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Dirty God (2020) movie poster

Timeline

Dirty God (2020) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2020 · 104 min · English
Echo score 72
Directed by
Sacha Polak
Starring
Bluey Robinson, Dana Marineci, Eliza Brady-Girard, Frieda Thiel, Karl Jackson, Katherine Kelly

After surviving a devastating acid attack, a young mother faces immense physical and emotional challenges while striving to reclaim her life and protect her child. She confronts the painful realities of her injuries and the societal prejudices she encounters, demonstrating incredible strength and determination in her quest for healing and a sense of belonging.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Dirty God
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Dirty God (2020)

Where can you watch Dirty God? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Fawesome, Kanopy and Fandango at Home Free: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

Dirty God Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Dirty God (2020) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Jade Returns Home

    Jade, portrayed by Vicky Knight, comes back to her home after undergoing treatment for severe burns sustained from a traumatic incident. She is filled with both hope and dread, realizing that her appearance has noticeably changed and that her toddler daughter, Rae, has developed a fear of her due to the scarring.

  2. Jade's Struggles with Connection

    Despite the support from her mother and close friends, Jade feels an unsettling disconnection from her loved ones. The emotional toll of her injury and its impact on her relationship with her daughter weighs heavily on her mind, making her long for her former social life.

  3. Searching for Change

    Determined to reclaim her life, Jade seeks out a surgeon in Morocco for facial reconstruction surgery. However, her plans are thwarted when her mother refuses to finance the procedure, leading Jade to search for alternative solutions.

    Where
    Morocco
  4. Jade Takes a Dead-End Job

    In an effort to fund her surgery, Jade accepts a dead-end job at a call center. It is in this environment that she meets Flavia, a fellow single mother, who becomes a confidante as Jade shares the hurtful details of her past, including the acid attack by her ex-partner.

  5. Confrontation with Her Mother

    Tensions escalate between Jade and her mother when Jade discovers that Rae has been allowed to see her paternal grandmother. This revelation leads to a heated argument that results in Jade being temporarily estranged from her home.

  6. Embarrassing Incident at Work

    Jade's situation worsens when an embarrassing video of her leaks at the call center. This incident further isolates her, deepening her feelings of shame and frustration as she grapples with the public perception of her after the traumatic incident.

  7. Desperate Measures

    In a moment of desperation to fund her trip to Morocco, Jade steals money from her mother. This impulsive decision underscores her determination to pursue the surgery, leading her to hatch a plan to travel with her best friend, Shami.

  8. Journey to Morocco

    Jade travels to Morocco with Shami, who brings along her boyfriend Naz, with whom Jade has a complicated past. This unexpected companion creates tension, complicating Jade's emotions as she embarks on her life-changing journey.

    Where
    Morocco
  9. Moment of Vulnerability

    While in Morocco, a vulnerable moment arises between Jade and Naz, where they nearly become intimate. However, their interaction is interrupted by Shami's unexpected arrival, leaving Jade conflicted about her feelings for Naz.

    Where
    Morocco
  10. The Surgery Scam

    To Jade’s dismay, she discovers that the promised plastic surgery is a scam, which shatters her hopes for physical and emotional healing. This crushing realization prompts her to reflect on her choices and the nature of her self-worth.

    Where
    Morocco
  11. Naz's Confession

    Amidst the chaos in Morocco, Naz confesses his true feelings for Jade. Even though she is flattered, Jade ultimately decides to reject his advances to respect her friendship with Shami, demonstrating her integrity amidst her struggles.

    Where
    Morocco
  12. Return Home

    Upon returning home, Jade begins to experience a shift in her life. The acknowledgment of her struggles and the support from her friends and family leads her to embrace healing, despite the lingering scars from her past.

  13. Newfound Recognition

    Jade's hard work pays off as she earns the title of Employee of the Month at her job. This achievement marks a turning point, symbolizing her resilience and determination to rebuild her life.

