Actually, the least interesting part of the story for me was that he died from poisoning. I was entertained by the rest of the story, that he decided to quit everything and leave everything behind, to start a new life of some description. I wouldn't describe that as a story of someone's downfall. I'm not sure I would go as far as to say the entire film was about someone's downfall and I find it rather strange that you do too. It was a story of being free.
I personally think the ending was an important contrast to the beginning from a traditional story perspective. Has he succeeded would it have been a movie....
I do agree the beginning was a great story about being free and what I enjoyed most.
