Behind You 2020
Directed by
Andrew Mecham
Made by
Vertical Entertainment
Plot Summary
Discover the intricate plot of Behind You (2020). From unexpected twists to emotional highs and lows, this detailed summary breaks down every moment to give you a deeper understanding of the film’s story.
The narrative unfolds in 1979, starting with Beth and her boyfriend, Charles, sharing a quiet moment in her room while her younger sister wanders the house. The tranquility is abruptly shattered when Beth hears her sister scream. Rushing with Charles to find her, they discover her transfixed by a mirror, pointing at something unseen. Suddenly, a pair of hands reaches out and grabs her.
Fast forward forty years into the future, two young girls, Olivia and her sister, Claire, are taken to stay with their aunt Beth after the passing of their mother, with their father decidedly absent. Olivia, the elder, arrives with her sister who carries a stuffed bunny, her sole means of communication due to her deep trauma. Aunt Beth appears reluctant to welcome them into her home, imposing strict boundaries that forbid them from entering her study or the ominous basement, a directive their stuffed bunny obediently seems to accept.
During dinner, prepared by Charles, it becomes clear that he is far more amiable than Aunt Beth, who continues to wear a frown. The strange stew that Charles cooked is met with mixed reactions—Olivia finds it edible, while Claire has a close call after discovering it contains peanut butter, necessitating a swift EpiPen intervention from Olivia to save her sister’s life.
As the night deepens, Claire is drawn to eerie whispers compelling her to breach the very rules Aunt Beth established. Venturing into the study, she uncovers Beth with a wine glass in hand. In a drawer, Claire stumbles upon a key that leads her to the basement where dusty mirrors reside. Here, she senses a familiar presence, believing she can communicate with her mother through the glass. Encouraged to chant specific words to unlock the mirrors, Claire unwittingly invites something sinister into their world.
The next morning, Claire shows Olivia an old newspaper clipping revealing Aunt Beth’s dark past—her conviction for the murder of her own parents and sister. Realizing their lives are in jeopardy, Olivia hastily contacts Camilla, their caretaker, who agrees to come over urgently. Their escape plan, however, is thwarted when Claire begins to exhibit increasingly peculiar behavior, expressing a desire to remain in their aunt’s house and devouring dinner ravenously. The uneasy exchange between Beth and Charles indicates something is amiss as Beth suspects the girls have entered her study.
While locked away, Olivia witnesses Camilla arrive only to be abruptly dismissed by Charles. Soon, Camilla returns with a firearm she discovered in Charles’s car, ready to confront Beth and Charles, but the situation spirals further into chaos.
As they try to escape, Claire is grief-stricken over abandoning her bunny, prompting Olivia to search for it, only to find blood staining the car windows—Camilla has been gruesomely slaughtered, and little Claire has gone missing. When she confronts Beth and Charles, the horrific truth surfaces: the house is a prison for a malevolent entity desperately seeking entry into the living realm. Beth explicates her remorse over having to kill her sister to safeguard the world from this evil.
Determined to stop the entity without resorting to murder, they devise a plan involving breaking mirrors to reveal and combat the spirit lurking within. However, this attempt quickly escalates into tragedy as Olivia discovers Claire laid out on a plastic sheet, with Beth and Charles preparing to commit an unspeakable act.
In a desperate plea, Olivia argues that Beth never truly sought alternative methods to defeat the entity and merely seeks bloodshed. Charles, moved by her words, reluctantly decides to aid Olivia. Their risky scheme involves feeding Claire peanut butter to induce choking, hoping to expel the spirit and then revive her with an EpiPen. The attempts are grueling as it takes multiple EpiPens to restore Claire.
Ready to flee the next day, the girls are shocked to find the exits barred. Beth rushes in, warning them of the entity caught between realms, which harms Charles by driving a shard of glass into his throat. Claire, believing this is her fault, uses the incantation to draw the evil within herself. In a heart-wrenching act of sacrifice, Beth recites the words first and hands Olivia a shard of mirror; the entity swiftly manifests in a swirl of dark smoke, possessing Beth. Without hesitation, Olivia stabs her aunt.
The arrival of law enforcement and emergency services brings mixed emotions, but Olivia is relieved to be reunited with Claire. A police officer informs them that the shocking incident will be classified as a murder-suicide. As the last candle flickers and extinguishes within the isolated house, a haunting sense of finality permeates the air.
Timeline
Track the key events of Behind You (2020) with a comprehensive timeline. Perfect for understanding the sequence of major plot points, this feature offers clarity on how the story unfolds.
Beginning of the Tragedy
In 1979, the story begins with Beth and her boyfriend Charles sharing a peaceful moment in her room. This tranquility is shattered when Beth hears her younger sister scream, prompting her to rush toward the sound with Charles to find a horrifying scene.
The Mysterious Encounter
Rushing into the room, Beth and Charles discover her sister entranced by a mirror, pointing at an unseen force. Suddenly, hands reach out from the mirror and grab her, marking the onset of dark events to come.
Forty Years Later
Fast forward forty years, Olivia and her younger sister Claire arrive at Aunt Beth's home after the death of their mother. The sisters are greeted by a hesitant Aunt Beth, who places strict limitations on their movements in the house, particularly warning them against entering her study or the basement.
An Awkward Dinner
During dinner, prepared by Charles, it becomes evident that he is much friendlier than Aunt Beth. The strange stew serves as a main course, and after Claire discovers it contains peanut butter, Olivia saves her sister from an allergic reaction with an EpiPen.
