The Ending of ‘Falling for Figaro’ Explained: Do Millie and Max End up Together?

‘Falling for Figaro’ is a romantic comedy film released in 2021, written and directed by Ben Lewin. The movie stars Joanna Lumley, Danielle Macdonald, and Hugh Skinner. The plot follows Millie, an American fund manager, who decides to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an opera singer. She quits her job and leaves her boyfriend to travel to the Scottish Highlands, where she undergoes intense vocal training from former opera diva Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop. Along the way, Millie faces fierce competition from other opera singers, including Meghan’s other student, Max.

‘Falling for Figaro’ is your classic run-of-the-mill rom-com and doesn’t really have much depth to it. However, if you are a fan of divine voices and musical masterpieces it is an absolute must-watch. The other thing that makes the movie stand out is its ending, as we are seemingly left wondering, do Millie and Max finish their love story? Let’s find out.

Millie abandons her career and boyfriend to become an opera singer

The first characters we meet are Millie Cantwell and Charlie. They are a boyfriend and girlfriend watching opera and while Charlie is completely unimpressed with what he is seeing Millie is beyond herself with emotions. They return back to their apartment and Charlie asks Millie to come to bed with him but she refuses telling him that she has some e-mails to send.

Charlie reminds Millie that tomorrow is a huge day for her and she agrees, that’s why she can’t skip out on those e-mails, she wishes Charlie good night but instead of sending those e-mails, Millie stays up late at night watching opera clips and crying overwhelmed with emotions. It’s obvious that opera is Millie’s true love.

The next day at work, we learn that Millie is a fund manager and she is just about to get a massive promotion that would boost her career forward and result in a massive pay rise, but in an unexpected turn of events Millie declines the promotion. Her boyfriend Charlie, who works for the same company is shocked but Millie explains that it’s time for her to pursue her true dream, becoming an opera singer. It’s now or never, she is already quite old(er) than most when they started pursuing professional singing as most people start training their voice during childhood. But Millie is convinced that desire is all she needs, and is willing to bet everything on it. Charlie is incredulous and doesn’t support her fully but he is also not against Millie pursuing her true dream.

Millie makes plans to go training to Scotland

The next day Millie sees a professional, Patricia who explains to her that pursuing her dream is not only highly unlikely, it’s almost downright impossible. Still, Millie is convincing enough so that she hooks her up with Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop, a former opera diva who apparently trains up-and-coming opera stars somewhere in Scotland, but is rumored to have unusual training methods and is quite cruel toward her students. Still, Millie accepts. There is an opera-singing competition called “Singer of Renown” that is designed for people with a late start in the opera industry as the winner will get a commercial contract and record deal practically boosting him in the sea of other talents.

At the same time, In Scotland, we can see Meghan training her current student, Max who is also older than usual and also is trying to make it in the opera world. Max has no money but he has resolve and spirit so he pays Meghan with manual work. He is both the chef, repairman, cleaner, and personal driver for Meghan in her old inn.

Millie contacts Meghan and tells her that she would like to receive training, at first Meghan is about to decline when Millie mentions that she will pay her more than $100 per hour, Meghan could use the money and tells Millie that she can come audition to be her student as Meghan doesn’t want to waste time on lost causes. Meanwhile, Max is listening to everything and objects and Meghan tells him to get over it as she needs the money and the manual work he does around the estate won’t buy her a spot in a five-star nursing home. Max is pissed and storms out of the room despite Meghan telling him that Millie won’t pass her audition.

Millie takes Charlie to dinner and tells him she will be going away for a year and he can either support her or f*** off (real mature) and Charlie has no choice but to support her.

Millie arrives in Scotland and things aren’t going as she imagined

Millie arrives in the Scottish highlands and finds the inn where she is supposed to be staying, she meets Ramsay Macfadyen, the receptionist in the inn and he gives her quite an unconventional rundown of the place and at first refuses to rent her the room, he won’t bother. Millie then mentions that she might be staying for a year and Ramsay agrees to rent her the room but she shouldn’t expect any luxuries, such as warm water.

Millie also meets Max, her rival, but she isn’t aware at the time that he is her rival all she notices is that he is giving her a cold shoulder and intentionally ignores her all the time, and refuses to fix the things that need fixing around her room.

The next day, Millie has an audition with Meghan and it’s clear that Meghan isn’t exactly charmed with her voice to make matters worse, Max sabotages her singing by using a very loud tool outside. Meghan is pissed at Max and storms out of the room in the middle of the audition and tells Max that he isn’t acting mature at all. Despite Millie’s lack of potential, she will train her because of the money. Meghan offers Millie a deal and Mille can walk away before she loses any more money. Millie decides to stay, walking away she can hear singing from one of the rooms and sees Max leaving, she is shocked that her chef/repairman is actually her rival.

