The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him

Eleanor's suicide attempt was triggered by the overwhelming grief she carried after losing her son. The film reveals this tragic loss as the root cause of her deep despair. While Connor was supportive and stayed by her side at the hospital, Eleanor felt unable to cope with the weight of her grief, leading her to the desperate act of jumping from the bridge into the Hudson River.

Earlier scenes showing the couple's joyful, playful moments in Central Park hint at what they once had before tragedy struck.

The death of their child created an unbridgeable emotional divide between them. Both struggled to grieve in their own way, Eleanor withdrew completely and sank into depression, while Connor tried to hold things together but felt helpless. The film shows Eleanor returning to her family in Westport and Connor moving back to his father's house, each retreating from their shared life. Their inability to process the loss together ultimately drove them apart.

The restaurant date early in the film shows them already struggling, with Connor unable to afford a meal and their spontaneous dash hinting at deeper instability.

The film implies that Connor and Eleanor lost their son, though the circumstances of his death are never explicitly shown or explained. The grief from this loss permeates every aspect of the film, affecting both characters' decisions and their inability to reconnect. Eleanor's father pushes her to see a psychiatrist specifically to address this devastating loss, confirming the central tragedy that drives the narrative.

The absence of any mention of a child in the early romantic scenes, combined with Eleanor's visible emotional distance, hints at the tragedy they haven't discussed.

Connor moved back into his father's row-house because he couldn't bear the loneliness of living alone after Eleanor left. His restaurant was failing financially, and he was struggling emotionally with the collapse of both his marriage and his business. Moving home provided him with support and a sense of stability during this difficult period.

Earlier scenes show Connor living alone in what appears to be their shared apartment, visibly isolated and struggling to cope.

Connor's one-night stand with Alexis, the bartender at his restaurant, occurred during a moment of intense vulnerability. He was overwhelmed by the financial collapse of his restaurant and his persistent thoughts about Eleanor. This impulsive act represented a moment of weakness and confusion, as he struggled to move forward from his marriage while still emotionally connected to Eleanor.

Earlier conversations with his friend Stu reveal Connor's loneliness and his continued obsession with knowing what Eleanor is doing.

Eleanor decided to go to Paris to finish her abandoned anthropology dissertation. Her mother encouraged this move as a way for Eleanor to start fresh and find purpose again. This departure represents Eleanor's choice to prioritize her personal growth and healing over trying to reconnect with Connor, even though their emotional connection clearly remained.

Earlier scenes show Eleanor re-enrolling at NYU and visiting Professor Lilian, indicating her attempt to return to academic pursuits.

The ending shows Connor taking a walk through Central Park as evening falls, seemingly unaware that he may be followed by a mysterious figure who resembles Eleanor. This ambiguous conclusion leaves their future uncertain, it could suggest Eleanor has returned, or it may represent Connor's lingering hope and grief manifesting as a vision. The film intentionally leaves whether they will reunite open, reflecting the unresolved nature of their grief and relationship.

The film opens with them in Central Park, creating a circular motif, and earlier Eleanor tells Connor she's not coming back, making the possible sighting deeply uncertain.

Eleanor demanded that Connor respect her wish to be left alone because she was actively trying to rebuild her life independently. After her suicide attempt and recovery, she was focused on finding her own path, re-enrolling in university and working through her grief with a psychiatrist. She felt that staying connected to Connor would prevent her from moving forward, which is why she reacted so fiercely when he showed up at her class.

Her decision to return to education and her conversations with Professor Lilian show her commitment to creating a new, separate life.

During their nostalgic road trip, Connor and Eleanor drove through the countryside until heavy rain caused their car to stall due to a malfunctioning windshield wiper. In a vulnerable moment, Eleanor attempted to rekindle their physical intimacy, but the unresolved tension and grief between them made it impossible. The emotional weight became too much, prompting Eleanor to leave the vehicle before they returned home, this moment highlighted how their grief still kept them from truly connecting.

Their earlier playful moments in Central Park and the restaurant date contrast sharply with this tense, failed reconnection.

When Eleanor went clubbing with her sister Katy, she attempted to move on by seeking a fleeting connection with a stranger. However, she ultimately couldn't go through with it, revealing that she was still emotionally tethered to Connor despite their separation. This moment underscores how Eleanor's grief over both her lost child and her failed marriage prevented her from genuinely moving forward with someone new.

Earlier scenes showing Eleanor's struggle to rebuild her life at NYU and her continued emotional connection to Connor foreshadow her inability to fully let go.