All Your Faces - Ending Explained

The narrative of "All Your Faces" culminates in the respective conclusions of its two central restorative justice processes. In the group therapy storyline, the initial anger and distrust gradually give way to moments of profound understanding. A key turning point occurs when the offenders articulate their own fears and motivations, revealing that their actions were often driven by desperation, addiction, or a lack of foresight rather than pure malice. This humanizes them in the eyes of the victims. For instance, Grégoire, the homeowner consumed by rage, finally breaks down, revealing the deep fear for his daughter that underlies his anger. The group sessions conclude not with a neat resolution for all, but with a palpable sense of shared experience and the beginning of healing for several participants. There is no grand moment of universal forgiveness, but rather a quiet, mutual recognition of each other's pain and humanity.

The film's most intense climax is the final, one-on-one meeting between Chloé (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and her incestuous brother, Benjamin. The tension is built up through numerous preparation sessions where Chloé practices what she wants to say. The meeting itself is chillingly quiet and fraught with unspoken history. Chloé confronts him directly, not with rage, but with a calm, devastating articulation of how his actions destroyed her childhood and have affected her entire life. Benjamin, for his part, struggles to respond, offering apologies that seem inadequate in the face of her pain. The crucial moment is not his apology, but Chloé's act of speaking her truth to his face. The ending for her story is not about forgiving him, but about freeing herself. By confronting him, she breaks his power over her, taking the final step in reclaiming her own narrative. The film concludes with the understanding that while the scars will always remain—as the title suggests—the process has allowed the characters to move towards a future where they are not solely defined by their trauma.

While the film is largely presented as a hopeful exploration of restorative justice, some interpretations question its optimistic portrayal. One could argue that the film presents an idealized version of the process, where breakthroughs and moments of connection are more common than they might be in reality. The structure, especially in the group setting where victims and offenders are not directly linked to the same crime, has been noted as a potential dilution of the core concept of restorative justice, making the emotional resolutions somewhat less direct.

Another perspective could focus on the film's potential to be seen as a form of social propaganda for a specific judicial policy. While sensitive, it unequivocally champions the benefits of the system. A more critical reading might question whether the film adequately explores the potential failures, risks, or ethical complexities of such emotionally vulnerable encounters, such as the potential for re-traumatization of victims. The film focuses heavily on the successes and emotional catharsis, leaving less room to explore instances where the process might not work or could even be detrimental.