Earthquake Bird

Year: 2019

Runtime: 107 min

Language: English

Director: Wash Westmoreland

DramaMysteryThrillerRomanceCrime

In Tokyo's vibrant and shadowy streets, expatriate Lucy grapples with a difficult past while involved in a passionate relationship with photographer Teiji. The disappearance of a young acquaintance, Lily, throws Lucy's carefully constructed world into disarray. As suspicion arises, Lucy’s guarded exterior begins to crack, forcing her to confront the buried secrets and traumas she has long concealed.

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Earthquake Bird (2019) – Ending Explained & Final Scene Breakdown

Still thinking about how Earthquake Bird (2019) ended? Here’s a full breakdown of the ending, key final moments, major twists, and the deeper meaning behind the film’s conclusion.

In the confusing and emotionally charged ending of Earthquake Bird, Lucy finally confesses to the police that she has murdered Lily. However, shortly afterward, DNA evidence reveals that the body found isn’t actually Lily’s, which shifts the case from murder to a disappearance. This twist leaves Lucy feeling hollow and mistaken, as she now believes Lily and Teiji might have run away together, leaving her burdened by guilt and sadness once more. The detectives reassure her that there’s no concrete proof of her guilt, urging her not to feel so responsible, but Lucy’s inner turmoil remains unresolved. She then visits Teiji’s apartment to look for clues about Lily’s whereabouts, discovering disturbing photos of Lily’s dead body. When she tries to report this to the police, they are gone, and Teiji is waiting for her at her place. Their confrontation escalates into violence, and Lucy, feeling betrayed and desperate, kills Teiji in self-defense after he attempts to choke her. The film concludes with her reflecting at a retreat, expressing remorse for her accidental killing of another friend, which echoes her ongoing feelings of guilt and regret. The ending suggests that Lucy’s capacity for guilt and her struggle to accept her past make her stuck in a cycle of grief. The story ultimately reveals that her guilt is more about her own unresolved emotional pain and her inability to forgive herself, rather than one definitive act of murder, emphasizing that guilt and remorse can haunt a person long after the truth has been obscured.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:44

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Stories where a protagonist's fragile psyche unravels amidst the alienation of a foreign city.Explore movies like 'Earthquake Bird' that delve into the minds of unreliable narrators grappling with psychological turmoil. These films are perfect for viewers who enjoy tense, character-driven mysteries set against the atmospheric pressure of an unfamiliar urban landscape, where the truth is as elusive as the protagonist's sanity.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically center on an isolated individual, often an expatriate or outsider, whose internal trauma and distorted perspective drive the narrative. The plot unfolds through their eyes, forcing the audience to question what is real as past and present collide, leading to a revelation that recontextualizes everything.

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Passionate, destructive relationships that lead to violence and the exposure of hidden trauma.If you liked the passionate and dangerous relationship in 'Earthquake Bird', discover more movies about obsessive love that spirals into psychological thrillers. These films feature heavy emotional weight, tense pacing, and often explore themes of jealousy, unreliable memories, and violent outcomes within a romantic crime narrative.

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Narrative Summary

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Earthquake Bird Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Earthquake Bird

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