Chances are you probably haven't seen this movie, which sucks since this post is going to spoil it for you. This is a dark movie with a strong gravitational force that slowly pulls you in. It's a slow burn kind of a thriller with the story unraveling through different points in time. I'm going to attempt the cover the movie, but do watch it.
The start of the movie is almost indescribable. In short, it has obese elderly woman dancing in band outfits. Since I had to re-watch this movie a second time, it didn't feel as traumatic is it did the first time. So while the credits are rolling the woman are dancing don't look away. When the credits and dancing ends, we find out that its an art show hosted by this lady, Susan Morrow.
Susan is an art director at a failing gallery. Susan goes home and the next morning we see her husband, Hutton, in the kitchen. He did not show up for the art experience last night. Clearly obvious this man does not care about his wife's occupation. Susan reminds him that they could go somewhere for the weekend but he tells her that he is working on a very serious deal and needs to catch a flight. Susan is going to be alone for the weekend. She can't sleep and is awake through the night.
When she makes it the office her assistant brings her a package that came in for her. It's a book from her ex-husband. It has been 20 years since they seperated. As she opens it she gets a paper cut, a prelude that reading this book is going to hurt. The book is dedicated to her.
At home she starts reading the book and it starts with a family of three. Tony, Laura, and their teenage daughter India, going on a road trip in a car that the dad worked on. They are going across West Texas. On the road they get run off by 3 men. These men force Tony out of the car, two of the men get in his car and drive off with his wife and daughter. A third man forces Tony into his car and tells him to drive. They drive off road and down a trail. The man forces Tony out of the car and leaves him there.
We are soon teleported out of the book and into Laura's world. We see her flashbacks of her and her ex-husband, Edward. The same actor that plays Tony also plays Edward which links these two worlds together.
We see them run into each other in New York which leads to a dinner date. During the date Edward is shown to be a sensitive, caring, and thoughtful guy. He is trying to make it as a writer. Turns out they were childhood friends who crushed on each other but nothing happened then. When they were both children, Susan's parents looked out for Edward after his father past away.
Fast forward some amount of time and we have another flashback, this time with Susan and her mother. Edward and Susan have been together for a while and things are heading towards marriage. Susan's mother tells her not to do it. Susan comes from a life of privilege and luxury, and Edward does not. To Susan's mom, her daughter will come to resent Edward for not giving her the lifes shes accustomed to, and for being too sensitive and soft. Susan's mom wants her to marry her equal, to her Edward is not him. It would only bring misery and she doesn't want that for either of them.
Jumping back into Susan reading the book. Tony is able to get to a house where he calls the cops and the next morning he is assisted by a detective, Bobby. He asks him questions about what happened, but what he's basically asking is how he could let these men get away with taking his family. Why didn't he do anything? Why was he so helpless? Tony can't find the words to express himself and doesn't know why he let it happen.
We find out that Tony's wife and daughter were brutally murdered and raped. Their bodies dumped in a garbage site. Susan suddenly dissociates with the story and we come back in her life. She calls her daughter, whom she has with Hutton. Her daughter picks up and asks her if everything is alright and notes that she sounds different. Both daughters have long red hair.
Some scenes later, Susan and Hutton are talking with each other on a phone. Hutton is in the elevator with some lady who is holding his arm. He's having an affair. Susan is suspicious and on some level she knows. Later on she emails Edward wanting to meet up with him. Edward replies back asking her to name the time and place.
Back into the book, we find Officer Bobby catching one of the three guys. second guy died in a shooting with the police in a botched robbery. The third guy is at large. But Bobby is going to figure how to get the third guy using the one he caught.
Another flashback, Susan meets Hutton for the first time. She is awestruck by how handsome he is. Jump to a scene from 20 years ago while Susan and Edward are still married. Susan is in their living room reading a book Edward wrote. She finds her mind wandering while reading and tells Edward about it. Edward is frustrated that Susan did not have anything positive to say her about the book. Susan also says that maybe Edward should go back to school to get an education in something else. This breaks his heart, being a writer is the only profession he sees himself in. Jump to another scene here they are in a heated argument in an alley way. The marriage is on the rocks. Susan says something that makes Edward think she is calling him weak. Susan insists that's not what she meant. She then tells him she is not happy.
Back into the book, Bobby catches the third guy, Ray. They press charges against the men. Due to some office politics in the police force. The charges against Ray are going to be dropped. Bobby and Tony meet up in a diner, Bobby shares the news about Ray and that he is suffering from metastasized cancer. Bobby asks Tony how serious he is about justice and Tony tells him that he is willing to do anything it takes.
Jump to a scene where Bobby drags Ray out of his trailer and the third man into a house. Under the pretense that the men are charged. He removes the handcuffs from both men and gives Tony his gun. Tony can't bring himself to shoot them. Bobby suffering from cancer finds him self throwing up, and Ray uses this opportunity to push Tony and run out of the shed. Both get out but Bobby gets a second wind and grabs the gun from Tony's hand and shoots the third guy in the back.
Tony can't believe he let them get away again. He's on the ground asking himself why he can't do it. What is stopping him from hurting these guys? He's crying and losing his shit. Bobby gives him the gun and tells him to follow Ray in Bobby's car. Bobby is going to call backup and that they will be on the way soon. It's after sunset and darkness is setting in fast.
Tony follows Ray's path and finds a trailer. Ray is inside lying on a bed. Bobby points the gun at Ray. Orders him to get up, soon the cops will be on their way. Ray thinks Tony is lying. He tells Tony he raped his wife and daughter, and the reason he got away with it is because Tony is weak. As soon has Tony hears the work weak he shoots Ray in the shoulder. Ray takes a step towards him and swings at him with a fire poker he hid behind him when standing up from the bed. He lands one blow across Tony's face, slashing his eyes. Screen turns black and Tony loses consciousness. Tony wakes up in the morning with Ray's body next to him. Bobby and the police officers never showed up. He stumbles out of the trailer and shoots a shot in the sky as a signal. He walks a few more steps, trips, and shoots himself. The book ends.
Back into Susan's memories. Susan is in a car with Hutton. Susan asks herself what she's done, and Hutton holds her and tells her that Edward will never know. As they are holding each other inside the car, Susan sees Edward outside, he's looking directly at them. They are outside an abortion clinic.
The night before Susan and Edward are to meet up with each other, Susan remembers the intimate moments she had with Edward. She fantasizes about sleeping with him again. The following day Susan gets ready and heads to the restaurant to meet up Edward. Susan waits for what seems like hours, Edward never shows up. The movie ends with a close up of Susan's face as the reality of her life sinks in. Unfulfilled and unloved.
... that was a lot of writing.
Never thought I would see an actor play a role inside of another role but here we are. What Tony felt about the loss of his family is what Edward felt through the abortion. Both men being too weak to stop what happened to them.
Edward's book is an act of vengenace. He found a way to express himself finally. Channeling his pain of losing his future in the most brutal way.