Invisible 2005

In the seemingly idyllic world of Nick Powell (Justin Chatwin), a high-achieving student with an unblemished reputation, teen angst seethes beneath the surface like a potent undercurrent. His life appears to be a masterfully crafted tapestry, woven from threads of perfection and conformity. However, this façade is shattered when Annie Newton (Margarita Levieva), a troubled teenager consumed by rage and resentment, sets her sights on him.

As Nick’s spirit embarks on a perilous journey to save his physical body from the brink of death, he finds himself transformed into The Invisible – an existence both liberating and isolating. Meanwhile, his mother (Marcia Gay Harden) remains steadfast in her pursuit of making him proud, gifting him an inscribed token that seems innocuous yet belies a deeper meaning.

The morning after, Nick awakens to the warm glow of his mother’s thoughtfulness, as she presents him with a breakfast plate adorned with a cheerful smile. Her enthusiasm for college preparation is met with Nick’s own desires – specifically, a writer’s course in London, which sparks a sense of rebellion against her expectations. This burgeoning independence is soon tested as he delivers a French essay to his classmate Pete Egan (Chris Marquette), only to witness the latter being brutally attacked by Annie and her cohorts for “accepting merchandise without paying.”

As the school day unfolds, Nick’s oral poem performance captivates his classmates, but it’s interrupted by the ringing of the bell. He later confronts Annie in the cafeteria, his words piercing her armor: “You’re so broken.” This confrontation culminates in both students facing disciplinary action.

Annie returns to her family’s apartment, where tensions simmer between her parents (Desiree Zurowski and Mark Houghton) as she tends to her younger brother Victor Newton (Alex Ferris). Nick, meanwhile, confides in Pete about his plans for London, revealing a deep-seated desire to forge his own path. Annie’s relationship with boyfriend Marcus Bohem (Alex O’Loughlin) reaches a boiling point when he’s caught breaking into a car. As they evade arrest, their arguments escalate until she departs, leaving Marcus to report her stealing at school.

The day after, Pete (character name not provided) finds himself mesmerized by Annie’s presence at her locker, lost in thought as she goes about her morning routine. But the tranquility is short-lived, as the sound of sirens pierces the air and the police arrive, forcing Annie to abandon her lockers. Over the phone, she confides in her boyfriend Marcus (), assuring him that someone has been caught, but implying that they won’t stop at just this one transgression. Meanwhile, Nick (character name not provided) bids farewell to his friend as he prepares to leave for a trip, only to be met with news from his mother that the airline has rescheduled his flight.

As Pete goes about his day, Annie and her cohorts launch a surprise attack on him, subjecting him to physical torment in an attempt to extract information. Under duress, Pete reveals Nick’s whereabouts, unwittingly putting his friend in harm’s way. Back at Nick’s house, he’s hosting a party when a mysterious young woman catches his eye, offering the prospect of escaping to London with her on a flight departing in just two hours. As they share a passionate moment, she notices the old watch on his wrist, an artifact passed down from his father, which seems out of place alongside his newer timepiece. The pair’s tender moment is interrupted by Nick’s realization that he’s being tailed by a beat-up sedan.

As Pete continues to suffer at Annie’s hands, she orchestrates a brutal beating of Nick’s friend, leaving him helpless as his body is discarded into the storm drain, only for Annie’s gang to cover it and leave the scene. Meanwhile, back at Marcus’ place, Annie confesses her dark secret to her boyfriend, demanding an alibi for her actions. When he refuses to cooperate due to his probationary status, she starkly reminds him of the stolen vehicles in his shop, their surfaces smeared with the evidence of her brutal handiwork. Later that night, Annie sets fire to her bloodied clothing by the river, a desperate attempt to erase her tracks.

As Nick emerges from the woods, seemingly unscathed and unaware of the turmoil he’s left behind, he begins to grasp the true nature of his predicament. Realizing that no one can see or hear him, Nick becomes acutely aware of his own invincibility, as the authorities frantically search for a missing person, oblivious to the fact that their quarry stands mere yards away.

As Detective Kate Tunney confides in Detective Brian Larson about Nick’s tumultuous encounter with Annie, the air thickens with tension. The search party, hastily assembled to scour the woods, finds itself hampered by the unyielding mystery of Nick’s disappearance. Meanwhile, a poignant tableau unfolds within Nick’s bedroom: his mother tenderly perusing his poetry journal as a dying bird clings to life on the porch railing. In stark contrast, a second bird materializes on Nick’s shoulder, its very presence a harbinger of hope and resilience. As the bird on the railing succumbs to its mortal wound, the one in Nick’s hand vanishes, leaving him with an epiphany: he must still be alive.

In a desperate bid to rejoin the search party, Nick attempts to guide them through the treacherous woods, his pleas to Annie falling on deaf ears. Pete, meanwhile, teeters on the brink of revealing the truth, only to be halted by Detective Larson’s inquiry about the jewelry store heist and the missing persons investigation. Marcus, sensing a trap, intercepts Pete outside his garage, brandishing a gun as he reveals that they are being tailed by the police.

As tensions escalate, Marcus commandeers Pete’s attention, leading him to the woods where Nick was last seen. The duo soon finds themselves surrounded by Annie’s cohorts, who have been alerted to someone ready to spill the beans. As the situation spirals out of control, Annie herself materializes, gun in hand, and dispatches Pete with a curt instruction: “Never!” Nick, undeterred by her rebuff, doggedly pursues Annie, his only hope for survival now pinned on winning her trust.

As dawn breaks, Annie awakens in a school gymnasium, only to venture forth into Nick’s world, where she finds herself surrounded by the trappings of his life. She pours the remnants from a small vial onto her palm as Nick’s mother enters the room, prompting Annie to make a hasty retreat into the woods, driven by a sense of urgency. Her quest leads her to the spot where she had last seen Nick, only to discover that he is no longer there. A discarded nicotine gum pack serves as a clue, guiding Annie to seek out Pete and extract the truth from him - that neither Nick nor Pete had betrayed her.

Undeterred by this revelation, Annie next turns her attention to Marcus, seizing him at gunpoint and forcing him to accompany her to an elevated ledge. In a tense standoff, both Annie and Marcus end up exchanging gunfire, but Annie’s desperation prompts her to call Det. Larson, revealing that she knows exactly where Nick can be found.

As Pete’s life slowly ebbs away, Nick finds himself face-to-face with the spirit of his friend, who has come to bid him farewell. Just as all hope seems lost, Pete’s father intervenes, reviving his son and preventing a tragedy from unfolding.

Meanwhile, Nick is plucked from the river and rushed to the hospital, where Annie fights valiantly to reach his bedside despite her own grievous wound. Nick’s spirit guides her through the labyrinthine corridors, allowing him to communicate with his mother through Annie. As Annie collapses at his bedside, Nick’s spirit returns to its mortal coil.

In a poignant epilogue, a young boy sends a remote-controlled airplane soaring above a serene lake. Nick, now aware of the boy’s isolation following the loss of his sister, offers words of comfort and suggests that they send her a message from beyond. The plane’s wings bear the inscription “Hey Annie” as it takes to the skies, carrying with it the hope and solace that can only come from the connections we make in this life.