The Double Hour 2011

Sonia, a diligent maid working at a hotel in Turin, finds herself in a chilling situation when she is cleaning a guest’s bathroom and witnesses the guest’s tragic leap from the bedroom window, leading to her death.

In search of companionship, Sonia attends a lively speed dating event where she crosses paths with Guido, a former policeman turned security guard. Their chemistry sparks an immediate friendship, and they share a delightful time together post-event. As they part ways, Guido notices the time is 23:23 – a double hour he believes is a magical moment to make wishes, although he candidly cautions Sonia that these wishes don’t always come true.

Days later, Guido invites Sonia to explore the serene grounds of the country villa where he works. Despite the villa’s high-tech security, Guido temporarily disables part of the system for their romantic walk. However, their peaceful outing turns into a nightmare when they are ambushed by an armed assailant, leading to Guido being knocked unconscious. He awakens in the villa, forced by masked robbers to disable the security system. As the robbers ransack the place for priceless art and valuables, their leader threatens Sonia with assault. Fueled by rage, Guido confronts the leader, resulting in a frantic struggle and a gunshot that leaves everyone uncertain about the outcome.

After this horrifying incident, Sonia returns to her routine yet finds it difficult to shake off the eerie memories. She often catches glimpses of Guido’s face, especially during those haunting double hours, which begin to blur the lines of her reality. When questioned by Dante, a police officer and former colleague of Guido, Sonia becomes increasingly unnerved by a photograph linking her to a visit to Buenos Aires— a place she has never been.

As her grip on reality deteriorates, tragedy strikes again when she learns about the suicide of her friend and colleague, Margherita, who jumped from a window. During the funeral, Sonia is overcome with despair when the priest mistakenly names her instead of Margherita. Bruno, a familiar hotel guest, takes her away under the pretense of offering comfort. However, he betrays her trust by drugging her and attempting to bury her alive in a shallow grave. Just as she reaches the brink of death, a figure resembling Guido rescues her from her dire fate.

It is revealed that Sonia has only been unconscious in a hospital for three days; everything she experienced was merely the product of her mind as she lay in a coma. The truth hits hard— both Guido and Margherita are alive.

Much to Guido’s dismay, Dante unveils Sonia’s troubling past from twelve years ago, revealing her participation in a robbery alongside a former boyfriend. Despite this, Guido chooses compassion over judgment. He visits the speed-dating organizer intending to sever ties, but when he learns that Sonia specifically sought him out, his suspicions deepen. A night of passion ensues between them, though the next day Sonia expresses her intent to meet with Margherita.

Fearing betrayal, Guido follows her and witnesses a shocking meeting with the robbery gang leader in the airport garage, who bears an uncanny resemblance to him. Using a shotgun microphone, he uncovers a chilling plan indicating that Sonia was supposed to ensure his death during the robbery. In a gripping moment, as Sonia spots Guido in his car, their eyes lock—a silent recognition of their complicated reality—before the elevator doors close.

As the film nears its conclusion, Sonia flees to Buenos Aires under a false identity, contemplating once more at the clock as it strikes 20:20. Meanwhile, Guido, left heartbroken, finds himself back at the speed dating events, while Sonia poses for photos with the gang leader, leaving viewers with a haunting reminder of the entangled fates that bind them.