The Bye Bye Man

The Bye Bye Man 2017

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Plot Summary


The film opens with a striking scene of a two-story white house in the 1960s. Letters flash across the screen, setting the time period, as a vintage car pulls into the driveway. A middle-aged man steps out and rushes to the front door, where a woman answers his anxious knock. He confronts her, demanding to know if she has told anyone about something significant. The woman admits that she mentioned it to her husband because she found the name amusing. Apologizing for his intensity, the man returns to his car, retrieves a shotgun from the backseat, and approaches the door once again. In a panic, the woman slams the door shut, but he retaliates by shooting through it, creating a gaping hole.

The story then shifts to a train at night, as the camera pans to reveal various debris scattered along its path, including a broken picture frame and bloodied clothes. Returning to the middle-aged man, we see him in a living room, having just shot another man who is helplessly trying to crawl away and calls out for his wife. With a chorus of fading train sounds and ephemeral lights flickering across the wall, the man bellows in defiance, “You’re not gonna get me!” before delivering a fatal shot to his victim.

Suddenly, he notices two women outside his window, and when he recognizes them, he pursues them as they flee towards a nearby house. “Who did you tell?!” he bellows in desperation as he follows them inside, leading to a crescendo of gunfire before the scene fades.

Moving to the present day, we meet three college students: Elliott, his girlfriend Sasha, and their friend John, who arrive at a seemingly perfect rental house. They explore the unfurnished rooms, initially feeling excited—though Sasha can’t shake an unsettling feeling about the place. As the evening falls, Elliott and Sasha settle into their bedroom, now furnished, where he works on a paper. Sasha finds a peculiar love letter from him, made from cut-out newspaper letters. When a strange noise catches her attention, she opens the attic door, uncertain, just as the door to their bedroom slams shut, leaving her calling out to Elliott, who is nowhere to be found.

At a party later, Elliott’s niece, Alice, wanders the house, drawn to the eerie sounds of a coin rolling. She opens the attic door and surprisingly encounters a haunting wolf head behind her before running back to the festivities. Disturbed by her discovery, Alice shares her findings with Elliott. Amid the confusion, Elliott discovers a coin and is drawn to the mysterious writing inside an old dresser: “Don’t Say It, Don’t Think It.” This revelation leads him to investigate the legend of The Bye Bye Man.

During a séance led by Kim, a girl whom John is enamored with, the group inadvertently triggers a sinister presence when they utter the name The Bye Bye Man. Darkness envelops them, leaving them shaken. As the night progresses, eerie occurrences torment Elliott and his companions, leading to terrifying realizations about the house’s dark history and its connection to the Bye Bye Man.

As tensions rise, Elliott and Sasha’s relationship strains under the weight of hallucinations and dread, particularly when Elliott grapples with the implications of the Bye Bye Man’s curse. Their search for the house’s origins uncovers a tale of murder and horror connected to the Redmon family, leading Elliott to confront Mrs. Redmon, who reveals her harrowing past with the Bye Bye Man and the consequences of speaking his name.

In a tragic series of events, Elliott’s struggles against this malevolent entity culminate in a harrowing climax marked by hallucinations, desperation, and violent twists. “The cycle must end,” Mrs. Redmon implores, leaving Elliott to confront a nightmarish reality that spirals out of control. Ultimately, Elliott finds himself embroiled in a tragic descent into madness, where he must fight to protect his loved ones from the fate of the Bye Bye Man as the horrifying truth unfolds—a haunting legacy that can’t be easily escaped.

Timeline


Introduction to the House

The film begins with a stunning visual of a two-story white house set in the 1960s. A vintage car arrives, and a middle-aged man urgently approaches the house, creating an air of mystery and tension.

1960s Two-story white house

Confrontation at the Door

The middle-aged man confronts a woman at the door, pressuring her about a significant matter she may have disclosed. When she admits mentioning it to her husband, his escalating panic leads to a violent moment when he retrieves a shotgun and shoots through the door.

1960s Two-story white house

The Train Incident

The setting shifts to a night scene on a train where debris and bloodied clothes lay scattered. The middle-aged man is seen shooting another man, desperately defying him as he delivers a fatal shot amidst eerie train sounds and flickering lights.

1960s Train

Pursuit of the Women

After the violent confrontation, the man notices two women outside and gives chase. His frantic questioning of whom they've confided in heightens the suspense as he breaks into a crescendo of gunfire in an attempt to silence them.

1960s Two-story white house

Introduction of College Students

The narrative shifts to the present day, introducing college students Elliott, Sasha, and John as they excitedly arrive at a seemingly perfect rental house. Their initial thrill is shadowed by Sasha's unease about the place.

Present day Rental house

The Attic Discovery

As the night settles, Elliott and Sasha begin to explore their new home. Sasha finds a disturbing love letter made from newspaper cut-outs, and as she uncovers the attic, she is startled by the sudden slam of their bedroom door, leaving her desperate for Elliott.

