perfect ending movie review

• Middle East
• New Zealand
• South America
• LOTL Podcast
• Business Profile
• Positive Role Models
• Performance
• Editors Tip
• Documentary
• Classic Movies
• Short Films
• Editors Hit List
• Blues and Jazz
• New Releases
• Women of AU & NZ
• Editors Pick
• Non-fiction
• Parenting & Family
• Pulp fiction
• Science-fiction
• Short Stories
• Multicultural
• Performing Arts
• Butch and Femme
• Family & Parenting
• Religion & Spirituality
• Transgender
• Animal Lovers
• Finance & Legal
• Mental Health
• Sex & Relationships
• Readers Voice
• Inspirational Role Models
• Diversity Champion
• Gender Equality

Film Review: A Perfect Ending

Is there such a thing as a perfect ending.

“And they lived happily ever after.” That’s what we all want, right? A perfect ending? But what happens if we really try to create one?

A Perfect Ending follows the story of Rebecca Westridge, played by Barbara Niven. She’s a middle-aged woman. Though she prides herself on her perfectionism, and even though her marriage isn’t a horrible one, there is one key missing in her life: she has never had an orgasm.

Rebecca’s friends are floored when she finally reveals her life-long secret. Up until that moment, not a soul knew of this. Out of love, her friends recommend that she should spend some quality time with a professional. They agree that an experience with a woman would be better for Rebecca, so they set up an appointment for her to meet a high priced call girl.

Rebecca wanted someone her own age, so she was shocked when a young and exotic woman named Paris, played by Jessica Clark , awaits her. Terrified, Rebecca pays her and runs away.

She tries again. This time with someone closer in age to her.

When Rebecca sees her, all she can think about is Paris. Again, she pays the woman and runs away.

Third time’s a charm? Sort of. Rebecca gets up the nerve to meet with Paris again. What ensues is a series of awkward, clumsy, and even comical interactions as Rebecca desperately tries to conquer her fears. Paris is paid every time, and she is happy to be patient and guide Rebecca.

This is not your cliché housewife-falls-in-love-with-a-lesbian-and-leaves-her-husband-with-her-newly-found-identity story. What this is is an exploration of self. Rebecca learns more about who she is as a human being, not just about orgasms or sexuality. She becomes completely enamoured with Paris, and they embark on a wonderful physical and emotional affair.

While all of this is taking place, we are given back story, and further glimpses into Rebecca and Paris’ minds and lives through vignettes and other scenes. We have many pieces to a great puzzle; what’s interesting is that the pieces are sometimes moved around, changing our perspective and the storyline. It is a wonderful way to execute such a brilliant story and to keep you guessing throughout the movie.

A Perfect Ending ends in a way that you certainly don’t expect. With an amazing cast that includes Jessica Clark,  John Heard, Morgan Fairchild, Rebecca Staab, Kerry Knuppe,  Mary Jane Wells, Michael Adam Hamilton, and Imelda Corcoran, to name a few.

A Perfect Ending is a very realistic look at life – the good, the bad, the ugly, and all that comes with it. With a poignant and powerful storyline, this is a must-see movie.

Related articles

Reintegration By Eden S. French

Film Review: Signature Move

Film Review: Call Me By Your Name

Film Review: Lovesong

Film Review: Loving Annabelle

Letterboxd — Your life in film

Forgotten username or password ?

• Start a new list…
• Add all films to a list…
• Add all films to watchlist

Add to your films…

Press Tab to complete, Enter to create

A moderator has locked this field.

Add to lists

Where to watch

A perfect ending.

Directed by Nicole Conn

It’s not always what you expect…

This intimate drama follows Rebecca, a woman who has kept her sexuality a secret from her friends but chooses to reveal it to a stranger. While Rebecca's revelations may not yield the results she expects, a perfect ending is still in reach.

