How Does Guyliner End?

'Guyliner' wraps up with this bittersweet yet affirming vibe. The main character—let’s call him Jake—spends the whole story wrestling with whether his love of eyeliner is 'weird' or 'too much.' By the finale, he stops asking permission. In the last scene, he’s applying it before a date, but this time, his hand doesn’t shake. The person he’s meeting isn’t some grand romantic payoff; it’s just someone who casually mentioned liking his style weeks earlier. The ordinariness of it is the victory. No dramatic speeches, just Jake grinning at his reflection like, 'Yeah, this is me.' The credits roll over a montage of side characters—some adopting small changes, others stuck in their ways—which feels true to life. Not everyone evolves, but the ones who matter do.

The ending of 'Guyliner' hits hard because it subverts expectations in the best way possible. At first glance, you might think it’s just another rom-com about a guy experimenting with eyeliner and the chaos that ensues, but it digs deeper. The protagonist, after struggling with societal judgments and his own insecurities, realizes that self-expression isn’t about fitting into a mold—it’s about breaking it. The final scene shows him walking into a party, liner perfectly applied, not as a gimmick but as a statement. The crowd’s mixed reactions don’t faze him anymore; he’s found his confidence. It’s a quiet but powerful moment, underscored by the soundtrack fading into silence as he locks eyes with the person who’d mocked him earlier, now speechless. The story doesn’t tie everything up with a neat bow—some relationships remain strained, but that’s the point. Growth isn’t about everyone applauding you; it’s about not needing their applause.

What sticks with me is how the narrative avoids cheap redemption arcs. The bully doesn’t suddenly become a saint, and the protagonist’s family doesn’t fully 'get it' by the end. It’s messy, just like real life. The last shot mirrors the opening—a close-up of the eyeliner tube—but this time, it’s placed beside a frayed journal where he’s scribbled, 'Still figuring it out.' That tiny detail captures the entire journey: imperfect, ongoing, and unapologetic.