| Errors | Missing | Unverified | Supported |
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The film Buried ends with Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) suffocating to death in his coffin. Throughout the film, his contact Dan Brenner had claimed to have rescued a man named Mark White weeks earlier to give Paul hope. In the final scene, Brenner's team digs up a coffin they believe is Paul's, based on a lead from a captured insurgent. However, upon opening it, Brenner realizes they have found the body of Mark White, revealing that White was never rescued and Brenner had lied. Paul hears Brenner apologizing profusely ('I'm sorry, Paul. I'm so sorry') as the sand fills his coffin and the screen cuts to black. The credits roll accompanied by the song 'In The Lap Of The Mountain'.
The ending of the 2010 film Buried is widely considered one of the most bleak and devastating "twist" endings in modern cinema.
Throughout the film, the protagonist, Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds), is in contact with Dan Brenner, the head of a hostage rescue unit in Iraq. To keep Paul calm as his oxygen runs out and sand begins to leak into the wooden coffin, Brenner tells him a story about a young man named Mark White, whom they supposedly rescued from a similar burial situation weeks prior. This story gives Paul the hope he needs to keep fighting.
In the final minutes, the situation becomes dire. An insurgent has been killed, providing a lead on Paul's location. Brenner and his team arrive at a site in the desert and tell Paul over the phone that they have found a buried casket. Paul can hear the sounds of shovels hitting wood through the phone line. As sand rapidly fills Paul’s coffin, he is gasping for air, almost completely submerged, but he believes he is seconds away from being pulled out.
The rescue team reaches the casket at their location and begins to pry it open. However, Brenner’s voice on the phone suddenly turns to one of horror and despair. He realizes they have dug up the wrong spot.
Instead of Paul, they have found the body of Mark White. It is revealed that Brenner lied to Paul the entire time; Mark White was never rescued, but had died in his coffin weeks earlier. The team had followed a lead that brought them to the old, failed rescue site instead of Paul's current location.
The film ends with Paul Conroy completely submerged in sand, unable to breathe. The last thing he hears is Brenner whispering, "I'm sorry, Paul. I'm so sorry," as the screen cuts to black. Paul dies buried alive, and the credits roll in silence.
The summary omits a brief post-credits shot where a lighter illuminates the name 'Mark White' written on the coffin lid.