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Ava (2018) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Ava (2018) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2018 · 102 min · English
Echo score 60
Directed by
Sadaf Foroughi
Starring
Bahar Noohian, Houman Hoursan, Leili Rashidi, Mahour Jabbari, Mona Ghiasi, Parnian Akhtari
Budget
$2.8M

A bright and ambitious teenager living in Tehran faces the challenges of adolescence while navigating a strict, traditional upbringing. As Ava deals with friendships, music, and school, her overbearing mother's intense scrutiny complicates her life. A spark of rebellion emerges as she pushes against the suffocating expectations of her family and society, seeking self-discovery and a sense of empowerment in a restrictive environment.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Characters explained (4)
  2. 2 Where & when it takes place
  3. 3 Themes & meaning (3)
  4. 4 Character & meaning questions
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like Ava
  7. 7 Every angle

4 main characters · contains spoilers

Ava Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Ava (2018), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Ava Faulkner

    Ava is a complicated character, a former soldier turned assassin, grappling with her past life choices and a history of addiction. Throughout the film, she strives for redemption while balancing the violent nature of her career with her desire for connection with her family. Her internal conflicts highlight her emotional depth and resilience in the face of danger.

    • 💼 Assassin
    • 🛡️ Soldier
    • 🌀 Complex
  • Mother

    played by Bahar Noohian

    Ava's mother, Bobbi, represents the emotional anchor of the family, yet her health issues cast a long shadow over their reunion. Her presence serves as a reminder of Ava's past and the family bonds she desperately wishes to mend. Bobbi's condition and the love Ava holds for her create a poignant backdrop to Ava's tumultuous journey.

    • 👩‍👧‍👦 Family
    • 💖 Love
    • 🏥 Illness
  • Duke

    As Ava's former Army superior and handler, Duke embodies the complexities of loyalty and betrayal in the world of covert operations. His misguided decisions land Ava in perilous situations, ultimately leading to his demise. Duke's character serves as a pivotal link between Ava's past life and her tumultuous journey towards freedom.

    • 🔫 Handler
    • 💼 Betrayal
    • ⚖️ Authority
  • Michael

    Ava’s former fiancé, Michael, adds layers of tension and conflict to the narrative. His struggles with debt and his relationship with Ava's sister create a sense of betrayal and unresolved feelings. Michael serves as a reflection of Ava's past, complicating her journey towards redemption.

    • 💔 Love
    • 💵 Debt
    • 🎭 Tension

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:34

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Setting

Where and When Does Ava Take Place?

The setting of Ava (2018): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

The film takes place in a contemporary setting, allowing for the exploration of modern themes such as addiction, redemption, and the effects of past trauma. The timeline includes flashbacks that reveal Ava's earlier life experiences, enhancing the narrative's tension.

Location

France, Boston, Saudi Arabia, Barneville-Carteret, British Columbia

The film traverses multiple significant locations, starting in France, where Ava captures an English businessman. The narrative then shifts to Boston, her estranged family's home, and Saudi Arabia, where she is sent for her next deadly mission. Other noteworthy places include Barneville-Carteret, where Ava confronts her past, and British Columbia, where the looming threat orchestrated by Duke unfolds.

  • 🌍 Locations
  • ✈️ Travel

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:34

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3 major themes

Ava Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Ava (2018) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Redemption

    Ava's journey revolves around her quest for redemption after a troubled past filled with addiction and violence. Throughout the film, she seeks to reconcile her relationships, particularly with her family, while grappling with her own demons. This theme resonates strongly in her decision-making and interactions with others.

  • Survival

    The theme of survival is prominent as Ava navigates through her dangerous line of work as an assassin. Faced with numerous threats, she demonstrates not only physical resilience but also emotional tenacity. Her struggle to survive extends beyond the external challenges she encounters, delving into her internal battles as well.

  • Family Dynamics

    Family dynamics play a crucial role in Ava's life, particularly her relationships with her mother and sister. The film portrays the complexities of reconnecting with loved ones after years of absence. As Ava confronts her past, the emotional stakes rise, highlighting the impact of familial ties on her identity and choices.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:34

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Character & theme questions

Ava Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Ava (2018): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Ava set?

Ava takes place across multiple international locations including France, Boston, Saudi Arabia, Barneville-Carteret, and British Columbia. The story begins in France where Ava captures an English businessman, then shifts to Boston (her estranged family's home), and later to Saudi Arabia for one of her deadly missions.

  • locations
  • setting
  • france
  • boston
  • saudi arabia
  • barneville-carteret
  • british columbia
Q2

What time period does Ava take place in?

Ava is set in contemporary times, allowing the film to explore modern themes like addiction, redemption, and the effects of past trauma. The narrative also includes flashbacks that reveal Ava's earlier life experiences.

  • time period
  • contemporary
  • modern era
  • flashbacks
Q3

What are the main themes in Ava?

The film centers on three major themes: redemption, as Ava struggles to reconcile her troubled past and violent career with her desire for family connection; survival, demonstrated through her dangerous work as an assassin and internal emotional battles; and family dynamics, particularly her complex relationships with her mother and sister after years of estrangement.

