Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Anything for Jackson (2020) movie poster

Plot Summary

Anything for Jackson (2020) Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Release, runtime and language
2020 · 97 min · English
Echo score 79
Loading streaming availability…
Directed by
Justin G. Dyck
Starring
Sheila McCarthy, Josh Cruddas, Julian Richings, Claire Cavalheiro, Daxton William Lund, Kaitlyn Leeb
Budget
$250K

A grieving elderly couple, unable to cope with the loss of their grandchild, resort to a disturbing act. They kidnap an expectant mother in a desperate attempt to resurrect their lost loved one through a dangerous and unconventional ritual. As they delve deeper into their misguided plan, a sinister game of life and death ensues, threatening to consume them all and unleashing unforeseen consequences.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 How it ends
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like Anything for Jackson
  7. 7 Every angle
Loading streaming availability…

Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Anything for Jackson: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Anything for Jackson (2020) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Audrey Walsh, portrayed by Sheila McCarthy, along with her husband Henry, played by Julian Richings, embarks on a chilling journey after they kidnap Henry's pregnant patient, Shannon Becker, portrayed by Konstantina Mantelos. They confine Shannon within their home while invoking dark rituals from an ancient grimoire, hoping to transfer the spirit of their deceased grandson, Jackson, into her unborn child. However, their macabre plans take a disastrous turn when instead of Jackson, a malevolent demon is summoned.

As the story unfolds, both Audrey and Henry, alongside Shannon, are tormented by terrifying apparitions that plague their residence. Among these hauntings, Henry encounters a ghost, tormented and grotesque, obsessively flossing until her teeth crumble. In a haunting vision, Audrey glimpses a trick-or-treater in a ghostly guise reminiscent of their late daughter, who tragically ended her own life after Jackson's passing. The nightmare escalates as Shannon is terrorized by a grotesque specter, a man contorted in agony, seemingly suffocating beneath a bag.

Things take a further sinister turn when their intrusive handyman, Yannick Bisson as Rory, arrives to clear the driveway. However, under the influence of the summoned evil, Rory meets a grisly fate, choosing to kill himself in an appalling act by inserting himself into the plow.

As the couple's sinister game spirals out of control, Detective Lanette Ware enters the scene, probing into Shannon's mysterious disappearance. Unbeknownst to them, her investigation leads to the shocking revelation of Shannon's captivity. In a twist of fate, Detective Bellows, while confronting Audrey and Henry, tragically takes her own life, becoming yet another spirit haunting the already cursed home.

Desperate to understand their horrifying situation, Audrey and Henry seek counsel from Josh Cruddas, a fellow member of their cult, only to learn they inadvertently summoned the demon Surgat—a harbinger of tormented souls and chaos. Ian warns the couple that ghosts from purgatory now vie to possess human forms. He claims he can rectify their grave mistake but warns that it will necessitate another life to exchange for Jackson’s return.

When Ian returns to attempt the ritual anew, chaos erupts as cult leader Kaitlyn Leeb warns Henry of Ian's betrayal, claiming he has murdered his mother. The turmoil peaks when Shannon manages to break free, unleashing a cascade of apparitions in the process. In a visceral confrontation, Ian turns violent, stabbing Audrey and inviting Surgat to claim any host it desires. Amidst the fray, a giggling ghost ensnares Ian while Henry’s life is extinguished by another malevolent entity.

In her frantic bid for escape, Shannon encounters a series of spectral figures that threaten her very sanity. Just when all seems lost, the unforgiving visions begin to dissipate as she drives away, leaving her with a shocking realization—her water has broken, heralding new life amidst the haunting turmoil.

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 13:00

Was this helpful?

Plot questions answered

Anything for Jackson Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Anything for Jackson (2020): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why did Audrey and Henry kidnap Shannon?

Audrey and Henry kidnapped Shannon because they were desperate to bring back their deceased grandson, Jackson. Henry, being Shannon's doctor, knew she was pregnant and believed they could perform a ritual to transfer Jackson's spirit into her unborn child. This twisted plan stemmed from their inability to cope with the loss of their grandchild.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the couple is shown grieving deeply for Jackson, establishing their desperation that leads to this terrible decision.

  • audrey walsh
  • henry walsh
  • shannon becker
  • kidnapping
  • grandson jackson
Q2

Why did the ritual summon Surgat instead of Jackson?

The ritual failed because Audrey and Henry made a mistake while invoking the dark arts from the ancient grimoire. Instead of successfully transferring Jackson's spirit, they inadvertently summoned Surgat, a malevolent demon. Josh Cruddas explains that they performed the ritual incorrectly, which is why the wrong entity answered their call.

