The Grandmother – Ending Explained
“The Grandmother” (La Abuela) is a horror film released in 2022, helmed by Paco Plaza, the acclaimed director behind the famous “REC” franchise.
The Spanish feature exudes a sinister and dark atmosphere, punctuated by moments of tension captured in disconcerting shots filled with surprises.
In this post, we delve into the intricacies of “The Grandmother” and shed light on aspects that may have escaped notice.
***Warning***
This article contains spoilers pertaining to “The Grandmother” (La Abuela).
If you have yet to watch the film and wish to avoid details regarding its outcome and theories surrounding it, we advise you to refrain from further reading.
Synopsis of the movie “The Grandmother”
The film begins with an elegantly dressed 85-year-old woman, Pilar (Vera Valdez), sitting in a café in Madrid.
She checks her watch, and when it stops, she leaves the café to enter a building and discover another elderly woman dead in an apartment.
A naked young woman then presents Pilar with a matrioska (a typical Russian doll), to which Pilar responds with a broad smile, kneeling down to embrace her.
We are then introduced to Susana (Almudena Amor), a young model on the cusp of turning 25, leading a busy life in Paris.
She calls her grandmother to cancel their birthday plans, as they share the same date.
During a party, Susana receives news that her grandmother has suffered a brain hemorrhage and is unconscious.
She promptly returns to Madrid to care for Pilar, who requires constant attention, being non-communicative and seemingly unaware of her surroundings.
Susana, raised by her grandmother after losing her parents as a child, opts against placing her in a clinic, instead searching to hire a live-in caregiver.
As Susana tends to Pilar’s needs, she witnesses strange occurrences and begins to experience disturbing nightmares.
Pilar’s behavior becomes increasingly eerie, with unintelligible whispers and inexplicable events in the apartment.
One day, they receive a visit from a young woman, who introduces herself as Eva, the niece of Julita, Pilar’s best friend.
Eva tells Susana that the two had met as children, but Susana didn’t remember her or Julita.
Susana discovers a childhood diary and begins perusing her entries, recalling the birthday party where she encountered Eva and Julita.
Memories flood back as she reminisces about the girls having their hair cut off.
When Susana finally succeeds in hiring someone to care for her grandmother, the woman meets a tragic fate, being struck by a vehicle and killed.
This leaves Susana feeling desperate and extremely fearful of Pilar.
Susana becomes convinced of her grandmother’s malevolent powers and decides to have her institutionalized.
However, a fire erupts in the clinic, claiming all the elderly residents’ lives.
At the apartment, as Susana prepares to leave for Paris, she sees the news on TV about the devastating fire.
Desperate and guilt-ridden, she cries uncontrollably only to find Pilar mysteriously back in their apartment.
As Susana prepares soup for Pilar and begins feeding her, Pilar suddenly chokes.
However, Susana remains passive and does not assist her, witnessing her grandmother choke to death.
The alarm on her cell phone rings, telling her that it’s her’s and Pilar’s birthday.
Her grandmother’s phone rings; it’s Eva asking if it’s Pilar who’s speaking. Susana says it’s not Pilar and Eva replies: “Are you sure?”.
The apartment becomes a surreal battleground of memories and horrors as Susana realizes her entanglement with Pilar’s sinister legacy.
Susana sees that Pilar is no longer sitting where she was and tries to escape, but the door won’t open.
At that moment, all the clocks in the apartment strike 8 o’clock and cuckoos and alarms start to sound loudly.
In a terrorizing climax, Susana becomes possessed by Pilar’s spirit.
After a few moments, Susana wakes up, walks over to Pilar and whispers in her ear: “My body is yours, your heart is mine”.
Eva appears and is astonished to find Susana wearing Pilar’s earrings.
As Susana whispers cryptically to Eva, they both laugh and leave the scene, while Pilar’s lifeless body remains, a haunting conclusion to their macabre tale.
Analysis of the film “The Grandmother”
“The Grandmother” possesses all the hallmarks of a horror film worthy of director Paco Plaza.
The film delves into tension and suspense, showcasing unexpected and chilling acts, featuring dark supernatural occurrences and ominous apparitions.
A notable strength of “The Grandmother” lies in the tense and claustrophobic atmosphere sustained throughout the narrative.
The cinematography and art direction contribute significantly to the feeling of isolation and enigma that permeates the storyline.
“The Grandmother” proves to be genuinely unsettling, as we witness Susana’s gradual transformation from tenderly caring for her grandmother to experiencing profound terror upon realizing Pilar’s malevolent powers.
Susana’s anguish is palpable as the events escalate in terror.
While some critics argue that the plot unfolds too slowly, the subtle details woven throughout the film are undeniably intriguing.
Comparison with the film “The Skeleton Key”
Critics of “The Grandmother” often draw comparisons to the 2005 film “The Skeleton Key”.
Many claim to have noticed connections between the two films from the opening scenes of “The Grandmother”.
Indeed, there exists a thematic connection between the films, particularly concerning the concept of soul exchange, albeit within different contexts.
