a treat that is both a symbol of apology and the opening of his heart to the young girl, helping Cáit realize that he is not like her father.

While "The Quiet Girl" contains a story of neglect and hope that is easily relatable to a mass audience, Colm Bairéad told the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that the film is actually an uniquely Irish tale. The plot takes audiences back to 1981, and heading to the past seems to be the best way to tell a story that still resonates with the present.

Bairéad recalled that large families were not uncommon back in the day, and neither was sending children to live elsewhere for a time. "You had families that were essentially overcrowded and overpopulated in a way, and just the general attitude towards children was different to what it is today. They were expected to be seen and not heard, and I guess that's the thing that's really specifically Irish about it," he said.

Children being seen and not heard is a central part of the plot. It's a sad idea that Cáit's family is clearly committed to when Da enters the kitchen at the beginning of the film. His presence alone immediately stops a raucous conversation between her sisters. This comes after a toddler is seen screaming in a high chair while Mam walks right past the child, not paying attention to their needs.

2023 was a big year for the Academy Awards. While the 2023 Oscars finally televised every category, they also made history for the Irish language. The inclusion of "The Quiet Girl" in the Best International Feature Film category was one of the biggest surprises of the 2023 nominations. It marked the first time that an Irish-language feature was nominated for any Academy Award, according to Colm Bairéad's interview with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The director noted that such an accolade helps to keep the language alive. "The Irish language is our official language in Ireland, but unfortunately, it's a minority language in our country and it's an endangered language," he said.

While preserving the language is important, there was another reason why Bairéad decided to use it. During a panel discussion with Angelika Film Center & Cafe, he said the decision was partially influenced by the film getting money from a fund focused on Irish-language films. Bairéad said he grew up speaking the language and felt that it was the right move for this project, which was based on the English short story "Foster." "I could see very early on that there was a way of sort of transplanting the story into an Irish-language setting in a way that would be believable and authentic for an Irish audience," he explained, noting that some parts of Ireland are more English-speaking.

The literary inspiration for "The Quiet Girl" was the 2010 short story "Foster" by Claire Keegan, first published in The New Yorker. It's just one of her titles that has been adapted recently into a film. Keegan's book "Small Things Like These" headed to the big screen in November 2024, starring Cillian Murphy, who was a force to be reckoned with as the title character in Christopher Nolan's 2023 Oscar winner "Oppenheimer." 

Upon reading "Foster" in 2018, Colm Bairéad told Angelika Film Center & Cafe that he was enthralled, finishing it in 45 minutes. "By the end of it I was in tears. I just kind of loved everything about it." While the film hones in on emotion, there is an extra layer of connection that is not captured on screen. "Foster" is told from the perspective of Cáit, and the written narrative allows for the reader to be fully immersed in her thoughts. This approach lets the reader in on the moment where her viewpoint on kindness and familial love is changed for good, foreshadowing the ending.

That turning point happens when John (Seán in the film) takes her hand, realizing that her father would never do the same, and she struggles with that. "It's a hard feeling, but as we walk along, I settle and let the difference between my life at home and the one I have here be," she thinks. She realizes that this couple has truly given her a home away from home, and thinking back to such a moment possibly increases her eagerness to embrace John.

Seán and Cáit's quiet bond loudly resonates at the end of the film, but it's her relationship with Eibhlin that sets the film's tone. Upon her arrival, Eibhlin welcomes Cáit with open arms. She gives her a bath with warm water, something that Cáit is not used to. Eibhlin replies that it will become normal, and it's an exchange that has a double meaning: It's not just the warm water that she will get used to, but rather the warmth of the home that has been opened to her.

Eibhlin takes her under her wing, teaching her chores that show her how a family works together. They develop a deeper appreciation for each other through each task. It's a bond that even strangers notice when they walk into town. A shop worker even mistakes Eibhlin for Cáit's mother, which is something that the young girl wishes were the case.

All of these moments build up to Eibhlin's emotional goodbye. She is overwhelmed and quietly shocked upon realizing the state of Cáit's family. She tries to show genuine concern to Mam, asking if everything is okay. Mam claims everything is fine, but Eibhlin knows otherwise. It's a sad truth that brings her to tears as they drive away. Eibhlin does not approach Cáit when she embraces Seán, which could be due to how much her heart is hurting. 

While the ending of "The Quiet Girl" is satisfying, it leaves many plot points open-ended, leading viewers to wonder what happens next. Cáit spends much of "The Quiet Girl" growing to love her cousins and learning the true meaning of family, and her parents and siblings notice a difference in her immediately upon her return to their house.

It's a difference that is visually conveyed by her bright dress, which is in contrast to the earth-toned clothes of her siblings. Her siblings' mannerisms also show how much Cáit has changed. She is now talking more and exhibiting confidence while her sisters stay timid. It's that stark contrast that could usher in a new era for them as well. One person's kindness can make all the difference, and the kindness shown to Cáit has the potential to spread to her sisters, changing their lives for the better.

Even though the film ends with Seán and Eibhlin's heartfelt goodbye, that doesn't mean that Cáit won't return to their home. Cáit is called back to her family after the baby is born, but she is also called back because a new school year is around the corner. This could mean that Cáit becomes an annual summer visitor for the couple, giving her a lasting safe haven where she can grow in love and kindness.