Barbara Niven Jessica Clark John Heard Morgan Fairchild Kerry Knuppe Imelda Corcoran Mary Jane Wells Rebecca Staab Michael Adam Hamilton Bryan Mordechai Jackson Gloria Gifford Marc Crumpton Lauryn Nicole Hamilton Cathy DeBuono Lee Anne Matusek Erika Schiff Gary Weeks Steve Tyler Todd Gilliam Terrence Beasor Ruth Connell Christa Hoven

Director Director

Nicole Conn

Producer Producer

Christopher Miller

Writer Writer

Editor editor, cinematography cinematography, executive producer exec. producer.

Marina Rice Bader

Production Design Production Design

Malorie Folino

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Sound sound, costume design costume design.

Imogene Chayes

Makeup Makeup

Melissa Ferreira

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Soul Kiss Films

Releases by Date

01 jun 2012, 21 jun 2012, 01 jul 2013, releases by country.

• Theatrical 16
• Theatrical NR

110 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Liz ★

Pride Month Day #4

If u haven't watched a shitty lgbt movie on Netflix before are u even gay

Review by Jimble Jambles ★★★

this bitch is so funny she books a prostitute and then freaks out when one shows up

Review by Amy Andrews ★

WE👏DESERVE👏BETTER👏THAN👏THIS.

Review by DNA cinephile🏳️‍🌈 ★★★★ 3

A Perfecting Ending. 2012. Directed by Nicole Conn.  🏳️‍🌈💖💕💖🏳️‍🌈 Where a great deal of lesbian films fail, A Perfect Ending succeeds. Barbara Niven and Jessica Clark give phenomenal, brave performances. It is rare that a lesbian film doesn’t involve murder, mobs, etc. We are usually misrepresented. Even most episodes of The L Word are negative. However, A Perfect Endind has a well written script and a solid cast. But, the artistic camera work, artistic apps, and the art itself is profound. It is the story of a lifecycle, a story of motherhood and sacrifice. Since we have multidimensional (spiritual, physical, emotional, etc), A Perfect Ending covers this in an elegant way. 

Viewed on Hulu.  Also available on Netflix.

Happy Pride Month. 🏳️‍🌈

Review by Ella 🪐 ★★★

Gay shit with a blonde milf I mean come on I never stood a chance

Review by Eddie Dwyer ★★★★

Great film one woman dealing with grief and the other who's marriage is falling apart meet and fall in love this is also sad elements to it.

Review by Chayton Bobee ½

Like....I’d hate to be mean to the lesbians, but this is quite possibly the worst film I’ve ever seen

Review by Casper ★

If anyone spoke to me like the dialogue of this film I would physically fight them.

Review by Zeeshan Ali ★★★★★ 4

This film explores themes of self-discovery, love, and personal growth. The performances by the cast, particularly Barbara Niven and Jessica Clark, are commendable. The storyline offers a blend of emotion and depth, providing a satisfying resolution. However, some may find the pacing a bit slow. Overall, "A Perfect Ending" delivers a heartfelt conclusion that resonates.

Review by mairi ★★

just spent the entire film wanting to kill myself over how beautiful jessica clark is

Review by Travis Lytle ★½ 2

A strange, wounded bird of a romantic drama, Nicole Conn's "A Perfect Ending" would be completely off-putting if it were not so committed in its off-kilter strangeness. As it is, the film is mostly off-putting and a dull, awkwardly constructed journey through a woman's second coming-of-age.

"A Perfect Ending" revolves around a married mother of adult children who has an affair with a female escort. The affair becomes a remedy to her lackluster life, and the woman finds a romantic happiness that she had, heretofore, never experienced.

The premise works, and it is refreshing to see a woman who is not in her twenties lead a narrative. However, the story is filled with plot beats that range from trite, to…

Review by elodie ½

not to be dramatic but this is the worst movie i’ve ever seen in my life

Similar Films

Select your preferred backdrop

Select your preferred poster, upgrade to remove ads.

Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. Please consider upgrading to a Pro account —for less than a couple bucks a month, you’ll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages ( example ), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads!