Curiosity Leads to Danger
As night falls, Claire is lured by eerie whispers that compel her to explore the forbidden study. There, she uncovers Aunt Beth with a glass of wine and a key that leads her to the basement, where dusty mirrors wait, triggering more sinister happenings.
Unveiling the Past
The following morning, Claire shows Olivia an old newspaper clipping that reveals Aunt Beth's dark history of murdering her own family. Recognizing the threat they face, Olivia urgently reaches out to their caretaker, Camilla, for help.
The Failed Escape
Olivia's plan to escape is complicated when Claire begins showing increasingly strange behavior, expressing attachment to the house and obsessively eating dinner. Beth's growing suspicion about the girls’ exploration of her study raises further tension.
Chaos Unleashed
When Camilla arrives, attempting to confront Beth and Charles, the situation escalates quickly. She discovers a firearm in Charles's car, but before she can act, chaos erupts, veering the situation into violent confrontation.
A Blood-Soaked Discovery
Olivia’s search for Claire’s beloved stuffed bunny leads her to a horrifying scene—blood stains on the car windows and the brutal murder of Camilla. The horror amplifies as Claire mysteriously vanishes, heightening Olivia’s fear.
The Sinister Truth Revealed
Confronting Beth and Charles reveals the chilling truth: the house is a prison for an evil entity. Beth recounts the regret of killing her sister to protect against this malevolent force, revealing the depth of darkness within the household.
Desperate Measures
In a bid to combat the entity, Olivia and Beth concoct a risky plan that involves breaking mirrors to reveal the spirit. However, the situation devolves into tragedy as they race against time to save Claire from a gruesome fate.
A Plan to Save Claire
The grim plan takes shape: they decide to induce choking in Claire using peanut butter, hoping to expel the entity. It’s a desperate gamble, requiring multiple uses of the EpiPen to revive her and ultimately restore her life.
The Final Confrontation
The next morning, as the sister's plan unfolds, Beth warns of the entity trapped between realms, which leads to a horrific incident involving Charles. Claire, believing she is to blame, attempts to absorb the malevolent force within herself.
The Sacrificial Act
In a touching yet tragic moment, Beth sacrifices herself by invoking the incantation and allowing Olivia to stab her with a shard of glass. The evil entity is unleashed in a swirl of smoke as Olivia faces the hardest decision of her life.
Aftermath of Horror
Authorities arrive at the eerie scene, only to classify the event as a murder-suicide. Olivia and Claire are finally reunited, providing a bittersweet conclusion to their harrowing ordeal, yet leaving behind an aura of dread as the last candle flickers out.
Characters
Meet the characters that bring Behind You (2020) to life. Dive into detailed profiles of the cast and their roles, exploring their motivations, relationships, and arcs within the story.
Beth
Beth is a deeply troubled character grappling with a haunting past that drives her actions throughout the film. Her reluctance to fully embrace her nieces stems from a history intertwined with tragedy and guilt, particularly regarding the entity she has contained. Despite her harsh exterior, her motives revolve around protecting her family, albeit through drastic measures.
Charles
Charles serves as Beth's supportive boyfriend, though his amiable nature masks deeper complications that unfold as the story progresses. His good intentions clash with the malevolent presence in the house, illustrating the character's struggle between love and the sinister forces at play. Eventually, he becomes a victim of the chaos surrounding them.
Olivia
Olivia, the elder sister, embodies the role of protector, determined to keep her younger sister safe amidst escalating horrors. Her maturity juxtaposes Claire's vulnerability, and Olivia's tenacity drives the plot as she navigates through fear and the unknown. Her character development highlights her growth from innocence to courage.
Claire
Claire, the younger sister, represents innocence tainted by trauma, struggling to communicate her fears and emotions throughout the film. As she becomes an unwitting vessel for the malevolent entity, her character arcs between vulnerability and strength. Her journey delves into themes of childhood fears and the impact of dark secrets.
Setting
Uncover the settings of Behind You (2020), from iconic locations to the time period that shapes its world. See how these elements add depth and context to the movie’s narrative.
Time period
1979, Present Day
The narrative begins in 1979, setting a foundation of horror that persists into the present day. During this time, significant cultural shifts had occurred, particularly concerning family dynamics and the exploration of psychological trauma. The modern setting highlights a contrast between the innocence of childhood and the darkness lurking within.
Location
Beth's House
The movie primarily takes place in Beth's house, a seemingly calm yet sinister environment. Known for its dark past and eerie occurrences, the house is filled with secrets, including an ominous basement and a study that holds frightening memories. As the story unfolds, the house transforms into a prison for both the characters and the malevolent spirit haunting it.
Themes
Explore the core themes of Behind You (2020). From its commentary on social issues to its emotional undertones, delve into the deeper messages woven into the film’s story.
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Supernatural
The theme of the supernatural permeates the film, driving the plot forward as characters grapple with malevolent forces. The mirrors act as a conduit for an evil entity, representing the thin line between reality and the unknown. This theme explores fear rooted in the unseen, showcasing how curiosity can lead to devastating consequences.
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Sacrifice
Sacrifice is a pivotal theme as characters face dire consequences for their decisions. Beth's ultimate choice to protect Olivia and Claire reflects the lengths one will go to ensure the safety of loved ones. This theme underscores the moral complexities in desperate situations, where love and sacrifice intertwine to combat evil.
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Family Bonds
The film examines the complexities of family bonds, showcasing the relationship between the sisters and their aunt. Through shared trauma and struggle, these connections are tested under extreme circumstances. The narrative delves into themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the weight of familial expectations.
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