Meghan tortures Millie but her voice continues to improve

Meghan has several rules for her candidates including no alcohol and no contact with people in her life because they are a great distraction when it comes to learning and improving. Max, despite being bitter that Meghan took on Millie as one of her students also starts helping out Millie giving her tips on how to recover her vocal chords after arduous training sessions and bringing her loads of books related to singing techniques and breathing techniques.

However Max is still Meghan’s favorite student and after a few weeks Meghan clears up that she isn’t just taking Millie’s money, she sees some potential in her. Meanwhile, Max’s friends start teasing him regarding his relationship with Millie, as he potentially has a crush on her. None of them, including Max, have any idea that Millie actually has a boyfriend back home.

Meghan gives Millie a composition Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and lets her know that this is what she will be singing during her first live public performance in Edinburgh at Princess Royal Hall, as that’s the audition for the Singer of Renown competition. Millie accepts but is beyond nervous.

The next morning, Max sees Millie jogging and tells her that jogging won’t do her any good regarding her breathing and Millie explains that she does it because of her boyfriend. Max insists on showing Millie a thing or two regarding breathing and control but Millie wonders why. Max explains that they will publicly sing in Edinburgh as Meghan’s students and he doesn’t want to see Meghan publicly embarrassed that’s why he is helping her.

Millie accepts any help that she can get and Max says to her to come visit him at his place as it’s not appropriate for him to visit guests in their room.

Max and Millie get closer

Millie visits Max in his room and there are some weird vibes involved when they are touching in order for Millie to get a grip on how Max is breathing while he is signing which results in things becoming sort of weird between them.

The day has come and Max, Meghan, and Millie go to Edinburgh for the Singer of Renown qualifiers. As soon as Millie arrives at the building she hears all the singing and sees all the people hoping to make it big on the Opera scene she gets cold feet and runs away from the competition. Luckily, Max manages to catch her. Millie tells him that she has had an epiphany and she is being set up to fail, she is not in the same class as the other contenders and she can’t do it. She doesn’t belong here and she is here to entertain them all while she falls face-first into a pile of shit.

Max calls her a spoiled brat and tells her to do what she likes. Millie decides to return to the theater continuing with her audition. After a couple of performances, Max is the first to perform and Millie is absolutely enchanted with his voice. Then it’s up to Millie to perform and she gives an absolutely stunning performance of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

The next day, we can see Millie’s boyfriend Charlie reading a review of Millie’s performance in the office out loud and the review is absolutely amazing calling Millie basically a brilliant diamond in the rough. Max’s review however is much worse but Meghan tries to comfort him by saying that the review wasn’t necessarily bad, it was mixed. The best part is that both of them are moving on in the Singer of Renown competition. We also learn that Max already lost the competition three times, and now it’s his last try.

Meghan tells Max that Millie has some tricks that he doesn’t have and he would do well to learn them by listening to her signing and proposes that they prepare a duet together. Meghan explains that when people hear their voice by signing with another person they hear it in a completely different light, and she instructs him to learn from Milie.

Max goes to Millie to deliver her the news regarding the duet and he says that Meghan is pitting them against each other while Millie tells him to look at it as a cooperative venture and they can both benefit from it. Max tells Millie not to get too emotional and Millie promises that she won’t. After that deal, Max and Millie start signing a duet and sparks are flying as they are both starting to fall for each other.

Charlie comes to visit and complicates things

After that first duet, Millie receives a call from Charlie as he informs her that he arrived at the estate. From Millie’s reaction, it’s obvious that she is not glad to hear it. Sure enough, Millie walks outside and sees Charlie taking his bags out of his car, Charlie explains that he couldn’t help it he just had to see her. Charlie asks for something to eat and both he and Millie have lunch prepared by Max.

Charlie compliments the chef and Max does nothing but walk away. Millie feels bad that Max is serving them while Charlie comments that Max is the surly type, unaware that this is the guy who is low-key hitting on his girlfriend. Millie asks Charlie why he really came and Charlie explains that when he read that review at work he realized that this isn’t just a dream it is a reality. He never felt more proud in his life and he also never felt more ashamed for not supporting Millie properly. Charlie also jokes and says that he is now here to support her in a proper way and can’t imagine anything more exciting than being the paramour of a great diva.

The next day Charlie leaves after spending the night with Millie while Max watches them.

Millie and Max are supposed to perform in front of Meghan and despite them performing absolutely fine Meghan criticizes them for not watching each other while signing a love duet, Millie and Max are not doing that for obvious reasons. After leaving Meghan, Millie thanks Max for not ratting her out to Meghan for coming to visit.

Max asks whether they are engaged and Millie rushes to tell him that no, they are not, they are just dating and he is her “significant other.” Max comments that the way she phrased it sounds like a personality disorder and that it doesn’t sound like the two of them are a love match.

Later, Meghan lets Millie know that both she and Max qualified for this year’s Singer of Renown competition.

