Closer to God

Closer to God

Year: 2014

Runtime: 81 mins

Language: English

Director: Billy Senese

HorrorThriller

A pioneering scientist achieves a groundbreaking feat by successfully cloning a human being. However, his team's preparations are thrown into disarray when the news of this revolutionary development becomes public prematurely, leading to unforeseen and complicated consequences.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Closer to God (2014)

Trace every key event in Closer to God (2014) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Birth of Elizabeth, the first of her kind

Dr. Victor Reed delivers Elizabeth, the first infant of her kind, to the world from the hospital lab. He cryptically announces the breakthrough to the public, refusing to name anyone involved beyond himself and resisting framing Elizabeth as a normal child. The public reaction mixes awe with controversy as the media questions ethics and safety.

Hospital laboratory (locked floor)
2

Public announcement and media backlash

Reed makes a reluctant public reveal of the cloning breakthrough, triggering a fevered media onslaught. Religious conservatives decry the work as an affront to God and nature, while others see potential medical promise. The debate grows loud and personal, prefiguring official scrutiny.

Public arena / media sphere
3

Government authorities move toward charges

Following the uproar, government officials initiate criminal charges against Reed for his actions. The case intensifies public debate about safety, ethics, and the legitimacy of private laboratories within medical institutions. Reed remains cryptic, insisting on accountability only to his own standards.

Public/government arena
4

Elizabeth relocated to the gated estate

To shield the baby, Reed moves Elizabeth from the hospital lab to his gated country estate. Claire, Reed's wife, is fed up with his relentless work and neglect of family life, hinting at deeper strains in their marriage. The move marks a shift from public scrutiny to a more private, tense home life.

Victor Reed's gated country estate
5

Tension at home escalates

The household fractures under pressure: Claire's resentment grows as Reed's obsession dominates family time and care for Elizabeth. Their two preschool daughters sense the strain, adding to the emotional toll. The situation deepens the moral stakes of Reed's pursuit.

Estate home
6

Laura raises safety and ethics concerns

Laura, the lab assistant, voices serious concerns about safety and the ethics of the project. Her warnings go unheeded at first, but news leaks begin to spread, drawing more scrutiny and protests. The tension between scientific ambition and ethical boundaries becomes more public.

Hospital lab
7

Ethan: the older, ominous clone

The couple Mary and Richard care for an older child—an aborted predecessor cloning attempt—kept away from the main building. Ethan embodies the perils of hubris and the unforeseen consequences of their experiments. He remains largely unseen, a looming threat in barred quarters.

Barred quarters of the estate
8

Confinement and concealment deepen

Ethan is kept in barred quarters, isolated from others, locked away from the main house. The secret keeps leaking, fueling anxiety among staff and family. The presence of a violent, hidden clone adds a chilling layer to the unfolding drama.

Hidden wing / barred quarters
9

Protests mount as danger emerges

Protests around the estate intensify the pressure on Reed and his project. The hidden danger behind the doors begins to erupt, setting the stage for a dramatic confrontation. Public fear and curiosity collide with Reed's stubborn resolve.

Estate and surrounding area
10

Ethan escapes and rampages

The older clone, now violent and distorted, breaks free from confinement and wreaks havoc across the estate. The chaos forces Reed to confront the grim ethical price of his scientific pursuit. Law enforcement closes in as the situation spirals out of control.

Estate grounds
11

Climax: moral lines blur

As law enforcement tightens its grip, the line between discovery and responsibility becomes increasingly blurred. Reed faces the consequences of pushing life beyond natural bounds. The family is drawn into a collapsing moral universe as fear overrides trust.

Estate / surrounding countryside
12

Aftermath: questions about science and humanity

The story closes with lingering questions about the limits of scientific ambition, the duties of a parent, and what it means to play God. The family contemplates safety, faith, and the boundary between curiosity and humanity. Viewers are left to ponder how far science should go.

Home / estate

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 10:35

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Science Gone Wrong Thrillers Like Closer to God

Stories where a revolutionary discovery leads to unforeseen and catastrophic consequences.If you liked the ethical tensions and tragic fallout in Closer to God, explore these movies about scientific hubris. These films feature scientists facing the dire consequences of their breakthroughs, blending high-stakes drama with unsettling horror and thriller elements.

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Narrative Summary

These narratives typically follow a linear path from a moment of breakthrough triumph into a spiral of escalating crises. The central conflict arises from the creator's failure to anticipate the moral and practical ramifications of their work, often pitting them against public outrage, corporate interference, or the dangerous nature of the creation itself.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a heavy emotional weight and a tense tone, driven by the central theme of 'playing god.' They explore similar feelings of dread, anxiety, and moral unease, often culminating in ambiguous or bleak endings that leave the ethical questions hauntingly unresolved.

Atmospheric Thrillers with Moral Dread Like Closer to God

Thrillers where a pervasive sense of unease slowly tightens around a moral crisis.Find more movies like Closer to God that master a slow-burn sense of dread. These selections focus on tense, atmospheric stories where characters grapple with heavy moral decisions, creating a consistently anxious and foreboding viewing experience.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a gradual accumulation of pressure from multiple fronts—internal guilt, external threats, and collapsing personal relationships. The pacing is steady, avoiding major action set pieces in favor of sustained psychological tension that makes the eventual outbreak of violence feel inevitable and tragic.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared mood and tone. They consistently generate an anxious, reflective, and foreboding atmosphere through a combination of thematic weight and deliberate pacing. The experience is defined by a feeling of inescapable consequence closing in.

Unlock the Full Story of Closer to God

Don't stop at just watching — explore Closer to God in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Closer to God is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Closer to God Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Closer to God, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Closer to God Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Closer to God

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Closer to God. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Closer to God

Closer to God Spoiler-Free Summary

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Closer to God Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Closer to God

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