'Caramelo' Movie Ending Explained & Summary: Is The Dog Dead?

Netflix’s new Brazilian heartwarming drama film Caramelo is centered around a chef diagnosed with a terminal illness and a dog that came into his life and became his best friend. The hero of the story, Caramelo, was left in a cardboard box on a roadside. He was possibly rejected by the family that briefly adopted him, or maybe he was considered too troublesome for the locality he was born in. From a very young age, Caramelo realized that his everyday struggle entailed finding food for himself. He was a naughty, energetic young mutt who always followed the tunes of his belly and grabbed whatever he found delectable without considering the consequence. One day, when Caramelo had turned 3, he crossed paths with Pedro, a young chef determined to make a mark in the culinary industry. When Caramelo attempted to steal sausages, Pedro made sure that the butcher didn’t catch the dog in the act. There was something about Pedro that made Caramelo trust him immediately, and it was almost as if he’d chosen him for life. 

Spoiler Alert

Why did Pedro bring Caramelo to his apartment?

After crossing paths at the market, Caramelo hopped into Pedro’s van without his knowledge. He sneakily accompanied his new friend to his workplace. Pedro made it to the restaurant kitchen before his colleagues to work on a recipe he’d been trying to perfect. Caramelo watched the chef do his magic through a window, and he couldn’t contain his hunger once he got a whiff of the cooked meat. It was a crucial day for everyone in the kitchen, especially Pedro’s boss, Ivan. Laura, a food critic who’d previously criticized the restaurant, was back to taste the food, and they were expected to deliver their best. The kitchen soon turned chaotic when none of the dishes impressed the critic. She was in search of something unexpected, while Ivan was focused on serving the dishes he’d perfected. And during this high-pressure situation, Pedro experienced a severe headache. So, he stepped out, gulped a pill, and tried to relax before getting back into the grind. Caramelo had been keeping an eye on Pedro, and as soon as he entered the kitchen, the mutt followed him. Just when Ivan was about to serve the dish they’d prepared for the critic, Caramelo dived on the plate and gulped down the piece of meat. Pedro tried to get hold of the dog, but Ivan wanted to punish him. When Pedro stopped him, Ivan retorted that it was the kitchen and he would do whatever he pleased. Martha, the owner of the restaurant, stepped in and stated that the restaurant was hers and she didn’t approve of what Ivan was up to. Ivan felt insulted, so he immediately decided to leave the job. Pedro stepped in and temporarily took over as the head chef. He decided to serve Laura the coxinha he’d recently perfected. Laura was amused; she never expected to be served a street food snack at a fine-dining restaurant. She suspected that Ivan was possibly not the one behind this radical move, and Martha confirmed that the dish was prepared by their sous-chef, Pedro. A bite of the coxinha and Laura was mesmerized. It was enough reason for Martha to introduce the coxinha in their menu and also ask Pedro to actually take over as the head chef. Pedro had been dreaming of this day since the beginning of his career, and it had finally come true. When he found the mutt waiting outside the restaurant, he offered him some of the leftovers he had and admitted that without him none of this would’ve been possible. 

After Pedro reached home, he was surprised to hear loud barks. He took a look outside from his balcony, and the mutt from the market was waiting for him patiently in heavy rain. Pedro didn’t have a choice but to bring him to his apartment. He gave a dog a rug to sleep in and showed him a designated spot to relieve himself, but the next morning when he woke up, his house was a complete mess. The dog almost tore apart his place, and Pedro figured that maybe it was best to hand him over to a shelter. 

How did Caramelo help with Pedro’s diagnosis?

