Miller’s Girl ending explained: Does Jonathan Miller get in trouble?

Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman’s Miller’s Girl sees a complex and dangerous relationship brewing between Jonathan Miller and his student — leading to chaotic drama and a complex ending.

The 2024 movie has inspired strong reactions due to its use of sexual themes and a hefty age gap. But Miller’s Girl is tagged as an erotic thriller for a reason. Jonathan Miller is a run-of-the-mill English teacher whose dreams of becoming a successful writer fizzled out after marriage.

Soon, 18-year-old Cairo Sweet comes into the picture as a student of his creative writing class and enchants him with her knowledge of literature. Cairo is a lonely girl often left alone by her attorney parents. She’s given a personal assignment by Mr. Miller that turns into something more.

The two characters soon dive into a forbidden friendship that lead to turmoil which leaves Mr. Miller in hot water by the ending of Miller’s Girl.

Miller and his student play with fire

Miller’s Girl suggests that the small Tennessee town isn’t enough for Cairo. The movie begins with her attending his class and shocking Miller by having read the entire book list he assigned. He’s even more stunned to learn she’s read his published book.

He becomes intrigued by her while her friend Winnie is up to her own games. She constantly teases she’ll seduce their gym teacher who happens to be Miller’s best friend. The cogs of the machine begin to turn as Cairo’s more dark and alluring nature begins to fascinate Miller.

After a short assignment, Miller offers Cairo a jumpstart on her midterm by writing a short story in the style of her favorite author. It would be a key element in her portfolio submission to Yale. As the movie progresses, Mr. Miller and Cairo spend time outside school, particularly at a local poetry salon that occurs every other weekend.

Miller’s Girl begins to put the pieces into motion of Cairo trying to seduce Mr. Miller, per the nudging of her friend Winnie. One day she stops by his class to reveal she has chosen Henry Miller, despite the more provocative and sexual tone to his writing.

It seems that Cairo has planted her own trick putting her phone in his bag. Mr. Miller is waiting for his wife to finish a work call before leaving for a very late vacation. He soon realizes Cairo’s phone is in his bag and drives to return it.

Cairo meets him in a champagne-colored silk dress. They end up kissing in the rain. But that one moment sparks a domino effect. Inspired by what happened, Cairo wrote her short story about a sexual student-teacher relationship. When Mr. Miller reads it, he becomes sexually aroused. But it’s the tip of the iceberg.

Does Mr. Miller get in trouble in Miller’s Girl?

Mr. Miller is accused by Cairo of an inappropriate relationship, leading him to take the blame and get suspended. His marriage and friendship fall apart but Miller inspired to write a new book.

After Cairo‘s submission of her short story, Mr. Miller becomes enraged, calling her work “pornography” and inappropriate. He requests her to redo it with a new author but she refuses. It’s her greatest achievement. But Mr. Miller is afraid that anyone who reads the story will think he and Cairo had a sexual student-teacher relationship.

Angered by having to toss her work, Cairo sends it to the principal. She also decides to take advantage of her friend Winnie by using her to take explicit photos of themselves to send to the gym teacher. Mr. Miller’s wife soon begins to question the possible reality of what Cairo wrote in her story.

The following days Cairo and Mr. Miller are called to the principal’s office to tell their sides of the story. Mr. Miller vows nothing happened like in her story while Cairo says differently. With no other choice, Mr. Miller is suspended, with his friendship also rocky because of his lack of control over the situation.

Back at home, Mr. Miller and his wife have an argument. A distraught Winnie begs Cairo to drop the charges, realizing what they did was wrong. But Cairo refuses. Miller’s Girl ending has Cairo reading her admissions essay to Yale and Mr. Miller becoming inspired for a new book.

Miller’s Girl is available to stream on Netflix. Find even more amazing movies, TV shows, and true crime documentaries to catch on streaming this month. If that’s not enough, find out what’s in store this year for K-drama.