Cold Light of Day

In late-1970s London, Jordan, a middle-aged civil servant, meets a young former art student named Joe at a pub. After sharing drinks, Joe goes back with Jordan to his flat and stays there while Jordan tries to regain stability. Joe's charm draws Jordan in, and Jordan decides to keep him close.

The next morning, Jordan watches Joe as he bathes in the flat, triggering an unsettling sense of control. The moment foreshadows the tense dynamic that will unfold between them.

Jordan and Joe share coffee at a cafe, but their conversation quickly turns contentious. The tension hints at the strain of their uneasy relationship.

After Jordan leaves for work, Joe cruises a young man for sex in the cafe bathroom, testing his growing independence. The encounter underscores Joe's freewheeling nature, which unsettles Jordan.

Jordan's feelings of possessiveness intensify as Joe's independence persists. He becomes more controlling, unable to tolerate Joe's freewheeling lifestyle.

One morning, as Joe lies sleeping, Jordan strangles him and collapses onto the body. The act is followed by a chilling flashback to Jordan's childhood and his grandfather's death.

Jordan keeps Joe's corpse in his bed and engages in necrophilia with the body. This disturbing period marks a decisive turn in his spree and indicates his deepening disconnection from reality.

In the red-light district, a female prostitute seduces Jordan and ushers him into her flat. He rebuffs her advances but still pays for her services before leaving, highlighting his detachment and ritualistic behavior.

Back at the cafe, a young homeless man asks for a cigarette and is persuaded to stay with Jordan at his flat. The suggestion foreshadows the next murder.

In Jordan's flat, he confronts the homeless man, strangling him in an armchair and then drowning him in the bathtub. Afterward, he falls into a drunken sleep, plagued by nightmares of his grandfather's death.

The following day, Jordan dismembers and skins the homeless man's corpse, flushing pieces down the toilet and boiling his severed head. The grisly acts show the full extent of his violence.

Jordan encounters Stephen on the streets, saves him from a drug overdose, and brings him back to the flat. Stephen injects heroin and collapses, prompting a tense confrontation.

Moments after the rescue, Stephen overdoses; Jordan strangles him to death with a belt, continuing his pattern of killing. The body is not immediately disposed of.

Tenant Julie reports plumbing problems, triggering an inspection of the building. The plumber's discovery leads to police involvement, and the flat is dismantled; beneath floorboards lie Joe's corpse along with the dismembered bodies.