Life or Something Like It ending explained: Did Laini die as the prophet predicted?

What happens the day you wake up and understand that you will be dead in a week? Life or Something Like It has something like it as Laini (Angelina Jolie) learns this from a prophet, namely Jack (Tony Shalhoub), and, as any person would do in this case, she panics.

But that won't help, as what the prophet says comes true. Interestingly, the creators did something with the death part that makes the prophet, sort of, a biased one. What we can say is she died, but she didn't die. Not all the people who will watch the film will like it, but it is what it is.

Other than Angie and Tony, we have Edward Burns, Christian Kane, James Gammon, and more in the cast too. It recently made waves on Netflix, but the film was a disaster, both critically and commercially. Considering the former, it holds 28% approval from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Considering the latter, that film made $17 million on its production budget of $40 million.

Laini dies an unexpected death in Life or Something Like It

The film was mainly shot in Seattle. (Image via 20th Century Fox)

If only Laini had watched The Shawshank Redemption (1994), maybe she could've gotten 'busy living' a bit quicker in Life or Something Like It. However, she ultimately realized that after she realized her family and fiancé aren't really helping the situation much.

But then she finds solace in the company of her colleague Pete Scanlon (Burns). They have a history, well, a one-time history after which they aren't really 'friends' anymore. Unbeknownst to her, he is the one she is going to like in the rest of her journey. And they make 'history' again.

Prophet Jack's prophecy is still living rent-free in her head, especially because he has proved his accuracy by predicting a couple of natural phenomena, a hailstorm and an earthquake, pretty accurately. However, all the while this is happening, Pete has helped her, more like taught her, how to live.

Now she is preparing for an offer for an opportunity to work in New York, and she wants Pete to come with her. But then he refuses (no, not in a jerky way), and she has to leave alone.

Interestingly, Jack also foretold earlier in Life or Something Like It that she won't be getting the job. Now super-confident Pete visits him and tells the prophet he was wrong. She's getting the job. But then he, the prophet, reaffirms that she won't be getting it, as she'll die before that. Which happens before Pete reaches her.

But Life or Something Like It gives Angie a second chance, and she comes back to life in the hospital.

Laini explains how the prophecy came true in Life or Something Like It

Angelina Jolie plays Laini in the film. (Image via 20th Century Fox)

Laini's narration at the end implies that 'a part of her died,' basically the part that made her a typical media personality, which demands her image be maintained in public.

Recently, we got to see a similar instance (not the whole story) in A Complete Unknown, where Timothée Chalamet played Bob Dylan in the film. However, Dylan always knew how he wanted to live.