Queer: Does Lee actually die at the end of the movie? Explained

Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers for the 2024 movie Queer and the author's interpretation of scenes from it. Reader discretion is advised.

At the end of Luca Guadagnino’s film, Queer, people are left wondering if the character Lee actually dies. The story is based on a book by William S. Burroughs, which is kind of like his own life story. It’s about Lee, who’s a bit older, and he’s gay, and he’s trying to find his way in Mexico City back in the 1950s, which was a tough time to be different. Daniel Craig plays his role, and he’s going through a lot—like addiction and being in love with someone who can’t love him back.

In the last part of Queer, you see Lee looking old in a sad hotel room, shaking and all by himself. His lips stop moving, and the camera zooms in on his face. It makes you think Lee dies, but the death is more spiritual than physical. This scene is a mirror of Burroughs’ own life because he had a lot of issues and felt guilty about his wife’s death.

Lee’s life is a mess too, with hating himself and being alone. But the question is, does Lee really die, or is it just a way to show how lonely he is? It’s like a puzzle we need to figure out together.

The symbolism of Lee’s final moments on Queer

Throughout Queer, Guadagnino uses symbolism to show what's going on inside Lee's head. In the end, there's this part with changing hotel rooms and a picture of a snake eating its tail in an infinity symbol: this ancient thing called an ouroboros. Lee keeps going through the same pain over and over, infinitely.

Then, there's this moment with a dollhouse. It's like a tiny version of Lee's life, and he's just staring at it, wishing he could go back in time and change things.

In an interview, Guadagnino talked about how Lee wants to fix his past mistakes, but can't. He's stuck in this never-ending loop of wanting to make things right:

“It’s about the possibility within the impossibility.”

The ouroboros is a symbol that keeps coming back on Queer, and it's like it's showing how Lee is stuck in a cycle of negativity that keeps happening over and over. So, while Eugene, played by Drew Starkey, is growing and changing, like how his necklace with the living centipede shows that he's moving forward, Lee is stuck in his mess.

It's like he can't figure out who he is or deal with everyone being mean to him because of it. And the way Queer shows this is intense. There are weird images like a dollhouse, carpets that look like they're going in circles, and the glowy ashes of his memories that make you feel like you're going down this sad path with him. It's all trippy and makes you understand how lost he is.

Then there are moments when you can see how tired and beaten down Lee is. His whole look changes, like he's gotten old really fast, and his body is shaking. He's carrying the weight of feeling bad about himself and being lonely. The camera gets close to his face and his breathing gets slow, and you're left wondering if he's actually dying or if his soul is breaking apart completely. Maybe it is both.

Whatever the case, he finds solace in the imagination of his lost love, Eugene, and how their legs intertwining could bring some semblance of comfort during his final hours, or a life that felt like death itself.

The parallels between Lee and Burroughs on Queer

Queer draws inspiration from key moments in William S. Burroughs' life, like the terrible time when he accidentally shot his wife, Joan Vollmer. In the movie, Lee's quick smile right after he shoots Eugene, followed by instant regret, shows what Burroughs might have felt—relief and sadness.

This sad real-life story is a background to Lee's battle: a guy who feels rejected by society and is his own worst critic. Guadagnino also talks about how much people want to love and be loved, even if they're not allowed to. Lee feels bad about himself and does things that are bad for him because of it.

His confidence is like a costume he wears to hide his fears, and Lucas Blue explains it as a way for people like him to deal with all that's going on inside:

“A Band-Aid rather than an antidote.”

Lee's see-through appearance in those trippy drug scenes is like he's trying to break free from his skin. It's a theme that keeps popping up about him wanting to escape his head. And then there's Eugene who has this power to move on.

Guadagnino, the director of Queer, says the centipede is the villain, and it's all about keeping things bottled up inside. When Eugene takes off, he's leaving Lee stuck in his sad, lonely world filled with what he wants but can't have.