Cleaner Ending, Explained: Who Is the Killer?

‘Cleaner’ is a 2007 thriller film about Tom Cutler, a former police officer who becomes involved in a homicide cover-up by accident. Renny Harlin (‘The Misfits’) directed the film, which follows a whodunit plot while challenging morality’s extremes. As the story progresses, Tom must race against the clock to locate the real perpetrator and avoid being falsely accused of a crime he did not commit.

However, he discovers that individuals close to him are in danger as a result of his actions. In the end, Tom’s morality is called into question as he is forced to make some difficult decisions. As a result, people must be interested to see how Tom handles the difficult issue. If that’s the case, here’s all you need to know about the ‘Cleaner’ ending. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Cleaner Plot Synopsis

‘Cleaner’ begins with a former cop, Tom Cutler (Samuel L. Jackson), detailing his job as a crime scene cleaner. After retiring from the Trenton Police Department, he now runs his own crime scene cleanup business while raising his daughter Rose as a single father. He is given the task of cleaning a luxury home one day. Tom discovers the house is empty and the door is locked when he arrives on the scene. The case file directs Tom to access the house using a key hidden beneath a plant. Tom returns to the house after cleaning it up, only to discover that he has not returned the key.

Tom comes to the house the next day to hand over the key and meet the owner, Ann Norcut (Eva Mendes). She, on the other hand, is completely oblivious that Tom’s services are being given. As a result, Tom begins to have doubts about the scenario. Tom discovers after some inquiry that the clean-up was not assigned by the police. As a result, Tom realises that he has become a part of a crime and that his services have been employed to clean up a murder scene. Tom learns that Ann’s husband, John Norcut, is missing via his police acquaintance Eddie Lorenzo (Ed Harris).

Former police commissioner Robert Vaughn is facing a corruption charge, and John is a key witness in the case. John vanished the day before he was scheduled to testify in front of the grand jury, implying foul play. As a result, Tom believes he was set up to be a part of John’s murder. In addition, Ann informs Tom that John had a ledger with the badge numbers of the dishonest cops on his payroll. Tom’s badge number is also on the ledger, which is surprising.

When Tom tells Eddie about the scenario, he proposes that he burn the ledger because it provides a motivation for Tom to murder John. Ann, on the other hand, identifies John’s remains in a morgue. As a result, Tom has little choice but to identify the real killer before being blamed for John’s death. Tom’s inquiry, however, leads him into a more personal conspiracy than he had anticipated. The rest of the story revolves around Tom’s attempts to unravel the complicated web of criminality and misdirected motivations.

Cleaner Ending: Who Is the Killer? Does Tom Die?

The audience learns that Ann had a miscarriage as the story progresses. However, Tom discovers at the mortuary that John had vasectomy years prior to Ann’s pregnancy. As a result, Tom concludes that the child was not John’s and suspects Ann of having an affair. Tom finds that Ann and Eddie have a connection through Eddie’s work with a student outreach program when discussing the case with Eddie. As a result, Tom believes Eddie is Ann’s boyfriend. Furthermore, Tom determines that Eddie killed John after reviewing the incident and all the evidence.

To catch Eddie, Tom collaborates with Detective Vargas, who is investigating the case of John’s murder. Eddie, on the other hand, entices Tom into his house by threatening Tom’s daughter, Rose. Eddie tries to reason with Tom as the two have a heated argument. Eddie explains that John pressured Ann to get an abortion, despite the fact that she did not suffer a miscarriage. Eddie murdered John and then employed Tom’s services to cover up the crime, feeling robbed of his chance to establish a family.

Eddie holds Tom at gunpoint as Tom tries to persuade him to surrender. When it comes to protecting one’s family, Eddie argues that anything is fair. He tries to justify his conduct by using Tom’s past against him. Tom, on the other hand, waits for the cops to arrive. Eddie resolves to shoot Tom after realising he will be caught. Eddie is shot dead by Rose (with Tom’s gun) before he can pull the trigger. Tom finally turns the ledger over to Vargas, who swears to burn it. Vargas lets Tom go free and conceals the crime.

The film’s denouement ultimately rests on the morality of the major characters as they struggle to distinguish between good and wrong. Eddie believes his assassination of John was justified. He compares his crime to one that Tom committed in the past when he did a dirty job for Vaughn. While Tom broke the law to protect his daughter, he did so for a good reason. Eddie, on the other hand, murdered John out of guilt and anger. As a result, his actions are morally reprehensible, and he should be punished.

Rose’s prompt action saves her father’s life, and she kills Eddie in the end. Tom, on the other hand, trades the ledger for his and Rose’s freedom, executing yet another morally dubious act. As a result, despite their questionable conduct, the finale serves as a reminder of the intricacies of a person’s moral conscience, leaving the spectator to empathise with Tom and Eddie.

What Happened to Tom’s Wife?

The tragedy that has affected Tom and his daughter’s lives is revealed early in the film. Although it is known that Tom’s wife has died, the facts of her death are not revealed until much later. Tom avoids discussing his departed wife, particularly in front of Rose. While Tom’s actions are justified since he is trying to protect Rose from the unpleasant feelings she is experiencing as a result of her mother’s death, the tragedy’s actual circumstances are much more personal to Rose.

Tom admits to Ann that his wife and Rose were alone at home one night during a talk. Tom’s wife and Rose were threatened by a burglar who broke into their home. When Tom’s wife attempted to fight back, she was shot twice in the chest. Rose, who was six years old at the time, witnessed her mother’s death. Rose, on the other hand, does not appear to recall anything about the episode in the present. As a result, it’s evident that Tom avoids talking about his wife because it would bring up painful memories for Rose. Rose experiences a similar circumstance near the end of the film, which acts as a callback to the tragedy. Her father is being held at gunpoint this time. Despite this, Rose acts heroically and shoots Eddie, averting a repeat of the previous situation.