Millie cheats on Charlie with Max

Max prepares a celebratory meal for Millie to congratulate her on making it to the Singer of Renown. They eat and drink and Millie expresses concern regarding Meghan finding out they are drinking booze, but Max tells her not to worry about Meghan. Millie also learns quite a lot regarding Max’s life. Meghan taught him almost everything he knows, regarding how to cook and Max learned why Millie ventured into opera singing. She can’t resist a good drama and a good tragedy and she likes the fact that almost every opera heroine is not exactly a girl you would bring home to your mother.

One thing leads to another and Max and Millie start making out, about to have sex when Millie pushes Max away and tells him that this is a line that they cannot cross. She says that she is a two-timer and fool but she is not technically a cheater (yes she is) as she runs outside. They come to a deal that they will stay away from each other until the competition is over and they will have absolutely no contact whatsoever.

Meghan at the same time advises Max to leave the estate for a few days so Millie could miss him and for her desire to grow. But alas, Millie and Max make good on their deal and they stop communicating until the finale.

Max wins the Singer of Renown and Millie returns to her old life

The night of the finale has arrived and both Millie and Max are deep in preparing for the biggest night of their lives so far. Mille performs first and she absolutely nails it. Max is about to perform and he does something incredibly stupid, he confronts Millie after her performance and asks her to marry him, holding the ring and everything. Millie, instead of giving a straightforward answer runs away with the ring to the bathroom where Meghan comforts her.

Millie explains that she doesn’t want to marry him but also doesn’t want to let him know that just before his performance, being afraid that it will ruin his self-esteem and his performance. Meghan tells her that Max will have to deal with that either way and he will either sink or swim as she walks away.

Max performs next and from his expression and tears in his eyes, it’s obvious that Meghan let him know that Millie won’t marry him. Still, due to emotions he gives the crowd the performance of his life and wins the competition. We don’t know which place Millie was in since only the winner and the runner-up were announced.

Millie is seen talking with Charlie who expresses his sadness that Millie didn’t win. Millie explained that she had the most amazing year and has no regrets but it will be good for her to come back to reality. Charlie up to this point has no idea that she cheated on him with Max and he has no idea that he proposed to her while he was sitting in the other room – at least we can assume that.

Millie is not ready to give up on her dream

Back at home, Millie and Charlie are getting ready to go to sleep and Millie explains to Charlie that she won’t give up on her dream that lightly. Despite losing the competition there are other things she can try. She explains that by taking part in that competition should have taken the opera signing out of her system but this did not happen, she just wants it more now. She tells Charlie that she won’t return to reality as they know it, she will continue training and studying and she will return back there one day and win that competition.

Charlie is silent and despite Millie being unable to see his face directly she can feel that he has rolled his eyes. She asks him directly whether he did that, and he doesn’t answer he merely clears his throat and pretends he is sleeping. Millie silently says “f***,” as she realizes that she has made a major mistake.

Three years later, we can see a poster for the show in front of the theater with Max’s name in the lead role, it seems that he has made it big in the last few years and is now a major name in the industry. The girl who was supposed to perform Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’ with him is sick and he needs to find a replacement. He asks who will replace the girl when the manager tells him that they have two choices one older well-known girl and the “new girl,” who is still making a name for herself. The manager tells him the name of the “new girl,” Millie Cantwell, but she expresses that she is hoping for the older girl to get the role since she is a safe choice.

Max holds the audition, and Millie shows up on the stage. The first thing that Max asks Millie is how her bladder control is nowadays since she used that as an excuse to run away from his proposal. Max tells her that he took back the ring and they gave him a full refund, explaining that apparently, those kinds of proposals take place all the time. Max also asks how are things with Millie’s significant other, Millie explains that he is no longer that significant, meaning that they have broken up.

In the next scene, we can see Millie and Max performing together looking completely in love.

So, what happened between Charlie & Millie? Did she end up with Max?

It’s obvious from their last conversation that Charlie never actually supported Millie’s dream he only entertained it. Charlie met Millie at work, he was her boss, and the only side of her he ever really knew was the business fund manager woman, while in reality, she was good at it but was never was she was supposed to be. Seeing her at the competition Charlie was proud but it was like, come on, you aren’t exactly considering doing this forever right?

He was wrong, he hoped that losing the competition would push Millie into abandoning her dreams, but after having a taste of her dreams, Millie only wanted it more. Despite the movie trying to frame Charlie as the bad guy somewhat, he wasn’t really. Sure he should have let Millie know that he wasn’t as supportive as he seemed but ultimately she figured it out so, no harm done.

What really did ruin their relationship was the fact that Millie cheated on him and we don’t know whether she ever told him that or not, it’s clear that Millie wasn’t as committed to Charlie as she presented herself. It takes two to tango and yes Charlie was unsupportive of her dream, but she was really unsupportive of their entire relationship. She never once consulted Charlie on pursuing her dream, she just did it, and she told him to either get on board with that or take a hike. So the relationship was doomed from the start, with Millie arguably being the worst between the two team players.

As far as her relationship with Max went we can only assume that the two finally got together even if we don’t see it on screen, it wouldn’t be a rom-com if they don’t end up together right?

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