FEATURE FILM: “A PERFECT ENDING”

BARBARA NIVEN

Winner best actress in an indie film, 2012 eotm awards.

as Rebecca in “A Perfect Ending”

Customer review by Sharry Marcus:

“A Perfect Ending” is the real deal: wonderfully written, exquisitely acted, perfectly cast and brilliantly directed; full of delicious surprises without ever losing the steady, warm and very much alive heartbeat that invites you into an intimacy many viewers will have never seen before quite this up-close and personal or portrayed with so much class and style. When I describe this film as highly artistic and sophisticated in its interpretation, I don’t mean to take away from the raw, honest passion and palpable sensuality that drives the unfolding of this story as those components coexist and intertwine. A number of very realistic subplots, supported by an impressive display of character acting at its finest, elevate the entire film to a real-life level. All that, and it features one of the most beautiful film scores to have ever graced the big screen.

There were no weak links in this acting chain. A few newcomers were outstanding and Morgan Fairchild could not have been better cast. I loved her appropriately appointed eccentricities in a role that could have easily become a campy farce, had she not infused it with an innate kindness and warmth. The same can be said for John Heard and all the skills he brought to this ensemble, so that we were able to know his character inside and out.



Special mention must be made of the two leading ladies, upon whose shoulders and within each one’s patient and paced unfolding this entire movie sits, and a glowing mention it will be. To say that Jessica Clark is beautiful is like calling Mother Teresa a nice lady; it doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of her magnificence. She possesses an effortless grace and intelligence, managing to hold onto a vulnerable innocence that is belied by its strength and confidence, an almost equine and majestic presence, making those private moments the audience gets to watch her be overtaken by her raw, broken and haunting memories all the more heart-wrenching.

And Barbara Niven is perfect, delivering a fully present, honest and fearless interpretation of a woman at an interesting fork in her road, in a role seemingly written with her in mind. She breathes a life into this character that attaches you to the outcome of the story in a way you don’t expect, the performance is executed with such seasoned ease, and leaves you thinking about her long after the final credits have rolled.



For Nicole Conn, the sensitive, yet fiercely focused, writer and director of “A Perfect Ending” who was sitting in the back of the screening room at the Atlantic City premiere I attended, it must have been an indescribable thrill to witness all the spontaneous bursts of feelings all over the theater…This must be every director’s dream: to sit in the back of a dark theater, filled to capacity on an opening night, to watch the emotions and see the genuine reactions to your labor of love, sweat and tears; to see the audience rise at the closing credits, clapping, whistling, screaming, hugging and jumping up and down, an audience of women and men, gay and straight, young and old and in all colors, shapes and sizes celebrating all that they felt and learned as a result of what was up on that screen.

This is a film that needed to be made and needs to be seen, with a message that is both simple and profound: Love is about content, not form, and while we’re able, we need to open to it, welcome and embrace it when it comes to us, if we are to truly experience our lives and the reason we are here.

To read more reviews or to watch “A Perfect Ending” visit  Amazon

“A Perfect Ending” is also available on Netflix

A PERFECT ENDING – OFFICIAL TRAILER

CLICK THROUGH TO THE GALLERY

Providing content for Lesbians and Queer Women worldwide since 1989

Film Review: A Perfect Ending

Is there such a thing as a perfect ending?

“And they lived happily ever after.” That’s what we all want, right? A perfect ending? But what happens if we really try to create one?

A Perfect Ending follows the story of Rebecca Westridge, played by Barbara Niven. She’s a middle-aged woman. Though she prides herself on her perfectionism, and even though her marriage isn’t a horrible one, there is one key missing in her life: she has never had an orgasm.

Rebecca’s friends are floored when she finally reveals her life-long secret. Up until that moment, not a soul knew of this. Out of love, her friends recommend that she should spend some quality time with a professional. They agree that an experience with a woman would be better for Rebecca, so they set up an appointment for her to meet a high priced call girl.

