Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Bokeh (2017) movie poster

Plot Summary

Bokeh (2017) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 92 min · English
JustWatch #23,005 6
Directed by
Andrew Sullivan, Geoffrey Orthwein

After a mysterious event wipes out all other people, a young couple finds themselves isolated in Iceland. Stranded and facing an unsettling silence, they must explore the eerie, deserted landscape and search for answers about the sudden disappearance of humanity. As they attempt to survive, they confront the unsettling mystery behind the apocalyptic phenomenon and the challenges of a world without others.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Bokeh
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Bokeh (2017)

Where can you watch Bokeh? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on fuboTV, Pluto TV and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

Streaming availability powered by JustWatch

Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Bokeh: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Bokeh (2017) 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.

The story follows a couple, Jenai and Riley, as they embark on a journey filled with adventure and unexpected twists. While traveling through the stunning landscapes, they find themselves taking a peaceful nap on a bus. Upon waking, Riley eagerly begins capturing the beauty around them with his camera. Once they arrive at their hotel, they settle in and venture out to explore.

Their exploration leads them to various activities, with Riley continuously snapping photos, reflecting his passion for photography. At one point, they stop for a meal and discuss the challenge of finding film for his camera. They subsequently visit a church where they engage with the Pastor, who shares captivating stories about Iceland's rich history. Later, as part of a tour group, they trek up to a majestic waterfall, basking in the joy of being together.

However, the mood shifts dramatically in the middle of the night when Jenai wakes to a mysterious bright light illuminating the sky. Confused, she gazes out the window, trying to comprehend this strange phenomenon. The next morning, they discover that their hotel offers no breakfast, prompting them to explore the seemingly deserted streets.

As they wander, they start to call out for anyone who might respond, but their voices echo back in silence. Their search leads them into buildings, where they find nobody. With growing unease, they try reaching their families, but their calls go unanswered. Eventually, they end up in a restaurant where the news channels are strangely inactive, heightening their anxiety. They return to their hotel room, investigating the internet only to encounter outdated information.

The couple continues their search for other people, discovering a parked car left running in the middle of the road, which they decide to take. As Jenai grapples with the idea that they might be experiencing the rapture, they return to their hotel room and resign themselves to sleep.

The following day unfolds with Riley attempting to rouse Jenai, who is reluctant to wake. They spend their time contemplating the strange events and express their escalating concerns about the possibility of an apocalypse. In an effort to reassure Jenai, Riley urges her that this isn't the end. Eventually, they make their way to a grocery store, filling their carts with provisions, and later find solace in a new three-story home.

With time passing, they enjoy playful moments together, take a trip to the countryside, and engage in intimate experiences by a secluded mountain pool. Their playful antics extend to a grocery store escapade, where a mishap results in Riley injuring himself. This incident leads to tension between them when Jenai expresses her frustration, pushing for Riley to be more cautious.

The couple's dynamic shifts when Jenai's anxiety about dwindling resources clashes with Riley's carefree attitude about their food supplies. As they navigate these challenges, their trips yield little success in finding others. They make a weekend getaway to the mountains, where they encounter Nils, a man in desperate need. They provide him food and comfort, but their hopes are dashed when Nils sadly passes away, leaving Jenai to wonder about the meaning of life in such isolation.

Motivated by a desire to seek others, Jenai begins marking houses with red tape, and while back in the city, she receives a poignant message from Riley but feels let down. Riley, unaware of her distress, continues working on their water pump, finally achieving success. He discovers his developed photos but grows anxious when noticing Jenai's missing sweater outside.

In a rush of concern, Riley realizes something is amiss. Tragically, he discovers Jenai has taken her own life at the mountain pool. Grief-stricken, he attempts to rescue her, but despair overwhelms him. In a fit of anguish, Riley struggles with his emotions, teetering between life and death. Ultimately, he drives away from the scene, leaving behind a horror that echoes the stark reality of their isolation, as the water finally flows freely into their home.

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 20:48

Was this helpful?

Plot questions answered

Bokeh Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Bokeh (2017): 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 Jenai commit suicide in the film?

