Year: 2004
Runtime: 102 min
Language: English
Director: Nick Hamm
Budget: $25M
Lost and disoriented, a man awakens with no memory of who he is, finding himself alone under a bridge. He struggles to survive, facing the indifference of those around him and grappling with the physical toll of his unknown past. Amidst the hardship, he discovers unexpected friendship with a devoted dog and a caring pastor, who offer him comfort and a chance at rediscovering his identity and finding a new purpose.
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Paul and Jessie Duncan, portrayed by Greg Kinnear and Rebecca Romijn, enjoy a blissful marital life with their beloved eight-year-old son, Adam, played by Cameron Bright. Tragically, their happiness is shattered when Adam dies in a car accident just a day after celebrating his birthday. In the aftermath of their devastating loss, the couple encounters Dr. Richard Wells, a former professor of Jessie’s, portrayed by Robert De Niro, who proposes an audacious solution: cloning Adam. Although initially hesitant, the Duncans agree to undergo this illegal procedure, involving a complete change of their identities.
As the new Adam grows up, everything seems promising until he reaches the age at which the original Adam met his untimely fate. On the night of his eighth birthday, he suffers from intense nightmares, which Dr. Wells reassures Paul are a common ordeal for boys his age. However, the situation takes a sinister turn as Adam II begins to experience these nightmares while awake, losing grip on his reality amidst a terrifying wave of visions.
These haunting visions consist of a tormented boy named Zachary, wandering alone through a school, where he is ridiculed by his peers. This bleak imagery is interspersed with horrific scenes of a school engulfed in flames and a mysterious woman brutally attacked with a hammer. Over time, these disturbing events impact Adam’s behavior, turning him into a bitter and troubled child who begins bullying his classmates.
One evening, a disturbing phone call from the parent of a missing child leads to an unsettling revelation: Adam had lied about his whereabouts on the day of the child’s disappearance. Shortly thereafter, Paul and Jessie are confronted by the chilling sight of the boy’s body being retrieved from the river. Consumed by suspicion, Paul grows increasingly anxious about Adam’s involvement in these chilling events.
With Dr. Wells’ guidance, Paul delves deeper into Adam’s visions, uncovering the identity of the school in his dreams—Saint Pius—and the name of the bullied boy—Zachary Clark. This newfound clarity drives Paul on a quest to learn more about Zachary’s troubled past, leading to the shocking discovery that Zachary’s life ended tragically when he set fire to his home and killed his mother.
In a twist of fate, Paul learns that Zachary’s father, a geneticist, is none other than Dr. Wells himself, who had combined Zachary’s damaged DNA with Adam’s in a desperate attempt to resurrect his lost son. Faced with this realization, Paul rushes home, only to find Adam and Jessie in grave danger, as Zachary’s essence begins to take over Adam’s mind, pushing him towards violence.
In a frantic race against time, Paul manages to save Jessie just moments before Adam, under Zachary’s influence, strikes. Although the immediate threat is vanquished and Adam appears back to normal, the family decides to relocate in search of peace. Initially, their new life seems idyllic with Adam once again showing signs of happiness. However, when left alone in his room, the nightmare returns—Zachary’s decayed arm reaches out from the depths of a closet, drawing Adam into a shadowy grip, signaling that the battle for identity is far from over.
Last Updated: October 27, 2024 at 21:54
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.
Stories where tampering with nature unleashes terrifying psychological consequences.If you liked the ethical horror and psychological tension of Godsend, explore more movies where scientific experiments go terribly wrong. These films often blend thriller and horror elements, focusing on the devastating personal cost of playing god and the nightmarish reality that follows.
Films in this thread typically begin with a traumatic event or a desperate desire that leads characters to pursue a forbidden scientific path. The narrative follows the gradual unraveling of their world as the experiment spirals out of control, creating a psychological monster or a supernatural threat that turns on its creators, often focusing on the corruption of innocence.
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Protagonists who must piece together their past while facing a sinister present.For viewers who enjoyed the amnesia and psychological unraveling in Godsend, this section collects movies with similar themes of lost identity and hidden pasts. These films are often dark, suspenseful thrillers where the protagonist's search for truth leads them into danger and moral ambiguity.
The narrative pattern involves a protagonist awakening to a fragmented reality, forcing them to become a detective of their own life. Clues are slowly revealed, building paranoia and suspense, as they discover that their forgotten identity is connected to a larger, often sinister, plot. The journey is internal and external, blending psychological drama with thriller elements.
These films share a core focus on the theme of identity, a dark and suspenseful tone, and a steady pacing that mirrors the protagonist's methodical search for answers. They create a heavy emotional weight through the visceral fear of not knowing who you are and the tragic revelations that often follow.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Godsend 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 Godsend is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Godsend with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
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