As You Are (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Tom caught Jack, Mark, and Sarah watching pornography together one night. This triggered Tom's violent reaction, and he subsequently moved Mark and Jack out of Karen's house. The incident marked a turning point that devastated Jack, who had romantic feelings for Mark.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Tom had shown his gun collection to the kids and demonstrated controlling behavior, hinting at his volatile nature.

• tom
• jack
• mark
• pornography
• moved out
• house

Their relationship evolved gradually. Initially, they were platonic friends who formed a trio with Sarah. A turning point came when Jack revealed he had never kissed anyone, and Mark offered to teach him. They shared their first kiss, and later reconnected in private where Mark hinted at deeper feelings, leading to a passionate kiss that complicated their bond.

Foreshadowing: The boys had been growing closer throughout the film, sharing a room and experimenting with drugs together.

• jack
• mark
• kiss
• romance
• relationship

After Tom caught the three teens watching pornography and moved the boys out of Karen's house, Mark left school. He began hanging out with a delinquent crowd, signaling a downward spiral separate from his previous life with Jack and Sarah.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Jack witnessed Tom physically abusing Mark over a minor incident, foreshadowing Mark's break from his previous environment.

• mark
• school
• delinquent
• dropped out

The skate park incident becomes the focal point of the police investigation, though the summary doesn't detail exactly what occurred there. During interrogation, the detective pressures Jack and Sarah to reveal what happened that night. Sarah faces legal pressure to testify about what she witnessed, suggesting the event is connected to the ultimate tragedy in the woods.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with a flashback of battered Mark in the woods with Jack and a gunshot, which the investigation seeks to explain.

• skate park
• investigation
• interrogation
• sarah

Tom revealed plans for Jack to join the Marines without Karen's knowledge. This plan enraged Karen, who clashed with Tom over parenting decisions and boundaries. The tension over Jack's future highlighted Tom's attempts to assert control over the family, contrasting with the boys' own desires.

Foreshadowing: Tom had already begun asserting control over the household from the moment he moved in, foreshadowing this conflict.

• tom
• marines
• army
• karen
• control

Tom physically abused Mark over minor incidents. Jack witnessed one such episode where Tom beat Mark, an experience that foreshadowed the mounting tension in the household. This abuse occurred within the context of Tom's controlling behavior over the blended family.

Foreshadowing: Tom's gun collection and his assertion of control over the boys set the stage for his violent tendencies.

• tom
• mark
• abuse
• violence
• father

In the final flashback, Mark arrived at Jack's house with a battered face and revealed he wished he were a girl. This confession suggests Mark was struggling with his gender identity, adding another layer to his emotional turmoil and complicated relationship with Jack.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, their relationship had been marked by confusion and secret romantic feelings, reflecting deeper identity struggles.

• mark
• gender identity
• girl
• wish
• confused

In the final flashback, Mark and Jack took Tom's guns and wandered into the woods where they had spent time together as teenagers. A single gunshot is heard as Jack runs from the woods screaming for help. The ending remains deliberately ambiguous - it's unclear whether Mark took his own life or if Jack fired the fatal shot, leaving the ultimate fate unresolved.

Foreshadowing: The film opened with this same wooded area and a gunshot, creating a circular structure that frames the investigation.

• woods
• gunshot
• ending
• ambiguous
• suicide
• jack
• mark

Sarah faced legal pressure to reveal what she witnessed at the skate park, which became the focal point of the detective's investigation. Her testimony was crucial to uncovering the truth about what happened the night of the tragedy.

Foreshadowing: The skate park had been established as a key location where the trio spent time together, making Sarah a potential witness.

• sarah
• testimony
• interrogation
• legal
• skate park

Jack had evident romantic feelings for Mark, which drove much of his emotional turmoil throughout the film. When Tom moved Mark out of the house, it devastated Jack. Their secret romantic relationship added complexity to their dynamic, especially as Mark struggled with his own feelings and identity. Jack's inability to protect Mark or be with him contributed to the emotional weight of the final tragedy.

Foreshadowing: From their first meeting, Jack and Mark formed an inseparable bond that exceeded typical friendship.

• jack
• mark
• feelings
• love
• emotional