‘At Midnight’ Ending, Explained: Do Sophie And Alejandro Find Their Happy Ever After?

Romance is in the air, and it sure calls for a holiday romance story! No holiday romance story is complete without a “But what will they do after the vacation is over?” Questions like these persist, but what matters in the story is the courage of the leads to take the leap. Romance movies promote the idea of love and romance and make it seem attainable as if it is waiting to happen to people. A good romance movie is just what one needs to unwind after a hectic day. The promise of a happy ever after might be just the reassurance one needs this Valentine’s season. We know about Audrey Hepburn’s “Roman Holiday,” where she falls in love with a journalist while on a short work stay in Rome. Such tropes of an actress falling in love with a common man are often seen in rom-com movies. It doesn’t hurt to be sucked into a wonderland of such chance encounters, which allow the audience to live a fantastic tale. (Looking at you, “Notting Hill!”) “At Midnight” is yet another story where an actress falls for a common man. This time he is a junior manager at a hotel in Mexico. Sure, there is a question of “what happens afterward,” but the leap of faith and the charm of a new start are what makes the story a delight to watch.

Spoilers Ahead


What Happens In ‘At Midnight’ Film?

“At Midnight,” tells the story of Sophie Wilder, a Hollywood actress known for her role as Firephina in the fictional superhero movie Super Society. She is seen alongside Adam, aka Dr. Thunder, in the movie. Like any other movie where the leads play love interests, the chemistry is also translated off-screen, and Adam and Sophie are reportedly dating in real life as well. The movie also makes a successful attempt at pointing out how female actors are considered secondary to their male counterparts. Often being addressed as ‘Adam’s girlfriend’ or someone who is padding to his success, irks Sophie a lot. Soon after, Sophie catches Adam red-handed cheating with a crew member. Adam makes lame excuses, but Sophie is done with him. The crew soon lands in Mexico for the next filming schedule, and that’s where we meet the junior manager, Alejandro, aka the male lead. Alejandro has yet to put in the towels, but Sophie and her friend are unaware of this when they arrive. When Alejandro does come back, he almost bumps into the unclothed Sophie. Sophie’s friend starts teasing her immediately, but Sophie is flush with embarrassment. One day, Sophie ends up coming back late and has to miss out on dinner. When she asks Alejandro for the menu, he obliges and makes her a quick sandwich since the kitchen is closed. This moment erases the underlying embarrassment and annoyance both had for each other. It marks the start of their amicable relationship.

Alejandro and Sophie are clearly drawn to each other. When Sophie makes a request to go dancing, Alejandro obliges. Thus begins a tale of romantic dates at midnight. The conversation that goes on in their minds when they are on their first date is rather comical and too real. (All of us who have been on dates would agree!) Eventually, after a lot of “will they, won’t they,” the couple finally kiss and take their relationship a little further. They are soon off to a romantic beachside getaway on their day off. There is no cell phone network there, and everyone at the hotel is worried sick that Sophie might have been kidnapped. She went away without informing anyone, and panic set in. The local police were involved, but when she eventually comes back, she finds that she missed out on an important meeting and that her and Alejandro’s getaway was at risk of getting exposed. Sophie’s panic about the matter takes her mind on a single track where she only thinks of herself and her career, completely forgetting that it could also affect Alejandro. The two soon reconcile.

On one weekend, the two go to Mexico City to meet Alejandro’s family for his sister’s birthday. Like any other meeting with the family, as seen in the movies, this gathering does not go smoothly either. For one, Alejandro and his father don’t see eye to eye, and for another, Sophie loses out on a role she was really hoping to get. She also happens to overhear when Alejandro tells his father that Sophie is just a tourist whom he is taking around, and this really wounds Sophie. The bubble of romance bursts at that moment as the two have a tiff regarding the same. Both of them have not labeled or defined their relationship, which makes it much more complicated than it seems on the surface.

But as fate would have it, the lovebirds do reunite at the end. Alejandro goes back to Sophie and, in a film-like fashion, confesses to her during one of her shoots, but she rejects his advances. Alejandro is dejected but respects her decision. He goes about his life without the prospect of having Sophie in it. He leaves his job as a junior manager at the hotel and sets out to set up his own hotel like he always dreamed of. Sophie is about to leave for home, but she has a change of heart. She visits Alejandro again at midnight and confesses her feelings for him. The two kiss and thus signal the start of a relationship between them.


‘At Midnight’ Ending Explained – What Finally Happens Between Sophie And Alejandro? Do They Choose Love Over Their Goals?

In fairy tales and romance novels, midnight has always been a special time for lovers. It holds the promise of something new, a chance to do something forbidden (hello, Cinderella), and it serves as a pass for our lovers to reunite in passion and longing. “At Midnight” employs midnight as the main device for our leads to spend time exclusively in each other’s embrace, away from the spotlight and public eyes. The silence of the night and the anonymity that it brings to them enhances the allure of romance. 

In the second half of the story, we see Sophie and Alejandro go through a short period of separation where they choose their careers over their love. In addition to that, Alejandro also follows Sophie’s advice and decides to set up his own hotel. He loses his chance to be promoted to the New York branch of the hotel, but that does not set him back. Meanwhile, as he is wrapping up things in his apartment, Sophie comes back and recreates her and Alejandro’s first encounter, where she asks him if the hotel has any late-night menu. This is clearly a sign that Sophie wants to explore the possibility of this relationship. Alejandro also seems hopeful that he might have a chance with Sophie after all. Like any other romance movie out there, “At Midnight” tells the tale of the start of a romance that holds promise to blossom into something meaningful. It has equal parts romance and charm, and it doesn’t hurt the eyes that Diego Boneta looks like a Ken doll to Monica Barbero’s charming Barbie.

Additionally, it is also refreshing to see a female lead who is not just an arm candy. Sophie has opinions of her own and is not afraid to take a stance when things don’t go right. Even when it came to her relationship with Alejandro, she showed level-headed behavior despite her initial knee-jerk reactions. Both the leads in the film helped each other grow during their short time together. Alejandro helped Sophie record for an audition, whereas Sophie encouraged him to follow his dream and take a step toward opening his own boutique hotel. It is also delightful to see how both leads handle their situations with maturity and nuance.

The small instances where the hypocrisy of the film industry was exposed were fun bits to watch. They served as a good comic relief in between the romance happening on screen. The makers also did a good job of representing a different side of Mexico than what was usually portrayed in the films. The country was shown as much more than just a land of tacos, sombreros, and deserts. The beautiful landscape and the different locations spread throughout the country brought a new, refreshing perspective to the narrative. Overall, “At Midnight” is a good rom-com to watch if you want to kill time and indulge in some scenic Mexican landscapes.


Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Nandini Iyengar
Nandini Iyengar
Nandini has grown up on a healthy diet of books, movies and shows. Hailing from a multicultural background, Nandini has tried indulging in art from different corners of India that came naturally to her. Taking the influence further, she delved into foreign languages and indulged in content from across the globe. When she is not watching anything on her laptop, she can be found daydreaming or picking her pen to write a few words of fiction.

Latest articles

Featured