The Ending Of The Lovebirds Explained

Over the past few years, Netflix has been crushing the romantic comedy game with films like Set it Up and Always Be My Maybe, and their latest release is just as killer — literally. The Lovebirds, which was originally slated for a theatrical release before COVID-19 put the entire world on pause, got picked up by Netflix, giving it a buzzworthy spring release at a time when consumers are streaming content more than ever.

The film stars Insecure's Issa Rae and comedian (and future Marvel Cinematic Universe star) Kumail Nanjiani as Leilani and Jibran, a couple years into a relationship that doesn't really seem to be going anywhere. After showing us the couple's early honeymoon phase, director Michael Showalter quickly cuts to a fight four years later about whether or not they could win The Amazing Race, and after they spend their entire day fighting, they ultimately decide to break up on the way to a party. However, things only get worse from there.

If you already caught The Lovebirds and need a refresher on how it ended, we've got you covered. From a car accident to a secret cult, here's the ending of The Lovebirds, explained.

Spoilers to follow!

Right as Jibran and Leilani suddenly and unexpectedly break up on their way to a friend's dinner party, something even more surprising happens — the two hit a cyclist, and as they recover, a strange man jumps into their car. When he tells them he's a cop, they believe him and are along for the ride as he hunts the cyclist down, but when he finds his target, something odd happens: the stranger backs over the cyclist with the car, killing him.

When two bystanders call the police, the stranger makes a run for it, and so do Jibran and Leilani, who immediately realize they're now suspects in this man's murder. Leilani leaves with the dead man's phone, and as the couple tries to evade the police, they start investigating the murder themselves. Clues from the phone lead them on a quest to figure out where he was heading, who he knew, and why somebody wanted him dead.

As the night continues, Jibran and Leilani track down Ede (Anna Camp), a mysterious woman waiting for the cyclist, but she immediately grows suspicious and ends up holding the two hostage as she tries to figure out who they are and what they know. When her husband Brett (Kyle Bornheimer) arrives, the couple tortures Jibran and Leilani , forcing them to choose between being scalded with hot bacon grease or seeing what's behind their mysterious door (it's a horse, which kicks Jibran in the chest).

Eventually, Jibran and Leilani outwit their captors and escape once again, but there are more surprises in store. Throughout the course of the evening, they discover that Ede and Brett, along with the dead cyclist, know about an underground cult that engages in weird sexual rites, but some of its members are being blackmailed. Jibran and Leilani manage to infiltrate one of the group's meetings, but when the police arrive, it seems like the jig is up for this unhappy couple.

However, the police put that concern to bed, telling Jibran and Leilani that they were clearly never suspects and that they've been tracking the mysterious cult for weeks. Ultimately, the detectives send them home with a police escort, asking them to come back in the morning and provide their statements. Unfortunately, their escort is the stranger who hijacked their car at the beginning of the film. He is a cop, but he's a corrupt cop, and for the second time that night, they're tied up and held hostage.

Earlier in the film, Jibran and Leilani had wondered why cars still have cigarette lighters instead of outlets, and in this crucial moment, the lighter turns out to be their savior. By commandeering the lighter while their captor is out of the car, the two manage to escape and bring him to justice.

After a terrifying, harrowing night, Jibran and Leilani start to reconsider their breakup, wondering why they ever even split in the first place. Realizing they don't actually want to part ways, the two reunite, and one year later, they've embarked on a new adventure together. After their argument at the beginning of the film, the two finally make it onto The Amazing Race, and they're about to win a leg in London when they come up against Jibran's newly found worst nightmare... horses.

If you're looking for a fun romp with two charming, hilarious leads, look no further than The Lovebirds, which is streaming on Netflix now.