Drunkboat Ending Explained: What Happened and Why?

What Happens at the End of Drunkboat?

After twenty years of broken bottles and empty hallways, Mort Gleason witnesses his nephew Moo being beaten while in a drunken stupor. The short contact with family brings Mort back to what are left of his senses and he returns to the last home he remembers in Chicago. His sister Eileen lives in their family home now with her sixteen year old son, Abe. Her older son Moo, the now missing nephew, helped spark Mort's return to his family. Three, four, five weeks pass as Mort waits outside his home and makes a tenuous re-entry into family life. Abe dreams of a sailboat and distant horizons. He saves money and sees an advertisement for the Kathy II. He and his friend calculate a way to buy the vessel from two unscrupulous rogues who make ends meet wholesaling liquor and operating a sometime boatyard.

Bob Meyer's narrative builds toward a resolution centered on John Malkovich (Mort)'s journey. The short contact with family brings Mort back to what are left of his senses and he returns to the last home he remembers in Chicago.

How Does John Malkovich (Mort)'s Story End?

• John Malkovich: John Malkovich's storyline wraps up in the final act, though some viewers have found the resolution more ambiguous than expected.
• John Goodman (Mr. Fletcher): John Goodman's role in the climax proves pivotal to how the central conflict resolves.
• Jacob Zachar (Abe): Jacob Zachar's character undergoes a significant shift in the final act.

What Does the Ending of Drunkboat Mean?

The ending of Drunkboat brings the narrative to a close, though viewer reception has been mixed. The resolution of John Malkovich's story may not satisfy all audiences.