Bad Things (2023) Spoiler-Free Summary – What It's About

Inheriting her grandmother’s long‑abandoned hotel, Ruthie finds herself drawn into a place that feels alive with memory. The faded corridors and silent rooms whisper of a history that never quite let go, casting a lingering chill over the sprawling property. The hotel itself becomes a character—its creaking floors and lingering shadows suggest that the past is more than just décor, and that the walls may still be listening.

Back in the present, Ruthie arrives with her girlfriend Cal, hoping the weekend will serve as a chance to mend their frayed bond and perhaps lay the groundwork for a new venture. Their relationship is already threaded with quiet anxieties, and the weight of the inheritance forces Ruthie to balance the pull of family legacy with the desire to forge a fresh start. As she navigates the space, she is haunted not only by the building’s atmosphere but also by lingering questions about the woman who raised her.

Joining them are Maddie and Fran, two close friends whose presence adds layers of complexity to the retreat. Old secrets linger beneath polite conversation, and the easy camaraderie of a weekend getaway gradually gives way to unspoken tensions. Each character carries their own baggage—past affairs, unfulfilled ambitions, and the urge to uncover what lies beneath the hotel’s polished veneer. Their interactions flicker between intimacy and rivalry, hinting at deeper wounds that the setting seems to magnify.

The tone of the story is suffused with an unsettling mix of yearning and dread. Reality begins to blur with desire, and the group’s exploration of the hotel’s eerie past mirrors their own internal journeys. As night settles over the decaying grandeur, the characters discover that the true darkness may not be confined to the building itself, but rather in the hidden corners of their own histories and the fragile connections that bind them together.