The Big House

As Rebecca Hall's character, Beth, settles into her lakeside home - a poignant reminder of her life with husband Owen (Evan Jonigkeit) before his sudden and devastating suicide - she can't shake the feeling that an unseen presence lingers just beyond the periphery of her grief-stricken gaze. The silence is oppressive, punctuated only by the occasional creak of the old wooden dock where Owen's boat once sat, a haunting reminder of the final moments he spent on this earth.

As Beth navigates the dark waters of her new reality, she's interrupted by Becky (Samantha Buck), the mother of one of her students, Hunter. Becky is incensed about the C grade her son received for his final assignment, which had been graded while Beth was still reeling from Owen's passing. As they discuss the grade, Beth is forced to confront the harsh reality of Owen's death - a gruesome and heart-wrenching tale that left her with more questions than answers.

Beth's world is further disrupted when she's visited by Claire (Sarah Goldberg), her best friend and confidante, at a grief counseling session. The weight of their collective sorrow hangs heavy in the air as they struggle to find solace in each other's company.

As Beth begins to unravel the mysteries of Owen's life, she stumbles upon floor plans for their home - evidence that he was secretly building something before his untimely demise. Later that night, she's startled by the sound of music drifting from downstairs, a siren's call that beckons her to investigate. A text message on Owen's phone sends her scurrying to the lower level, where she's met with an unsettling sense of déjà vu.

The line between reality and fantasy blurs as Beth begins to receive a series of cryptic messages from beyond the grave. The music stops, and in its place, she hears a low, gravelly whisper that sends shivers down her spine - Owen's voice, or so it seems. Compelled by an otherworldly urge, Beth makes her way to the window, where she beholds what appears to be her beloved husband standing naked on the beach, his presence both captivating and terrifying.

As the dream dissolves like morning mist, Beth is left to ponder its meaning - a reflection of her own grief, or something more? Her search for answers leads her down a rabbit hole of secrets and surprises as she delves deeper into Owen's phone, uncovering a photograph that will challenge everything she thought she knew about their life together.

The day after Owen's devastating departure, Beth joins Claire and their friends for an evening of hushed conversations and avoidance. Despite their efforts to sidestep the elephant in the room, the topic inevitably resurfaces, this time through Claire's somber revelation that Owen left behind a suicide note bearing a haunting message: "You were right. There is nothing. Nothing is after you. You're safe now." As Claire shares her friend's final words, Beth's mind begins to wander back to her own brush with mortality - the four-minute span where she experienced clinical death and saw only an endless expanse of nothingness. She confides in Claire that Owen might have been implying a similar existential crisis in his note, one that echoes her own sense of disconnection.

As the evening wears on, Beth becomes increasingly detached, eventually finding herself alone by the lake house's tranquil waters. It's as if she's slipped into a somnambulant state, only to be jolted back to reality by what sounds like Owen's disembodied voice calling out to her once more. Drawn to the dock, she discovers bloody footprints leading straight to her own doorstep. Tentatively reaching out, she makes contact with something unseen, prompting her to venture back inside. There, she finds herself reliving a dream where she and Owen share an intimate moment in their bedroom window - only for her to pull away, as if from a nightmare.

Awakened once more, Beth embarks on a solo hike through the woods, seeking solace in the great outdoors. Her reverie is interrupted by Mel (Vondie Curtis-Hall), a neighbor who's walking his dog and expresses concern over Beth's solitary wanderings. He knows the depth of her grief and fears she might do something reckless. Mel invites Beth to join him for lunch, where he shares a chilling tale about seeing Owen with a woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to her - only to realize it wasn't her at all. As Beth delves deeper into Owen's belongings, she stumbles upon a trove of photographs featuring the enigmatic woman from the bookstore, as well as other females whose features mirror those of the mysterious brunette. And then there's the unsettling artifact known as the Louvre Doll, its human form pierced by 13 razor-sharp needles - a grim reminder that even in death, Owen's dark obsessions continue to haunt her.

As Beth ventures into the bookstore, a chance encounter unfolds with Madelyne (Stacy Martin), the enigmatic figure who eerily resembles the woman in Owen's photographs. The two strike up a conversation, and Beth reveals her connection to Owen, sharing the heart-wrenching tale of his disappearance. Madelyne listens intently, her expression a subtle testament to the gravity of their shared history with Owen. As Beth recounts the events that transpired, it becomes increasingly clear that Madelyne's own experience with Owen was shrouded in ambiguity.

The veil of uncertainty lifts when Madelyne visits Beth at her home, bearing witness to the profound emotional toll Owen's disappearance has taken on his wife. With a mixture of trepidation and resignation, Madelyne reveals the truth about her relationship with Owen: while their interactions were platonic, he had attempted to suffocate her, prompting her hasty departure. This chilling revelation sends Beth reeling, as she grapples with the possibility that Owen's true nature was far more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

Beth's anguish only intensifies when she stumbles upon the half-finished shed, a site of morbid discovery that forever changes her perception of Owen's actions. The floorboards give way beneath her feet, revealing the gruesome remains of several women, each one bearing an uncanny resemblance to the individuals featured in Owen's photographs. Beth's desperation to share this devastating truth with Claire yields only a tearful voicemail, as if her friend is determined to shield herself from the horrors that lie at the heart of Owen's depravity.

As Beth's grief and delusions continue to consume her, she finds solace in the illusion of Owen's presence. Her attempts to reconnect with this intangible force, however, are met with a jarring reality: it is not Owen's spirit, but rather an otherworldly entity that has been manipulating events from behind the scenes. The demon's malevolent influence seeps into Beth's psyche, as she begins to experience visions of Owen's true nature – a monstrous individual driven by a hunger for destruction.

The following morning, Claire arrives at the lake house, seeking out her distraught friend only to find that Beth has absconded with Owen's boat and handgun. A sense of impending doom hangs in the air as Beth appears to succumb to the demon's influence, poised on the brink of self-destruction. Claire's frantic calls for help finally pierce through the veil of madness, drawing Mel's attention. With Claire by her side, Beth slowly begins to snap out of her trance-like state, her gaze still fixed on the lake as if beholding some unseen terror. When asked what she sees, Beth responds with a disarming nonchalance, effectively concealing the dark presence that continues to haunt her.