“The Skeleton Key” follows the story of Caroline Ellis (portrayed by Kate Hudson), who becomes a private nurse for an elderly couple residing in a Louisiana mansion.
Her employer, Violet (played by Gena Rowlands), entrusts Caroline with the care of her husband, Ben (John Hurt), who has suffered a stroke and is unable to communicate.
The film explores themes of witchcraft, supernatural abilities, and rituals culminating in the transfer of elderly souls into younger bodies.
In “The Skeleton Key”, the climax reveals Violet’s desire to transfer her soul into Caroline’s body, while transferring Ben’s soul into the body of Caroline’s lawyer ally, Luke (Peter Sarsgaard).
The premise indeed shares similarities, prompting viewers to draw connections between the two films.
However, “The Grandmother” stands as a commendable horror film, surpassing the norm and boasting a well-executed production that transcends mere jump scares.
Director Paco Plaza
Paco Plaza is a renowned Spanish director and screenwriter known mainly for his work in the horror genre.
The director achieved great international recognition with the release of the film “REC” in 2007, co-directed with Jaume Balagueró.
“REC” is a Spanish horror film that uses the found footage technique (like the Blair Witch tapes) to create an atmosphere of suspense and terror.
The film was a box office success and received critical acclaim, being considered one of the best horror films of the decade.
The “REC” franchise continued with three more sequels, all of which helped solidify Balagueró’s reputation as one of the leading directors of contemporary horror films.
A defining characteristic of Plaza’s films is his ability to create tense, claustrophobic atmospheres, using cinematography and lighting techniques to build suspense and psychological horror.
Theories Surrounding the Film “The Grandmother”
“The Grandmother” portrays Pilar and Julita, depicted as a duo akin to witches, engaged in a longstanding ritual aimed at transferring their souls into younger bodies, in pursuit of immortality.
This notion becomes evident as the audience encounters numerous old photographs of women adorning the walls of Pilar’s bedroom, symbolizing each vessel through which their souls have traversed.
The ritual unfolds consistently: both souls must converge on their shared birthday, perpetuating the cycle of rejuvenation.
This prompts speculation regarding Susana’s true lineage as Pilar’s granddaughter and whether her parents’ demise was orchestrated, given her subsequent guardianship under her grandmother’s care.
It’s plausible that the demise of Susana’s parents was part of Pilar’s calculated scheme, a notion that extends to Eva as well.
The two girls encountered each other only once during childhood, marking the initial phase of the ritual wherein their braids were severed and preserved within a circular box alongside their portraits.
Susana and Eva, identical in age, coincided with the birthdays of their respective grandmothers, destined to serve as vessels for the witch couple’s perpetuation.
During the ritual, the transition from old to new bodies is illustrated as all photographs featuring the former are replaced by images of Susana, exemplified even in the living room’s painting.
Explanation of the Film “The Grandmother”
“The Grandmother” delves into the relentless pursuit of youth and the extremes one is willing to undertake in its pursuit.
Pilar, who has nurtured her granddaughter since childhood, sacrifices her for the sake of vanity.
This is evident in the apartment’s scattered photographs showcasing Pilar’s former beauty.
The film opens with Pilar anxiously waiting in a café, the ticking of a wristwatch ominously marking time until it abruptly halts minutes before 8 o’clock.
She rushes back to the apartment to find Julita dead, surrounded by remnants of a birthday celebration.
Unfazed by her friend’s demise, Pilar identifies the braid of hair and a photo of a child, Eva, signaling the success of the ritual: Julita has possessed Eva’s body, leaving her old one lifeless.
The ritual likely coincided with a shared birthday celebration between Julita and Eva.
Now, it is Pilar’s turn to engage in the ritual with Susana, as their birthdays approach. Pilar eagerly anticipates sharing a youthful existence with her lovers once again.
However, Susana’s reluctance to return to Madrid prompts Pilar’s accident and hospitalization. Susana’s deliberate actions suggest a ploy to compel her return, ensuring the ritual’s completion.
The braids severed from Eva and Susana’s childhood mark the initial phase of the ritual, recalled by Susana after perusing her diary. This sets the stage for the lovers’ rejuvenation.
Following the final ritual, Pilar’s visage replaces Susana’s in photographs and paintings, symbolizing the successful transference of souls.
The picture frame initially depicting Pilar and Julita transforms to showcase Pilar and Eva, indicative of the ritual’s triumph.
Ultimately, Eva and Susana’s faces adorn the frame, signifying the rituals’ success.
Susana’s attempts to depart for Paris are thwarted by her grandmother’s supernatural intervention.
Eva’s arrival at the apartment under the guise of discussing Pilar’s affection serves to ensure Susana remains until the pivotal date, orchestrated by Julita inhabiting Eva’s body.
Eva’s Constant Presence
In addition to paying visits to Pilar and Susana to introduce herself as the granddaughter of her grandmother’s best friend, Eva lurks at various points throughout the film, eagerly awaiting the fruition of their plan.