Rebecca wanted someone her own age, so she was shocked when a young and exotic woman named Paris, played by Jessica Clark , awaits her. Terrified, Rebecca pays her and runs away.

She tries again. This time with someone closer in age to her.

When Rebecca sees her, all she can think about is Paris. Again, she pays the woman and runs away.

Third time’s a charm? Sort of. Rebecca gets up the nerve to meet with Paris again. What ensues is a series of awkward, clumsy, and even comical interactions as Rebecca desperately tries to conquer her fears. Paris is paid every time, and she is happy to be patient and guide Rebecca.

This is not your cliché housewife-falls-in-love-with-a-lesbian-and-leaves-her-husband-with-her-newly-found-identity story. What this is is an exploration of self. Rebecca learns more about who she is as a human being, not just about orgasms or sexuality. She becomes completely enamored with Paris, and they embark on a wonderful physical and emotional affair.

While all of this is taking place, we are given back story, and further glimpses into Rebecca and Paris’ minds and lives through vignettes and other scenes. We have many pieces to a great puzzle; what’s interesting is that the pieces are sometimes moved around, changing our perspective and the story line. It is a wonderful way to execute such a brilliant story and to keep you guessing throughout the movie.

A Perfect Ending ends in a way that you certainly don’t expect. With an amazing cast that includes Jessica Clark,  John Heard, Morgan Fairchild, Rebecca Staab, Kerry Knuppe,  Mary Jane Wells, Michael Adam Hamilton, and Imelda Corcoran, to name a few.

A Perfect Ending is a very realistic look at life – the good, the bad, the ugly, and all that comes with it. With a poignant and powerful story line, this is a must-see movie.

Join our email list

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• About Rotten Tomatoes®
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening This Week
• Top Box Office
• Coming Soon to Theaters
• Certified Fresh Movies

Movies at Home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most Popular Streaming Movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 94% Heretic Link to Heretic
• 92% Small Things Like These Link to Small Things Like These
• 77% Bird Link to Bird

New TV Tonight

• 100% Like Water for Chocolate: Season 1
• 83% Citadel: Honey Bunny: Season 1
• 100% Outer Banks: Season 4
• -- Arcane: League of Legends: Season 2
• -- Inspector Ellis: Season 1
• -- Game Changers: Season 1
• -- Eat, Slay, Love: Season 1
• -- Countdown: Paul vs Tyson: Season 1
• -- Until I Kill You: Season 1
• -- Bank Under Siege: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 83% Agatha All Along: Season 1
• 94% The Penguin: Season 1
• 94% The Diplomat: Season 2
• 100% Lioness: Season 2
• 77% Disclaimer: Season 1
• 100% From: Season 3
• -- Murder Mindfully: Season 1
• 100% Somebody Somewhere: Season 3
• 100% Silo: Season 2
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV

Certified fresh pick

• 94% The Diplomat: Season 2 Link to The Diplomat: Season 2
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

100 Best Movies on Disney+ (November 2024)

100 Best Movies on HBO and MAX (November 2024)

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming.

Awards Tour

The Most Anticipated Movies of 2025

6 TV and Streaming Shows You Should Binge-Watch in November

• Trending on RT
• Re-Release Calendar
• Holiday Programming Guide
• Wicked Social Reactions
• Verified Hot Movies

A Perfect Ending Reviews

No All Critics reviews for A Perfect Ending.

• Rankings FA
• TV Premiere Calendar
• Coming in 2024
• Latest Reviews

A Perfect Ending

• Credits 
• Image gallery  [1]

All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders and/or producers/distributors.

• Imelda Corcoran
• Mary Jane Wells
• Rebecca Staab
• Michael Adam Hamilton
• Bryan Jackson
• Gloria Gifford
• Cathy DeBuono
• Marc Crumpton
• Lauryn Nicole Hamilton
• Lee Anne Matusek
• See all credits

All copyrighted material (movie posters, DVD covers, stills, trailers) and trademarks belong to their respective producers and/or distributors.

User history