Abracadabra

Abracadabra

Year: 2017

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: Spanish

Director: Pablo Berger

Comedy

A housewife struggles with her husband after he is possessed by a ghost.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Abracadabra (2017)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Abracadabra (2017). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 20th century

The narrative unfolds between present-day late 20th-century Spain and a backstory set in 1983. A key cultural marker is the 1980s–early 1990s atmosphere, underscored by the club scene’s era-appropriate soundtrack. The period texture anchors the film’s blend of psychological drama and supernatural elements.

Location

Spain

Set in modern urban Spain, the story moves through a family wedding, a club, and a restaurant where tension erupts. The city’s everyday venues ground a supernatural thriller, contrasting domestic life with danger and otherworldly interference. The settings emphasize intimate spaces where private fears spill into public moments.

🏙️ Urban Spain 🎭 Contemporary drama

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:54

Main Characters – Abracadabra (2017)

Meet the key characters of Abracadabra (2017), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Carmen (Maribel Verdú)

Carmen is the abused wife who experiences a dramatic transformation as Carlos’s personality splits into two. Her arc follows her growing suspicion of the benevolent alter-ego and her determination to protect her daughter. The ending signals she chooses self-preservation and a chance for a safer life.

💔 Abusive relationship 🧠 Duality 🎭 Drama

Carlos (Antonio de la Torre)

An emotionally abusive husband whose character fractures into Tito's charismatic host when hypnotized. The split reveals the harm of neglect and the fragility of identity under external influence. His alternating personas drive the danger and test Carmen’s resolve.

💔 Domestic abuse 🧠 Duality 🎭 Drama

Pepe (José Mota)

A supermarket security guard and amateur hypnotist who teams with Carmen and Dr. Fumetti to uncover the truth behind the possession. He guides the group through mind journeys and orchestrates the climactic mind-dive that exposes Tito’s spirit. He embodies curiosity, pragmatism, and courage in the face of the uncanny.

🧠 Hypnosis 🎭 Drama

Dr. Fumetti (Josep Maria Pou)

An odontologist and hypnotism teacher who provides scientific context for the haunting. He participates in the séance, helping translate the supernatural events into a rational framework. His involvement anchors the investigation and highlights the clash between science and spirit.

🧪 Science 💡 Insight

Tito (Quim Gutiérrez)

The dead dancing prodigy whose spirit intermittently possesses Carlos, delivering dazzling performance on the dance floor and deadly visions off it. Tito’s memory and longing complicate the struggle for control and fuel Carmen’s dilemma. His presence intensifies the tension during the film’s signature club scene.

💃 Dance 👻 Possession

Toñi (Priscilla Delgado)

Carmen's teenage daughter who witnesses the family’s upheaval. She embodies the vulnerable side of the supernatural events and the stakes of Carmen’s choice. Her perspective grounds the drama in real-world consequences for the family.

👧 Family 🌟 Teen

Mariano (Saturnino García)

An elderly man who becomes the vessel for the séance and the dead spirit. He offers a living conduit for Tito’s haunting and symbolizes the risks of ritual intervention on aging bodies. His role is pivotal in the film’s climactic spiritual confrontation.

👴 Elder 🕯️ Ritual

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:54

Major Themes – Abracadabra (2017)

Explore the central themes of Abracadabra (2017), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Duality

Two personalities inhabit one body: Carlos's abusive husband persona and Tito's charismatic dancer spirit. The film explores how trauma and memory shape identity and how masks can hide dangerous truths. Hypnosis and spiritual possession blur the lines between science and the supernatural, forcing Carmen to navigate competing loyalties.

👻 Possession

A dead dancer's spirit forges a link with Carlos after a failed hypnosis, leading to dangerous possession within the living body. The séance scenes and mind-dive sequences reveal the persistence of unresolved violence and the fear it creates. The boundary between the seen and unseen drives the tension and raises questions of consent and control.

🕊️ Choice

Carmen’s decisions propel the story toward a moral confrontation: protect her daughter and herself while breaking free from a destructive relationship. The film frames love as a risky negotiation between devotion and autonomy. Her ultimate act—balancing compassion with self-preservation—defines the ending.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:54

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Narrative Summary

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Why These Movies?

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Unlock the Full Story of Abracadabra

Don't stop at just watching — explore Abracadabra in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Abracadabra is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Abracadabra Summary

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Abracadabra Summary

Abracadabra Timeline

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Abracadabra Timeline

Abracadabra Spoiler-Free Summary

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Abracadabra Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Abracadabra

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