Jenai's suicide was caused by the overwhelming psychological toll of isolation and existential despair. After months of being the only two people left in the world, with no communication from family, no hope of finding others, and facing dwindling resources, she reached a breaking point. Riley's discovery of her sweater by the mountain pool suggests she went there to be alone one last time before taking her own life. The film portrays this as the tragic consequence of prolonged isolation and hopelessness in a world stripped of meaning.

Foreshadowing: Earlier moments show Jenai expressing anxiety about dwindling supplies and questioning the meaning of life after meeting Nils, who died in their care.

  • jenai suicide
  • ending explained
  • isolation
  • despair
  • suicide scene
Q2

What caused everyone to disappear?

The film never explains what happened to the other people in Iceland. The mysterious light that Jenai sees on the night of the disappearance is the only hint at something unnatural occurring, but the film deliberately leaves this ambiguous. The couple searches for other survivors but never finds any, leading them to speculate about phenomena like the rapture. The focus remains on their emotional journey rather than explaining the apocalyptic event itself.

Foreshadowing: The mysterious bright light that illuminates the sky the night before they discover everyone is gone serves as the only narrative hint.

  • disappearance
  • apocalypse
  • rapture
  • people gone
  • iceland empty
Q3

What was the mysterious light in the sky?

The mysterious light appears on the night when everyone else disappears, but the film never explains what it was. Jenai wakes to see a bright light illuminating the sky and stares at it in confusion. By the next morning, they discover that everyone in Iceland has vanished. The light serves as a symbolic marker of the moment the world changed, though its exact nature remains intentionally unexplained.

Foreshadowing: The light appears exactly on the night of the disappearance, making it the only clue to the apocalyptic event.

  • bright light
  • night sky
  • apocalypse
  • disappearance sign
Q4

Why did Jenai start marking houses with red tape?

Jenai began marking houses with red tape as a way to signal to other potential survivors that someone had been there. This was her attempt to actively search for other people beyond their immediate surroundings. She hoped that by leaving visible markers, any other survivors in the area would know they weren't alone and could find their way to them. The act represents her continued need for human connection and her refusal to accept permanent isolation.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, they repeatedly search for others but find no one, driving Jenai to take a more deliberate approach to finding survivors.

  • red tape
  • marking houses
  • search for survivors
  • signal
Q5

What caused the tension between Jenai and Riley?

The tension between Jenai and Riley stemmed from their differing responses to the crisis. Jenai became increasingly anxious about their survival, worried about dwindling resources and the lack of other people. Riley, meanwhile, remained more carefree and laid-back about their situation. This clash became especially apparent when Riley injured himself during a playful moment at the grocery store, and Jenai's frustration boiled over, pushing for him to be more cautious. Their fundamental disagreement about how to handle their circumstances created growing distance between them.

Foreshadowing: Early signs appear when Jenai expresses concern about finding film for Riley's camera, showing her focus on practical concerns versus his more idealistic interests.

  • relationship tension
  • arguments
  • survival conflict
  • different coping styles
Q6

What happened to the man they met in the mountains?

The man they encountered in the mountains was named Nils. After providing him food and comfort, the couple's hopes of having another person to share their isolation with were crushed when Nils unfortunately passed away. This event deeply affects Jenai, who questions the meaning of life and why they bothered helping someone only to lose them. Nils's death represents another devastating loss in a world where human connection has become impossibly rare and fragile.

Foreshadowing: The encounter happens during their weekend getaway to the mountains, where they explicitly seek out others.

  • nils
  • mountain man
  • death
  • loss
  • companion
Q7

Why didn't Jenai and Riley try to leave Iceland?

The film doesn't explicitly address why they didn't try to leave Iceland, but several factors likely contributed. They were tourists in a foreign country, likely without access to planes or boats given that transportation systems would have been affected by whatever caused everyone's disappearance. Additionally, their slow acclimation to the new reality and Riley's focus on daily projects like the water pump kept them grounded. The film prioritizes their internal journey over practical survival logistics.

Foreshadowing: Early on, they find a running car but choose to stay in the area rather than attempt to reach an airport or port.

  • escape
  • leave iceland
  • transportation
  • flight
Q8

What was the significance of Riley's water pump project?

Riley's water pump project represents his attempt to create a sense of normalcy and purpose in their isolated existence. He works on fixing the pump at their new home, finally achieving success just before discovering Jenai's body. The pump symbolizes his hope for building a sustainable future together, making his discovery of Jenai's suicide even more devastating, the success of his project contrasts tragically with the failure of their relationship to survive the psychological strain of isolation.