  14. Reconciliation with Mother

    In a pivotal moment of emotional healing, Jade reconciles with her mother. Their relationship strengthens, indicating a hopeful pathway toward acceptance and understanding amid the challenges Jade continues to face.

Last updated: April 16, 2025 at 14:33

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Timeline questions answered

Dirty God Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Dirty God (2020): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why is Jade's daughter afraid of her?

Jade's toddler daughter, Rae, has developed a fear of her because of the severe facial scarring from the acid attack. Young children often react to visible physical differences with fear or discomfort, and Rae simply doesn't recognize her mother with her changed appearance. This painful realization hits Jade hard when she returns home after treatment, as she had hoped to reconnect with her daughter.

  • Jade
  • Rae
  • daughter
  • fear
  • scarring
  • acid attack
Q2

Why does Jade want to have surgery in Morocco?

Jade discovers that her current condition, the state of her burns and scarring, is as good as it will ever be without surgical intervention. She reaches out to a surgeon in Morocco hoping for facial reconstruction surgery, believing this procedure might help restore her appearance and give her a chance to reclaim her former life. The surgery represents her desperate hope for physical healing and a return to normalcy.

  • Morocco
  • surgery
  • reconstruction
  • plastic surgery
  • facial reconstruction
Q3

Why does Jade's mother refuse to lend her money for surgery?

Jade's mother refuses to lend her the money needed for the procedure in Morocco. While the exact reasoning isn't detailed in the summary, this refusal prompts Jade to take a dead-end job at a call center to fund the surgery herself. The refusal creates tension between them and adds to Jade's sense of feeling unsupported in her quest for healing.

  • mother
  • money
  • surgery
  • refusal
  • loan
Q4

What happened to Jade in the acid attack?

Jade's ex-partner poured acid on her during their breakup, causing severe burns that required extensive treatment. Jade reveals this traumatic details to Flavia, another single mother she befriends at the call center. The attack left her with permanent facial scarring that fundamentally changed her life and continues to affect her relationships and sense of self.

  • acid attack
  • ex-partner
  • burns
  • trauma
  • breakup
Q5

Why does Jade steal money from her mother?

Desperate to fund her trip to Morocco for the surgery she believes could change her life, Jade steals money from her mother. This desperate act underscores her determination to pursue any possible solution to her situation, even resorting to theft. The decision leads to further estrangement from her family and highlights the extent of her desperation.

  • steal
  • money
  • mother
  • theft
  • desperation
  • Morocco
Q6

Why was the surgery in Morocco a scam?

The promised plastic surgery in Morocco turns out to be a scam, shattering Jade's hopes for physical and emotional healing. This crushing realization forces Jade to confront the nature of her self-worth beyond physical appearance. The failed surgery represents another in a series of setbacks she faces throughout her journey.

  • Morocco
  • surgery
  • scam
  • plastic surgery
  • failed procedure
Q7

Why does Jade reject Naz's feelings for her?

Although Naz confesses his true feelings for Jade while in Morocco, she ultimately decides to decline his affections out of respect for her friendship with Shami, who is Naz's girlfriend. Despite being flattered and having complicated feelings herself, Jade chooses integrity and loyalty to her friend over pursuing a romantic connection, even as she struggles with her own emotional needs.

  • Naz
  • Shami
  • rejection
  • feelings
  • friendship
  • romance
Q8

What causes the confrontation between Jade and her mother?

Tensions escalate when Jade discovers that her mother has been allowing Rae to have contact with her paternal grandmother. This revelation leads to a heated argument with her mother, resulting in Jade being temporarily cast out of her home. The conflict highlights Jade's struggle to control her daughter's relationships and her own place in the family.

  • mother
  • confrontation
  • Rae
  • grandmother
  • argument
  • estrangement
Q9

Why does the embarrassing video leak at work?

An embarrassing video of Jade leaks at the call center where she works, further isolating her and deepening her feelings of shame and frustration. The incident symbolizes the public perception and stigma she faces after the traumatic acid attack, adding to the societal prejudices she encounters as she tries to rebuild her life.

