Main spoilers for Mountainhead are forward! When you have not watched the film but, you possibly can stream it with an HBO Max subscription.
Mountainhead took a giant and surprising flip when Cory Michael Smith’s Venis, Steve Carell’s Randall and Jason Schwartzman’s Souper determined to kill Ramy Youssef’s Jeff. Finally, their efforts failed, although, and Jeff walked out (just about) bodily unhurt. Nevertheless, in an much more surprising transfer to me, he didn’t run away; he caught round to make a take care of Venis, and I couldn’t assist however surprise why. So, I requested Smith and Youssef about it.
How Mountainhead Ended
In author/director Jesse Armstrong’s entry on the 2025 film schedule, a bunch of tech bros collect for a poker weekend. Nevertheless, issues take a flip for the more serious because it’s revealed that Venis’ app, which makes use of AI and deepfake know-how, has precipitated worldwide outrage and violence. When Jeff decides not to participate within the different three’s plan to capitalize on this horrible scenario to enter a “post-human” period, they resolve to kill him.
Finally, whereas locked in a sauna, Jeff indicators a take care of Venis, Randall and Souper. The next morning, he doesn’t instantly depart or aggressively confront the blokes who tried to homicide him. He’s offended by their actions, nonetheless, he retains his cool. Then, as he was leaving, Venis approachs him, and Jeff tells him that whereas what occurred was “humorous,” “none of it” would “stick.” That results in the next deal:
- Venis: What, you’re gonna, like, spend the remainder of your life in courtroom disowning all this crap that you simply simply signed? Everyone desires me to have your shit. So, why don’t you be a hero and do the appropriate factor? Do a deal, be part of forces.
- Jeff: Not with Randall. That’s an excessive amount of.
- Venis: Randall’s sick.
- Jeff: Yeah, extra most cancers. Most cancers of the take.
- Venis: If I get Randall put out to fucking pasture, can we do that deal? Come inside?
- Jeff: I can come inside. However I’ll come for you in the long run, you already know that.
- Venis: That’s what’s thrilling.
Finally, they comply with “make a facet wager,” as Jeff put it, after he stated he didn’t assume this might work and Venis stated it could. And Smith’s character will get enthusiastic about this poker weekend having some “fucking motion.” It ends with the bros hugging whereas Randall and Souper return to their lives.
So, why did they comply with this deal regardless of the homicide plot that unfolded mere hours earlier than? Ramy Youssef and Cory Michael Smith instructed me.
Ramy Youssef Explains Why Jeff Was Prepared To Maintain His Relationship With Venis Alive
Once I interviewed Ramy Youssef and Cory Michael Smith about this new streaming film, I needed to ask why Jeff would proceed to make this deal regardless of the whole lot. Finally, the Ramy star and director stated it comes all the way down to the concept that Jeff’s empathy is a superb software and makes him “harmful,” and he desires to maintain taking part in this recreation:
I imply, I believe Jeff, in plenty of methods, could possibly be, you already know, essentially the most harmful character within the film, as a result of he has empathy. He does see what is going on on. I believe a few of these different guys might in all probability be clinically recognized, as you already know, unable to faucet into human emotion, proper? It could possibly be medical for them. He does not have this, like, medical grade empathy situation. He truly sees it, after which he nonetheless chooses to play this sick, twisted recreation.
In plenty of methods, Jeff is the very best particular person among the many three, seeing as his tech could possibly be used to cease the violence Venis’ app precipitated. Nevertheless, that in no way makes him particular person. As we noticed, he is aware of the ability he holds in that sense, and that understanding and ambition mirror Venis in some methods.
In accordance with Youssef, that’s partially why Jeff agrees to make a take care of Venis on the very finish, as he defined:
And so in a means, I do assume Venis in all probability is his finest pal, as a result of they’re the one ones who perceive the heights of the place they’re. And a part of that recreation goes to be that they will utterly debase one another. And I believe Jeff in all probability seems at the concept that they need to kill him as one thing that he may also calculate if he weren’t him. So it is simply all like, it is all a recreation.
In that closing interplay, I might sense the adrenaline rush each males received by this promise Jeff made to “weasel” his means out of what he signed whereas additionally doubtlessly partnering with Venis. One might come out victorious, it might result in mutually assured destruction, and the movie leaves this final result open-ended. Nevertheless, what is thought is that these two males are in it for the love of the sport that may in all probability “by no means finish,” as Youssef instructed EW.
Regardless of Attempting To Kill Jeff, Cory Michael Smith Defined Why Venis Would Maintain Working With Him
Proper after Youssef instructed me that each Jeff and Venis are on this “for the love of the sport,” Smith agreed with him, saying, “there’s a respect for the sport” that they share. That’s in all probability why they had been prepared to make this settlement, regardless of the murderous occasions of the evening earlier than. Whereas Jeff did it with the person who tried to homicide him, Venis made a take care of a person who simply promised to take him down. Explaining why he did that, Cory Michael Smith stated:
I believe there’s each an actual and a barely carried out anxiousness. You already know, he actually simply desires to get a deal executed. And if the deal that was made final evening does not stick legally, he simply would reasonably go a neater path to be like, ‘Dude, we do not have to undergo all the problem. Like, simply give it up, take the cash. It is so easy and simple, however like, I will do no matter I must do to make this occur, and also you perceive why.’
The Gotham actor reiterated that he was merely “making an attempt to get the deal executed.” Nevertheless, he additionally acknowledged that Venis and Jeff each know they’re the neatest dudes in that room. That “mutual understanding” helped this closing deal get made within the very finish, as he stated:
I believe there’s simply an understanding of, like, ‘We are the smartest guys, we’re the one ones which might be capable of function at this degree, in our discipline.’ So like, that is simply how it’s. And I believe there is a mutual understanding, which is why they are often mates regardless of additionally perhaps being murderers.
Total, this film ends with these bros making a deal, whereas nonetheless standing on some very skinny ice. Nevertheless, the fun of all of it and the drive for extra energy and wealth appear to be what’s pushing each of them ahead, making for a really thought-provoking and surprising finale.
Personally, I assumed this closing deal was a terrific twist in an already twisty film, and I find it irresistible much more for it. To see what I imply, and to use this new which means to the movie’s closing deal, you possibly can return and watch Mountainhead, one of many finest films on HBO Max, in my humble opinion, proper now.