Following a chilling hallucination involving her grandmother, Susana seeks refuge in the living room, attempting to soothe herself by switching on the television.
During one instance, we catch a glimpse of Eva, unclothed, almost resembling a painting within the living room picture frame, positioned behind Susana. Though Susana senses a presence, she finds no one upon turning back.
In another harrowing scene, amidst nightmares that blur reality, Susana rises from her bed upon hearing unsettling noises in the room. As she stands, she witnesses herself rapidly aging, withering away, and feeling her teeth dislodging.
Collapsed in horror, Susana glimpses Eva’s sinister approach, adorned with a dark smile, before jolting awake in terror.
These incidents serve as ominous hints of events yet to unfold. In a later scene, Eva dashes down the apartment corridor, stealthily evading Susana’s notice, intensifying the suspense.
Symbolism in the Film “The Grandmother”
Throughout the film, numerous symbols emerge, gradually revealing their significance as the narrative unfolds.
The Clocks
Early in the storyline, Pilar sits in a café where the ticking of her wristwatch, a few minutes shy of 8 o’clock, becomes pronounced.
Despite the continuous movement of the second hand, the watch remains frozen at the same time, until the ticking abruptly ceases.
Pilar then leaves the café and discovers Julita’s body upon reaching the apartment.
At another juncture, Susana observes all the numerous clocks in the apartment, synchronously ticking at the same moment with their second hands immobilized.
They echo the initial time observed at the start of the film, a few minutes before 8 AM, evident from the audible ticking.
Although operational, the clocks remain fixated on the specific time, underscoring a pivotal aspect of the narrative.
As the climax approaches, the apartment resonates with the striking of 8 o’clock by all the clocks.
When Susana awakens at the film’s conclusion, now possessed by Pilar’s soul, the clock chimes exactly eight times.
With the completion of the ritual, the clocks recommence ticking, reaching the hour of 8 (morning or evening).
The number 8, often associated with infinity and eternity due to its resemblance to the infinity symbol (∞) when horizontal, underscores the notion of perpetual transfer and the quest for eternal life through the continuity of souls.
The Mirror
Upon arriving at her grandmother’s apartment, Susana notices the bathroom mirror covered in stains, rendering it unusable as if crudely painted over.
She ventures out to purchase a new mirror, which she later hangs in the bathroom after combing her grandmother’s hair.
In a gesture of affection, Susana uses the mirror to show her grandmother her reflection.
However, at that moment, the mirror perfectly reflects Pilar’s face within Susana’s reflection and vice versa, foreshadowing events to come.
The absence of other mirrors in the apartment prompts speculation: Did Pilar avoid mirrors due to her aversion to seeing her aged self? Was her desire to reclaim youth by inhabiting her granddaughter’s body a factor in this avoidance?
The Blue Bird
Upon returning home from the hospital, Susana observes an empty cage in the living room and notices Pilar fixated on a painting portraying her as a young girl holding a blue bird.
On another occasion, when the caregiver Adelia visits, Pilar is seen whistling at the empty cage as if engaging with an unseen bird.
Following the final ritual where Pilar assumes Susana’s body, the bird is shown alive in the cage, with Susana now depicted in Pilar’s place holding the bird in the living room painting.
The blue bird symbolizes freedom, liberation, renewal, and transformation. Its presence signifies the dawn of a new life cycle, aligning seamlessly with the film’s narrative.
As Pilar succeeds in her ritual, the bird metaphorically comes back to life.
The Matryoshka Doll
The Matryoshka, also known as the Russian doll, holds significant cultural symbolism not only in Russia but across the globe.
Crafted from wood and traditionally hand-painted, these dolls are renowned for nesting within each other in a sequence of decreasing sizes.
The nesting feature of Matryoshkas is often interpreted as a representation of the cycle of life and renewal.
In the film’s opening, when Eva presents Pilar with a Matryoshka doll, it symbolizes the affirmation of Julita’s successful renewal in her new body.
The act of gifting the doll to Pilar suggests that it’s now her turn to embark on a journey of renewal.
Human Vanity
The narrative delves into the quest for eternal youth, highlighting several instances where the film meticulously showcases the bodies of the two protagonists, accentuating their stark differences.
Vanity emerges as a natural and intrinsic aspect of the human condition, exemplified through Susana’s reaction upon seeing herself on a perfume billboard.
She expresses surprise and delight, seeking acknowledgment from others.
The film also captures Susana’s aversion to aging, symbolized by her plucking out a strand of white hair, perhaps fueled by her reluctance to resemble Pilar, a fate she eventually succumbs to.
Contrasting the youthfulness of Susana and Eva with the advanced age of Pilar and Julita, the film juxtaposes scenes revealing Pilar’s elderly physique with those showcasing the youthfulness of Susana and Eva.
The allure of eternal youth epitomized by Susana and Eva’s youthful forms becomes the coveted desire of Pilar and Julita.
Watch “The Grandmother” on Prime Video.
Watch the official trailer for “The Grandmother”:
