The Italian thriller The Forger, available on Netflix since January 2026, leaves viewers with a disturbing question after the credits roll. Directed by Stefano Lodovichi, the film follows the rise of forger Toni within Rome's criminal underworld, a trajectory that culminates in a morally ambiguous ending. The big question dominating discussions is straightforward: did the protagonist, played by Francesco Scianna, consciously order the death of his friend Vittorio to secure his own escape? The answer, however, lies not in an explicit scene, but in the series of calculated choices that define the character's essence.
To understand the weight of this decision, we must return to the context of the plot. Set in 1970s Italy, the film shows Toni being recruited by a mysterious figure known as the Tailor, who represents state interests. His mission is to use his talent for forgery as a political weapon, a role that puts him on a collision course with dangerous factions. When the precarious balance breaks, following real historical events, Toni realizes he has become disposable and must devise an escape plan. It is at this moment that Vittorio's betrayal, pressured to reveal the location of valuable documents, triggers the final sequence. The film thus transforms from a crime thriller into a deep study of survival and the cost of freedom.
The Ending Analysis: A Choice by Omission
The narrative genius of The Forger lies precisely in what is left unsaid. The film never shows Toni giving a verbal order for execution. However, the final scene builds the answer relentlessly through the protagonist's actions and omissions. By handing the car keys to Vittorio, knowing that the enforcer Sansiro is waiting inside the vehicle, Toni makes an active decision. He sets the trap, provides the means for it to be carried out, and then moves on with his life without looking back. This attitude is the logical extension of a life dedicated to using people for his own benefit, a central theme the film explores from the start.
Thus, Vittorio's sacrifice is not presented as an act of revenge, but rather as the only way out Toni sees to save himself, his partner Donata, and the child they are expecting. The famous Latin phrase tertium non datur (there is no third option), quoted by Vittorio himself earlier in the story, returns with tragic irony. When faced with the final choice, Toni shows that in his world of lies and betrayals, concepts like friendship and redemption are luxuries he cannot afford. The heavy silence he shares with Donata in the taxi as they leave Italy serves as the definitive confirmation of the dark pact that sealed his freedom.
Fiction vs. Reality and the Film's Legacy
It is interesting to contrast Toni's fictional fate with the real story that partially inspired the film. Forger Antonio Chichiarelli, who operated in the same era, was murdered in Rome in 1984, with no chance of a fresh start. Lodovichi's narrative thus chooses a different path, allowing his protagonist to survive but carry the moral burden of his actions. The ending of The Forger refuses to offer any easy absolution. Toni gets what he wanted, but at the cost of any remaining illusions about his own morality. The film closes with a powerful reflection: in a universe built on forgeries, even the feeling of freedom can be an elaborate, final lie.