Falling for Figaro (2021) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Millie quits her lucrative fund manager job because it's her lifelong dream to become an opera singer. Even though she's offered a promotion right before leaving, she decides to take a year to pursue her passion rather than continue in a career that doesn't fulfill her.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, the tension between her corporate job and her dream is established when she makes the decisive choice to leave London.

• millie cantwell
• opera dream
• job quit
• career change
• fund manager

Max is hostile because he's been training with Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop for five years, and the Singer of Renown competition is his third and last attempt to win. He sees Millie as a direct threat to his final chance at success, especially since he can barely afford to pay Meghan through working at the pub.

Foreshadowing: The pub patrons discuss Max needing to 'lift the curse' that haunts him as an artist, hinting at the pressure he feels.

• max thistlewaite
• rival
• competition
• hostility
• singer of renown

The 'curse' refers to Max's artistic struggles. Despite five years of training, critics have noted his singing lacks emotional depth. The pub patrons discuss him potentially 'lifting the curse' by finally winning the competition and breaking through emotionally in his performance.

Foreshadowing: This is confirmed later when a critic at the Edinburgh recital praises Millie but notes Max lacks feeling in his singing.

• curse
• max
• emotional depth
• critic
• edinburgh recital

Meghan agrees because Millie offers to pay a very high hourly rate for lessons. Ramsay explains to Millie that the entire village's income is mostly dependent on Meghan, suggesting the diva takes on students for financial reasons to support the local economy.

• meghan geoffrey-bishop
• training
• payments
• village economy

Max begins helping Millie after seeing her struggle under Meghan's harsh training methods, bringing her warm salted water to soothe her throat. He also shares voice theory books with her. His kindness grows as Meghan notices his interest in her and encourages him to pursue the connection.

Foreshadowing: Meghan tells Max that the competition could be good for him, hinting she sees potential in Millie and potentially in them together.

• max
• millie
• help
• rivalry
• duet
• feelings

Meghan notices Max is interested in Millie and deliberately advises him to go away for a few days so Millie will miss him. This is a strategic move to help develop their relationship, which Meghan believes could benefit both students emotionally.

• meghan
• advice
• relationship
• max
• millie
• competition

Millie is overwhelmed when Max proposes on bended knee right after her performance. She's been focused on the competition, uncertain about her feelings, and previously insisted they have no contact until after the competition. The sudden public proposal catches her off guard, causing her to flee to the restrooms.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Millie insists they're not engaged when Max asks, showing she's not ready for that commitment yet.

• proposal
• millie
• max
• run away
• competition
• overwhelmed

Max wins because, as Meghan predicted when Millie hands her the ring box, he either sinks or swims. The film suggests that Millie's emotional turmoil and running away affected her performance, while Max, despite being the underdog throughout, ultimately delivered an emotionally connected performance that impressed the judges.

Foreshadowing: Meghan's response to receiving the ring box foreshadows the outcome: Max will either sink or swim.

• max win
• competition
• singer of renown
• winner
• millie

Millie's relationship with Charlie ends when she chooses not to return to work with him after her year of training. Charlie made a surprise visit during the film, but Millie was focused on her career and the competition. Three years later, she reveals she didn't go back to her old life with him.

Foreshadowing: When Charlie visits, Millie is interrupted during rehearsal with Max, and she apologizes to Max rather than choosing to spend time with Charlie.

• charlie
• relationship break up
• millie
• three years later

Three years after the competition, Max's career has flourished. When his counterpart in Don Giovanni falls ill, Millie is called as one of two replacement options. They perform together successfully, showing that their connection transcended the competition and led to a professional reunion. The ending suggests artistic growth and personal connection triumphed over Millie's initial competition loss.

• ending
• reunion
• don giovanni
• performance
• max
• millie
• professional