Rocco — Ending Explained

The film is built around Siffredi's decision to stop performing. As it goes on, the focus shifts from his working life to his reasons for stopping. These include the grief he still carries over the early death of his brother and, later, his mother, his own admission that he has "the devil" in him, and his wish to protect his family. The last section follows the preparations for his final film with Kelly Stafford. That shoot works as a goodbye ritual and as a final look at the compulsion he is trying to leave behind. The film ends without settling whether stepping away will actually free him.

Viewers read the film in different ways:

• Empathetic confession: an honest portrait of a man tormented by compulsion and grief.
• Myth-making: a polished, beautifully made film that may end up making the Siffredi legend bigger.
• Statement about sexual agency: a film about how empowered each person is over their own sexuality, a reading the Huffington Post highlighted.
• Critique of the industry: the harsh scenes on set can also be seen as exposing the brutality of the business.