Pedro had previously crossed paths with Camila, the co-owner of the dog school/shelter. She was surprised to see him there, and just when she explained how difficult it was for adult mutts to be adopted, Pedro once again experienced the shooting pain in his head. After resting for a while, he felt better again. The dog continued to lick his head, something that he’d been doing since last night. Pedro complained about it, but Camila felt that he must go to a doctor and get a checkup done. Dogs often detect illness even before humans do, so she had a feeling that maybe the dog sensed something was wrong. Pedro finally consulted a doctor, and after undergoing an MRI scan, the doctor explained that Pedro had a tumor in his brain (cerebral glioma), and if it turned out to be cancerous, he would have to undergo chemotherapy. The doctor didn’t think Pedro could ever completely recover, but they could hope for remission. After his diagnosis, Pedro struggled to concentrate at work, and he requested Martha to allow him two weeks to spend at home and come up with a new menu. Even though Martha wasn’t ready at first, she ultimately decided to grant Pedro the leave, hoping he would impress her with the new dishes. Pedro couldn’t gather the courage to tell his mother the truth, and he knew that he wasn’t ready to go through this difficult phase of his life all alone. So, he decided to adopt the dog he’d left at the shelter. Had it not been for him, Pedro wouldn’t have paid heed to the headache. The dog had been helping him from the minute they crossed paths, and Pedro admitted that they had a connection. He decided to name the dog ‘Caramelo’ for his caramel coat, and he also admitted him to the dog school to help him get trained. 

Did Pedro and Camila fall in love?

Camila was glad when Pedro decided to adopt Caramelo. As someone who’d dedicated her life to training and looking after dogs, she thought it was really sweet that Pedro realized the little ways in which Caramelo had changed his life. He wasn’t an easy dog to train, but Pedro didn’t give up. He knew it would take time, but he couldn’t imagine his life without his four-pawed best friend. Pedro and Camila cheered together for Caramelo, and Camila’s best friend and co-owner of the school, Luciana, could sense the growing attraction between the two. One day, Pedro finally gathered the courage to ask Camila out. Though it was more of a formal invitation to try his testing menu at the restaurant, and when Camila hesitated, Luciana promised Pedro that they would go. Pedro was nervous and excited when he watched Camila enter the restaurant. He brought his famous coxinha to their table, and Camila was impressed. Pedro’s friend and colleague, Paula, was concerned when he noticed a strand of hair on the kitchen top. Pedro hadn’t yet told them about his diagnosis, and he simply tied a bandana and continued working. Things took a tragic turn when Pedro added salt to a dish and their customer returned it, saying it was inedible. Pedro tasted the dish and thought it was fine, but when Paula tried it, she realized that the customer was right. The headache, the pressure to deliver, and the sudden realization that his illness might have affected his taste buds affected Pedro, and he collapsed to the ground. Pedro was taken to the hospital he was getting treated at, and he was told that the chemo hadn’t worked and they had no choice but to operate on the tumor. Pedro didn’t expect to find Camila waiting for him at the hospital. Pedro pretended as if it was nothing serious, but Camila revealed that she already knew that he was diagnosed with cancer. She wasn’t allowed to accompany Pedro at first, but she lied that she was his wife and eventually found out about his illness. Pedro only had a week before the operation, and he felt extremely overwhelmed. Since he couldn’t have a future with Camila, he decided not to pursue her. The next morning, his friend, Leo, from the chemotherapy sessions, arrived at his apartment. He’d been battling cancer for a long time, and he wasn’t ready to see Pedro give up so soon. Leo cheered him up and advised him to live his life to the fullest in the six days that he had before the operation. When Leo learned that Pedro had decided not to see Camila again, he was disappointed. He believed that Pedro was stressing over a future that didn’t even exist. According to him, even if they couldn’t be together forever, experiencing joy at present was all that mattered. 

What was Pedro’s business idea?