Foreshadowing: The grimoire they use is described as ancient and dangerous, suggesting the rituals require precise execution that the couple may not have fully understood.

  • surgat
  • demon
  • ritual
  • grimoire
  • jackson walsh
Q3

Why did Rory kill himself with the snowplow?

Rory fell under the influence of the evil entity that Audrey and Henry summoned. The demonic presence corrupted his mind, driving him to commit suicide in a gruesome way by inserting himself into the snowplow. This was one of many violent consequences caused by the summoned demon's malevolent influence spreading beyond the couple's home.

Foreshadowing: The supernatural entities begin tormenting everyone in the house shortly after the ritual, indicating the evil is spreading.

  • rory
  • handyman
  • snowplow
  • suicide
  • possession
Q4

Why did Detective Bellows commit suicide?

Detective Bellows took her own life after confronting Audrey and Henry about Shannon's captivity. The sheer horror of what she discovered in the house, combined with the overwhelming presence of the summoned evil, drove her to suicide. She became yet another spirit added to the collection of ghosts haunting the cursed home.

Foreshadowing: The supernatural forces in the house were actively tormenting all who entered, escalating from apparitions to psychological destruction.

  • detective bellows
  • suicide
  • haunting
  • walsh house
Q5

What is Surgat and what does it want?

Surgat is a demon summoned through the failed ritual, described as a harbinger of chaos and tormented souls. Josh Cruddas explains that Surgat wants to possess human forms, using the spirits from purgatory that are now competing for bodies. The demon invites any entity to claim a host during the violent climax, showing its goal is spreading possession and chaos.

Foreshadowing: The escalating hauntings and violent deaths all stem from Surgat's presence, as ghosts become increasingly aggressive and desperate for embodiment.

  • surgat
  • demon
  • possession
  • purgatory
  • host
Q6

Why did the Walshes' daughter commit suicide?

The Walshes' daughter took her own life after losing Jackson, their grandson. The grief over Jackson's death was so overwhelming that she couldn't cope, leading to her tragic suicide. This additional loss compounded the couple's desperation to bring Jackson back, driving them to their extreme and horrifying plan.

Foreshadowing: Audrey's vision of a trick-or-treater resembling their late daughter serves as a reminder of this earlier tragedy.

  • daughter
  • suicide
  • grief
  • jackson
  • family loss
Q7

What was Ian's betrayal and what happened to Henry's mother?

Ian, a fellow cult member, betrayed Audrey and Henry by murdering Henry's mother. When Ian returns to perform another ritual to fix their mistake, the cult leader Kaitlyn Leeb confronts Henry about this crime. This revelation adds another layer of betrayal and violence to the already chaotic situation, showing Ian's true malicious nature.

Foreshadowing: Ian's initial offer to help seems suspicious, as he claims he can rectify the mistake but warns it will require another life.

  • ian
  • betrayal
  • henry mother
  • murder
  • cult
Q8

Does Shannon's baby survive at the end?

At the end, Shannon escapes and begins driving away from the nightmare. However, she realizes her water has broken, she is going into labor. This creates a deeply ambiguous ending, as the baby is born amid the aftermath of the traumatic supernatural events, leaving uncertain whether the child is normal or affected by the ritual's lingering evil.

Foreshadowing: The entire plot revolves around the attempt to transfer Jackson's spirit into an unborn child, making the final labor moment ironically significant.

  • shannon
  • labor
  • baby
  • ending
  • pregnancy
Q9

Why are there so many ghosts in the house?

The ghosts appear because Surgat, the summoned demon, has opened a gateway between the living world and purgatory. Josh Cruddas warns that ghosts from purgatory are now competing to possess human forms. The multiple hauntings, the flossing woman, the suffocating man, the trick-or-treater, and Detective Bellows, all represent souls trapped in limbo seeking embodiment.

Foreshadowing: The supernatural activity escalates dramatically after the ritual, with each ghost appearing more violently than the last.

  • ghosts
  • purgatory
  • possessions
  • surgat
  • hauntings
Q10

What is the significance of the ghost who obsessively flosses?

Henry encounters a ghost of a woman who is tormented, obsessively flossing until her teeth crumble into dust. This horrifying apparition represents one of the souls trapped in purgatory, suffering eternal torment. The grotesque nature of this ghost exemplifies the chaotic, painful existence of the spirits unleashed by Surgat's presence.

