Unfaithful ending explained: Real reason why Connie wanted to leave the country

Unfaithful is a film in the erotic thriller genre that was released by 20th Century Fox on May 10, 2002. Directed by Adrian Lyne, the film is a remake of Claude Chabrol's 1969 French film The Unfaithful Wife. Here's the official synopsis as per Letterboxd:

"Connie is a wife and mother whose 11-year marriage to Edward has lost its sexual spark. When Connie literally runs into handsome book collector Paul, he sweeps her into an all-consuming affair. But Edward soon becomes suspicious and decides to confront the other man."

Let's find out how the film ends and why Connie suggests leaving the country.

What is the plot of Unfaithful?

Unfaithful focuses on the couple Constance "Connie" Sumner (played by Diane Lane) and Edward Sumner (Richard Gere). Over the years, the chemistry between them has faded. One day, Connie meets Paul Martel (Olivier Martinez), who is a book collector by profession. The two start an affair, and things soon take a dark turn as Edward finds out about it.

How does Unfaithful end?

A still from Unfaithful | Image via Klokline Cinema

As Unfaithful reaches its climax, Edward hits Paul with a globe, which instantly kills him. Connie stumbles upon her and Paul's photo inside Edward's wardrobe. Edward reveals that he knew that the two were having an affair. An emotional Edward reveals that he wanted things to work out and that he intended to kill her.

A few days later, she finds a photograph of her and their son Charlie with a message that mentions his life for them. This makes Connie realize that Edward really loves her. The photos are burned by her, and they go back to their lives. Later on, Connie and Edward are heading home when they stop at a traffic light. Connie suggests that they should flee the country and get totally new identities for themselves.

This was done because the death of Paul was looming over their heads, and it was a matter of time before someone found out about their deeds. Edward agrees with her plan. Both of them had earlier cleaned the crime scene and even lied to the police to get away. He tries to console Connie, who is crying.

Towards the end of Unfaithful, it is revealed that Edward actually stopped his car in front of a police station. He plans to confess his crimes to the authorities. The film ends on an ambiguous note, and it's left open whether Edward will confess to his crimes or he will continue to live his life. There is also a lack of clarity on whether Connie will join him if he decides to turn himself in to the cops.

Inside the car, the two share a moment of silence where they, in a way, acknowledge that both of them have committed crimes and neither is innocent. The two have paid the price for the cracks in their relationship.

Apart from Gere and Lane, the film also stars Chad Lowe, Erik Per Sullivan, Erich Anderson, Joseph Badalucco Jr., and Lisa Emery, among others.