Pedro finally decided to meet Camila again at the dog school and reconcile with her. He apologized for being a mess the previous night, and they decided to go on a walk. Pedro requested Camila to take care of Caramelo if he didn’t survive the operation. Camila promised to do so, but he could sense that there was something bothering her. She finally told Pedro that she’d received an eviction notice and if they didn’t manage to clear their debts, they would have to leave the property. Pedro promised to come up with an idea to fix the problem. Camila later shaved Pedro’s hair, and the couple made love and called it a day. Before the operation, Pedro decided to meet his mother. He couldn’t manage to tell her what he’d been going through because he was afraid that she would be devastated, but he’d come to realize that if he didn’t get to have a heart-to-heart conversation with her before the surgery, he would likely regret it. His mother was heartbroken, but she was also hopeful. She strongly believed that everything would be alright, and she continued to dream of a future in which she would get to be with his children as well. Before he left, he asked his mother if she was ready to part with her dilapidated food truck that she once used to sell coxinha in. His mother happily handed it over to him, and while it looked unusable at first, Leo, Paula, and Pedro managed to fix the truck. Pedro’s plan was to not only sell his signature coxinha but also offer the same for dogs, of course with modification. After living with Caramelo, he’d come to realize that dog food didn’t taste good, so most of the time Caramelo eyed his meals. So, he came up with a solution—offer delicious food that the dogs would actually enjoy. Camila was pleasantly surprised when she saw the food truck. She was glad that even though he was going through a tumultuous phase in his life, he made the effort to try to solve her problem. Leo’s passing away came as a shock to Pedro. In a short span, they’d become the best of friends, and even though he knew that someday they would have to part ways, he didn’t think the day would come so soon. Leo had left him a flip book and advised him to not worry about leaving a mark in the world but to focus on leaving a mark on people. 

Was Pedro cured?

The food truck idea was a hit, and on the opening night, they served a good number of enthusiastic customers. Even Laura, the critic, showed up at his stall to get a taste of his coxinha again. She advised him to contact her if he ever needed an investor. Camila and Pedro felt hopeful; they knew that if they tried hard, they would manage to save the dog school. Pedro decided to stay back and clean up while Camila headed home. Pedro made dinner for Caramelo, and he was taken aback when he didn’t show interest in the food and kept on barking. Pedro soon experienced extreme discomfort; the shooting pain was back, and he collapsed on the floor. Pedro was unconscious, and even though Caramelo tried his best to drag him out of the van, it was an impossible endeavor. Meanwhile, the stove was still on, and a cloth caught on fire. Caramelo knew he had to do something immediately, so he decided to find Camila. On his way, he stepped on a shard of glass and injured his paw, but that didn’t stop him from finding Camila. In the end, when Camila saw Caramelo approaching her with an injured foot, she figured that it was important that they check on Pedro. Once again, Caramelo saved his life, and Pedro was rushed to a hospital. He had to get operated on immediately, but before the procedure began, he requested Camila and his mother to bring him Caramelo. He wanted to thank him before he entered the operating room. Since the hospital had a strict no-dog policy, Camila decided to crowd the hospital with all the dogs she had at the shelter and distract the staff while bringing Caramelo to Pedro. The plan worked, and Pedro got the chance to thank his best friend for saving him again. 

Caramelo’s ending revealed that Pedro survived the operation. The threat wasn’t gone, and he continued to live with the constant fear that someday the worst would happen. But Pedro considered Leo’s advice, and he didn’t stop living his life. He’d come to realize that cherishing the little things in life was all that mattered. He married Camila; they eventually welcomed their son into the world, and Caramelo continued to be by his side through thick and thin. 

What happened to Caramelo?

Years passed, Caramelo was fifteen, and he now had a sugar face. Pedro realized that he might not have much time left with Caramelo, so he decided to head to the beach and enjoy the waves. Caramelo had always loved the beach, and he seemed to have an interest in sharks (at least he enjoyed watching them on television!). Together Pedro and Caramelo spent a quiet day at the beach, and it suggests that it was possibly the last memorable activity that they did together before Caramelo passed away. He stood by Pedro when he didn’t really have anyone to share his feelings with, and now that he had a family to support him, Caramelo could finally die a peaceful death. He had proved to be the ultimate savior, a true best friend, a constant mood-lifter, and, of course, the sweetest-looking shark on land!

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