  • themes
  • redemption
  • survival
  • family dynamics
  • addiction
  • trauma
Q4

What does Ava say about redemption?

Ava's journey centers on her quest for redemption after a troubled past filled with addiction and violence. Throughout the film, she seeks to mend her relationships with her family while grappling with her own demons, with her redemption theme strongly influencing her decision-making and interactions with others.

  • redemption
  • addiction
  • family
  • forgiveness
  • healing
Q5

How does survival factor into Ava?

Survival is a prominent theme as Ava navigates her dangerous career as an assassin. She faces numerous physical threats, demonstrating both physical resilience and emotional tenacity. Her struggle extends beyond external dangers to include internal battles with her past choices and addiction.

  • survival
  • assassin
  • danger
  • resilience
  • threats
Q6

How does family dynamics shape Ava's story?

Family dynamics play a crucial role in Ava's life, particularly her relationships with her mother Bobbi and sister. The film portrays the complexities of reconnecting with loved ones after years of absence. As Ava confronts her past, the emotional stakes rise, showing how familial ties deeply impact her identity and choices.

  • family
  • mother
  • sister
  • relationships
  • estrangement
  • reconnection
Q7

Who is Ava Faulkner?

Ava Faulkner is the protagonist, a former soldier turned assassin grappling with her past life choices and a history of addiction. She balances the violent nature of her career with a deep desire to reconnect with her family, showcasing emotional depth and resilience throughout her journey toward redemption.

  • ava faulkner
  • protagonist
  • assassin
  • soldier
  • addiction
Q8

Who is Ava's mother in Ava?

Ava's mother Bobbi serves as the emotional anchor of the family, though her health issues cast a shadow over their reunion. Her condition and the love Ava holds for her create a poignant backdrop to Ava's journey, reminding her of the family bonds she desperately wishes to mend.

  • bobbi
  • mother
  • family
  • health issues
Q9

What is Duke's role in Ava?

Duke is Ava's former Army superior and handler, representing the complexities of loyalty and betrayal in covert operations. His misguided decisions place Ava in perilous situations, ultimately leading to his demise. Duke serves as a crucial link between Ava's past life as a soldier and her current turbulent journey.

  • duke
  • army
  • handler
  • betrayal
  • former superior
Q10

Who is Michael in Ava?

Michael is Ava's former fiancé, whose struggles with debt and relationship with Ava's sister create tension and feelings of betrayal. He serves as a reflection of Ava's complicated past, complicating her path toward redemption and family reconnection.

  • michael
  • fiancé
  • debt
  • sister
  • betrayal
Q11

What is the emotional tone of Ava?

Ava carries a consistently heavy emotional weight, dealing with themes of addiction, estrangement, and the psychological toll of assassination. The narrative is devoid of levity, focusing instead on tension, moral conflict, and the grim reality of a killer seeking redemption. The atmosphere remains gripping and anxious throughout.

  • tone
  • emotional weight
  • tension
  • moral conflict
  • psychological

Movie threads

More Movies Like Ava, by Mood & Story

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

Thrillers About Betrayed Assassins Like Ava

High-stakes thrillers about isolated agents navigating treacherous loyalties. If you liked the high-stakes tension and themes of betrayal in Ava, explore more movies about lone operatives fighting for survival in a treacherous world. These films feature skilled assassins, tense action, and stories where trust is a liability and every ally could be an enemy.

  • tense
  • gritty
  • paranoid
  • brutal
  • isolated
  • high-stakes
  • Tone: tense, paranoid, gritty
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories typically follow a protagonist who is the best at their violent job but becomes a target themselves. The plot is a fast-paced cat-and-mouse game, forcing the character to use all their skills not for a mission, but for personal survival. The journey is one of isolation, as they discover the organization they served is now their greatest threat.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on a lone wolf protagonist in a morally grey world, the constant tension of not knowing who to trust, and the fast-paced, high-intensity action that drives the narrative forward toward a resolution that often comes at a great personal cost.

Movies With Bleak Redemption Stories Like Ava

Characters haunted by past sins seek meaning through violent, necessary acts. Fans of Ava's heavy emotional weight and bittersweet ending will appreciate these films about damaged characters on a grim path to redemption. These stories explore moral conflict, the psychological toll of violence, and the sacrifice required for a chance at absolution.

  • melancholic
  • redemptive
  • anxious
  • brutal
  • dysfunctional family
  • moral conflict
  • Tone: tense, melancholic, bittersweet
  • Pacing: fast, driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a character whose life has been defined by their flaws or profession. A new threat or responsibility forces them to confront their past one last time. Their redemption is earned through extreme sacrifice and violence, ultimately leading to a bittersweet or bleak ending where they may save others but remain trapped by their own history.

Why they belong together: This thread connects films through their exploration of a specific, gritty redemption arc. The shared elements include a heavy emotional weight, themes of addiction or psychological trauma, a tense and fast-paced narrative, and a conclusively bittersweet ending where victory is morally ambiguous and personally costly.

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Movies Like Ava

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

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Every angle

Ava (2018) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Ava 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.

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