Foreshadowing: The variety of disturbing ghosts foreshadows the escalating spiritual chaos as more souls are drawn to the house.

  • ghost
  • flossing
  • teeth
  • torment
  • purgatory

Ending explained

What Happens at the End of Anything for Jackson?

How Anything for Jackson (2020) ends, in short: the final scene, the last twist and what it means for the characters. The full ending explained, with every spoiler, lives on its own page.

Read the full ending explained

The ending of Anything for Jackson leaves some questions about the fate of Jackson and the nature of the demonic presence, but it offers enough clues to understand what happens. Throughout the film, Jackson’s true fate remains ambiguous—initially seen as a ghostly child, he is pulled away at the moment when Shannon is fleeing, suggesting he was taken or protected by spirits rather than simply transferred into her unborn child. It appears that Jackson was not reborn into Shannon’s fetus; instead, he is likely left as a restless spirit, possibly taken by the devil or spirited away by his own loved ones from the horror of the house.

As Shannon drives away at the end, she sees a strange, demon-like figure cross the road. This creature resembles the devil that had previously inhabited Henry, now free and no longer needing a vessel. The sighting, combined with Shannon clutching her pregnant belly, suggests that her unborn child is safe, and the devil has already returned to Earth without another host. This demonic entity is now an ominous presence, perhaps waiting to wreak havoc in a more gruesome way in the future.

Continue reading the ending (1 more paragraphs)

The director leaves the ending deliberately open to interpretation, but the overarching message echoes the cautionary theme of "be careful what you wish for." The Walsh family's desperate attempt to reunite with their grandson through dark rituals ultimately resulted in unintended consequences—powerful spirits, demons, and the devil himself crossing into the physical world. The tragic outcome highlights how seeking to defy fate by making pacts with malevolent forces can backfire, leaving them as casualties of their own grief and obsession. In the end, while Jackson’s exact fate is uncertain, what is clear is that he remains a restless spirit, and the demonic threat lingers in the shadows, waiting for its next move.

Anything for Jackson ending explained in full

Movie threads

More Movies Like Anything for Jackson, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Anything for Jackson tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Grief horror movies with desperate rituals like Anything for Jackson

When profound loss leads characters to dangerously meddle with dark forces. If you liked the raw grief and dangerous occultism in Anything for Jackson, this list features similar movies where characters, driven by unbearable loss, attempt supernatural resurrections or summonings. These stories blend heavy emotional weight with intense, often chaotic, supernatural horror, creating a uniquely unsettling experience.

  • grief-stricken
  • desperate
  • macabre
  • sinister
  • unsettling
  • tormented
  • Tone: dark, desperate, tragic
  • Pacing: fast, escalating chaos
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins with a catastrophic personal loss that breaks the protagonist. Their grief drives them to seek an unnatural solution, often involving a forbidden ritual or a pact with a dark entity. The story then escalates as the ritual spirals out of control, confronting them with horrors that mirror or amplify their internal suffering, leading to a climactic confrontation with the forces they've unleashed.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a core premise: using horror to externalize the all-consuming nature of grief. They feature similar tones of despair and desperation, fast-paced escalations of supernatural chaos, and a heavy emotional weight that makes the scares feel deeply personal and consequential.

Claustrophobic supernatural siege horror movies like Anything for Jackson

Trapped in a confined space as malevolent supernatural forces close in. Fans of the trapped, chaotic hauntings in Anything for Jackson will enjoy these films centered on a supernatural siege. These movies feature a fast pace, high intensity, and a dark tone, as characters are confined and brutally tested by a parade of escalating ghostly or demonic threats.

  • claustrophobic
  • unsettling
  • chaotic
  • sinister
  • desperate
  • intense
  • Tone: dark, tense, unsettling
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative structure is straightforward: a group or individual becomes trapped in a location that is quickly overtaken by supernatural activity. The story unfolds as a series of escalating attacks or manifestations, wearing down the characters physically and psychologically. There is often a central, flawed reason for the haunting (like a botched ritual) that the characters must uncover or confront to have any hope of survival.

Why they belong together: This grouping is defined by a shared visceral experience: the feeling of being trapped and hunted by an intangible, malevolent force. The movies share a high-intensity, fast-paced vibe, a dark and unsettling tone, and a focus on the chaos and terror of a confined supernatural attack, making the horror immediate and inescapable.

If you liked this

Movies Like Anything for Jackson

Similar movies to Anything for Jackson: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Anything for Jackson (2020) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Anything for Jackson in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app