Foreshadowing: Riley's dedication to the pump is shown throughout their time in the new home, representing his coping mechanism.

  • water pump
  • home improvement
  • project
  • survival fix
Q9

What happens at the end of the movie?

At the end of the film, Riley discovers Jenai's body at the mountain pool where they had previously shared intimate moments. Grief-stricken, he attempts to rescue her but is too late. Overcome with anguish, he struggles emotionally, teetering between life and death himself. Ultimately, he drives away from the scene, leaving behind the horror of his loss. The film ends with the water finally flowing freely into their home, a bittersweet completion of the project he had been working on, now completely meaningless without Jenai.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes at the mountain pool show their happiest, most intimate moments together, making the location's use for her death devastatingly meaningful.

  • ending explained
  • final scene
  • death mountain pool
  • water flowing
Q10

What did Jenai mean about the rapture?

When Jenai wonders if they are experiencing the rapture, she is referring to the Christian belief that believers will be taken up to heaven before a period of tribulation. Finding everyone else gone with no bodies or explanations leads her to consider whether people were simply taken rather than killed. This reflects her desperate search for meaning in the face of an inexplicable event. Riley's response, that this isn't the end, offers temporary comfort but ultimately proves wrong as no divine explanation arrives.

Foreshadowing: The rapture speculation occurs shortly after finding the car running with no driver, deepening the mystery of the disappearance.

  • rapture
  • christian belief
  • disappearance explanation
  • religion
Q11

What is the main theme of Bokeh?

The main theme of Bokeh is the psychological toll of absolute isolation and the search for meaning in a world that has lost all connection. The film explores how the absence of other people affects identity, purpose, and relationships. It examines the fragility of human bonds when there is no larger society to sustain them, culminating in the devastating reality that love alone cannot overcome existential despair. The bleak ending suggests that without hope or community, even the strongest relationships can collapse under the weight of complete isolation.

Foreshadowing: The progression from playful early moments to increasing tension and eventually suicide shows the theme of isolation destroying meaning.

  • themes
  • isolation
  • meaninglessness
  • loneliness
  • apocalypse theme

Movie threads

More Movies Like Bokeh, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about post-apocalyptic isolation like Bokeh

A slow and somber look at the psychological toll of being the last survivors. For viewers who liked the lonely, meditative atmosphere of Bokeh. This collection features similar sci-fi and drama movies where characters confront existential dread and the emotional weight of being seemingly alone in the world after a cataclysm.

  • lonely
  • somber
  • desolate
  • meditative
  • anxious
  • oppressive
  • Tone: melancholic, bleak
  • Pacing: slow, meditative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically begin after a mysterious, off-screen catastrophe has wiped out humanity. The narrative follows a small group, often a couple, as they navigate an eerily silent world. The central conflict is internal, pitting the instinct to survive against the crushing weight of loneliness and the search for a reason to continue.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on the 'aftermath' experience—the stillness, the grief, and the slow-burn psychological decay that occurs when society vanishes. They prioritize mood and emotional resonance over complex plotting or high-stakes action.

Slow-burn movies with bleak endings like Bokeh

Stories where a grim situation gradually erodes hope, leading to a tragic conclusion. If you appreciated the slow, methodical pacing and devastating conclusion of Bokeh, this thread collects similar films. These are character-driven stories where the narrative builds quietly towards an emotionally heavy and ultimately tragic finale.

  • somber
  • tragic
  • meditative
  • desolate
  • heavy
  • unsettling
  • Tone: melancholic, tragic
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern is defined by its pacing and emotional arc. The story unfolds slowly, often in a confined or limited setting, focusing on the psychological state of the characters. There is a palpable sense of inevitability as initial coping mechanisms fail and circumstances—or internal flaws—lead inexorably to a bleak and unambiguous ending.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their commitment to a slow, atmospheric build-up and a conclusively sad or tragic ending. They share a meditative, often melancholic tone and use their pacing to deepen the emotional impact of the characters' downfall.

If you liked this

Movies Like Bokeh

Similar movies to Bokeh: 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

Bokeh (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Bokeh in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning 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