Present day Rental house

Alice's Eerie Encounter

At a lively party, Elliott's niece Alice is drawn to strange sounds in the house. Upon opening the attic door, she is shocked by the sight of a haunting wolf head, an encounter that disturbs her and prompts her to seek out Elliott.

Present day Rental house

The Bye Bye Man's Legend

Amidst the growing tension, Elliott finds a coin with cryptic writing saying, 'Don't Say It, Don't Think It.' This discovery leads him down a dark path as he investigates the grim legend of the Bye Bye Man, reflecting the unease spreading through the group.

Present day Rental house

The Séance Gone Awry

During a séance led by Kim, John’s crush, the group inadvertently unleashes a sinister force when they utter the Bye Bye Man's name. The atmosphere thickens with darkness, leaving them all unsettled and gripped by fear.

Present day Rental house

Unraveling the House's Dark History

As strange occurrences escalate, Elliott and his friends delve into the house's sordid past. Their investigation reveals a chilling connection to the Redmon family and the malignant influence of the Bye Bye Man.

Present day Rental house

Mrs. Redmon's Revelation

Elliott confronts Mrs. Redmon, who shares her traumatic history with the Bye Bye Man. Her cautionary tales reveal the dire consequences of speaking his name, adding layers of dread to Elliott's already strained psyche.

Present day Mrs. Redmon’s residence

Climactic Showdown

Elliott faces a harrowing climax as he grapples with hallucinations stemming from the Bye Bye Man's curse. Tension peaks as he fights against this malevolent force to protect his loved ones from the tragic fate that looms over them.

Present day Rental house

A Descent into Madness

As the plot unfolds, Elliott's battle against the Bye Bye Man deepens into a tragic descent into madness. The mounting fear and reality of their predicament culminate in a struggle against the haunting legacy that threatens to consume them.

Present day Rental house

The Cycle Must End

Mrs. Redmon's ominous plea, 'The cycle must end,' resonates deeply with Elliott. As the chilling reality unfolds, he confronts the full weight of the Bye Bye Man's curse, fighting desperately for salvation amid the chaos.

Present day Rental house

Characters


Elliott

Elliott is a college student whose curiosity leads him and his friends into a terrifying adventure. As the story progresses, he wrestles with anxiety and desperation, particularly as he confronts the malevolent Bye Bye Man and its impact on his relationship with Sasha.

👨‍🎓 Student 💔 Relationship Strain 😨 Horror

Sasha

Sasha is Elliott's girlfriend, initially excited about their new home but soon plagued by unease as supernatural events unfold. Her bond with Elliott is tested as they face the escalating terror, showcasing her resilience amidst fear.

👩‍🎓 Love Interest 😟 Anxiety 🌌 Supernatural

John

John is the amiable friend of Elliott, who finds himself drawn to Kim during the events. He plays a crucial role in the group's interactions with the supernatural, leading to the unintended triggering of the Bye Bye Man's curse.

👨‍🎓 Friend 💔 Romance 🧙‍♀️ Seance

Alice

Alice is Elliott’s niece, young and innocent, who unwittingly encounters the sinister presence within the house. Her discovery heightens the tension and foreshadows the horrors that await her family.

👧 Innocence 🎉 Partygoer ⚠️ Eerie Encounter

Mrs. Redmon

Mrs. Redmon is a pivotal character who unveils the dark history connected to the Bye Bye Man. Her tragic past and desperate plea to Elliott underscore the film's themes of legacy and the inescapable nature of fear.

👵 survivor 😢 Tragedy 📖 Storyteller

Setting


Time period

1960s, Present Day

The film opens in the 1960s, providing a backdrop of unsettled tension and dread. The timeline shifts to the present day, where college students unknowingly step into a sinister legacy as they explore their rental house, merging past horrors with contemporary fears.

Location

two-story white house, train, Redmon family house

The two-story white house serves as the primary setting for the film, beginning with a dramatic encounter that sets the tone for the horror to unfold. A train appears in a critical moment, signifying a dark journey filled with loss and terror. The Redmon family house connects the present-day characters to a chilling history that impacts their lives.

🏡 House 🚂 Train 🏚️ Horror

Themes


👻

Fear of the Unknown

The theme of fear of the unknown permeates the narrative, as characters encounter inexplicable events and a lurking malevolence. As Elliott and his friends delve deeper into the mystery of the Bye Bye Man, their terror escalates, reflecting how fear can unravel relationships and lead to madness.

🔮

Consequences of Knowledge

The notion that knowledge brings consequences is critical in the film, particularly regarding the Bye Bye Man's haunting curse. Characters learn that uncovering dark secrets can have fatal implications, emphasizing the idea that some truths are better left undiscovered.

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