to wrap up with a bow

[Kamila M]

What do the expressions in bold mean? What is the difference between foreign and American directors? Is it that American films always end happily and foreign films unhappily?
And what are the closing credits?

The contrast in sensibility is often most stark in the way the action is resolved, or, in the case of European films, left unresolved. When foreign directors borrow American genres, they feel no need to wrap up their stories with a bow; Hollywood directors usually can't help themselves from slapping a huge smiley face over the closing credits.

 

[Barb_D]

In a typical Hollywood ending, everything works out. All the loose ends (story lines) are tied up (resolved). In fact, they are tied up with a bow (happy).

If a book ended with the main character, a soccer player, say a goalie, missing a key goal on a penalty kick, so his team loses, but along the way, he realizes that what's really important is his relationship with his son, the Hollywood ending would have him making the save, so his team wins, AND he gets a better relationship with his son.

 

[Kamila M]

Thanks