Starlet 2012

Jane, who goes by the name Tess, is a 21-year-old woman navigating life in Chadworth, Los Angeles, living with two dysfunctional roommates — Melissa and her boyfriend Mikey, both heavily into drugs, and accompanied by her Chihuahua, Starlet. As she attempts to personalize her space, she encounters Melissa’s restriction on painting the room due to Mikey’s need for it during his “shoots.” Fueled by a desire for change, Jane starts hunting for affordable furniture at local yard sales.

During one of her outings, she meets an elderly woman named Sadie and purchases a thermos from her. However, the real surprise comes when Jane discovers a hidden stash of cash—almost $10,000 in old $100 bills—inside the thermos. Initially, she indulges in the money by buying lavish items for herself and her dog while satisfying her drug habits. Yet, a wave of guilt washes over her, prompting Jane to attempt to return the money to Sadie. Her well-intentioned visit goes awry as Sadie dismisses her without explanation. Gripped by curiosity about the woman’s life, Jane decides to keep the money and follow Sadie.

Their paths cross more frequently after Jane goes out of her way to offer Sadie rides and surprises her at a bingo game, even paying for her taxi rides. This newfound friendship, however, takes a turn when a question about finances leads to an unfortunate incident where Sadie sprays Jane with mace. Despite the rocky start, they reconcile when Sadie reaches out to apologize, and Jane shares her fabricated story of moving to California to “find herself.” In turn, Sadie unveils her backstory as a widow for 40 years, reflecting on her late husband’s gambling addiction, which ultimately led to his untimely death.

As Jane’s professional life unfolds, it’s revealed that she and Melissa are both part of the porn industry, where Jane’s performances are more reliable than Melissa’s. Amidst her work at a porn convention in Las Vegas, Jane entrusts Starlet to Sadie, but the dog goes missing, raising tensions in their friendship. When she brings up the idea of taking a luxurious trip to Paris using the money she found, Sadie bristles at the suggestion and attempts to maintain her independence. Despite this, after a streak of good luck at bingo, Sadie agrees to the trip.

However, tensions rise when Melissa confronts Jane regarding the money spent on tickets rather than sharing it with her, leading to an explosive argument that results in Jane being kicked out. As Jane remains oblivious to the deeper implications of the money, she picks up Sadie to head to the airport, stopping briefly at a cemetery to pay respects to Sadie’s late husband. There, Jane learns of the existence of Sadie’s daughter’s grave, which leaves her shaken, setting the stage for an emotional journey filled with entangled relationships and hidden pasts.