  • video
  • leak
  • work
  • call center
  • embarrassment
  • shame
Q10

How does Jade reconcile with her mother?

After returning home from Morocco and facing the failed surgery, Jade manages to reconcile with her mother. Their reconciliation indicates a hopeful pathway toward healing and acceptance, showing that despite the theft and the confrontation, their bond as mother and daughter proves strong enough to overcome the conflict. This emotional healing marks a turning point in Jade's journey.

Foreshadowing: Earlier tension between them over Rae's contact with the paternal grandmother foreshadows the need for reconciliation.

  • reconciliation
  • mother
  • healing
  • family
  • acceptance
  • return home
Q11

Why does Jade feel disconnected from her loved ones?

Despite having a loving mother and close-knit group of friends supporting her, Jade feels an unsettling sense of disconnection after returning home. This emotional disconnection stems from her traumatic experience and the physical changes to her appearance, making her feel isolated even among those who care about her. She even considers returning to her usual nights out as a way to feel normal again.

  • disconnection
  • isolation
  • friends
  • family
  • emotional struggle
  • trauma
Q12

Why does Jade almost become intimate with Naz in Morocco?

During a moment of vulnerability in Morocco, Jade and Naz nearly become intimate. This near-intimacy occurs because of the emotional complexity of the situation, Jade is dealing with the devastation of learning her surgery is a scam, and Naz is there as someone she has a complicated past with. However, Shami's unexpected arrival interrupts their advances, leaving Jade conflicted about her true feelings.

  • Naz
  • Morocco
  • intimacy
  • vulnerability
  • Shami
  • almost
Q13

How does Jade become Employee of the Month?

After returning home from Morocco, Jade earns the title of Employee of the Month at the call center where she works. This recognition represents a significant turning point in her journey, marking her resilience and determination to rebuild her life despite the numerous setbacks she has faced. The achievement symbolizes her progress toward self-worth and professional reintegration.

  • Employee of the Month
  • work
  • call center
  • achievement
  • recognition
  • resilience

Movie threads

More Movies Like Dirty God, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about resilient survivors like in Dirty God

Hard-hitting stories of individuals finding strength and hope after profound trauma. If you were moved by Jade's journey in Dirty God, these movies feature similar stories of individuals fighting to reclaim their identity and life after profound physical or emotional trauma. They are gritty, hopeful dramas about the incredible strength found in survival.

  • resilient
  • gritty
  • heartfelt
  • determined
  • vulnerable
  • hopeful
  • Tone: gritty, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with a catastrophic event that shatters the protagonist's world. The story then follows their linear, often painful path through rehabilitation, societal prejudice, and internal doubt, building towards a hard-won but hopeful resolution defined by personal victories and self-acceptance.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on a singular, intense character journey from trauma towards hope. They combine high emotional weight with a steady, character-driven pace and an ultimately uplifting tone, creating a cohesive experience of witnessing resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.

Gritty but hopeful dramas similar to Dirty God

Stories where heavy subject matter is balanced by an undeniable, earned sense of hope. For viewers who appreciated how Dirty God balanced its heavy themes with an uplifting spirit, this list features dramas with a similar tone. These films confront serious social issues and personal trauma head-on but are ultimately defined by their characters' resilience and hopeful conclusions.

  • gritty
  • hopeful
  • heartfelt
  • emotional
  • social realism
  • uplifting
  • Tone: hopeful, gritty
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves confronting the audience with harsh realities—such as social injustice, violence, or severe illness—without shying away from their gravity. The central conflict is the protagonist's struggle against these forces, with the arc culminating not in a simple fix, but in meaningful progress, reconciliation, or a renewed sense of purpose.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their unique tonal blend: they are unflinchingly gritty and intense, yet their core emotional direction is hopeful. This creates a specific, powerful vibe where the darkness of the subject matter makes the light of the resolution feel earned and profoundly moving.

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Every angle

Dirty God (2020) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Dirty God 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.

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