Housesitters

Newton Davis finishes building his dream house in Dobb's Mill and envisions a life with Becky. When Becky refuses to marry him, he is devastated and abandons the house, leaving it debt-ridden and empty. The unfinished house becomes a symbol of his heartbreak.

Three months after Becky's rejection, Newton meets a waitress named Gwen at the Café Budapest in Boston and vents about Becky and the abandoned house. He assumes she can't speak English and treats the encounter as casual therapy. The interaction seeds an unusual bond that will pull him toward an unexpected collaborator.

That night, Gwen reveals she can speak English and they connect after she pretends otherwise. They walk to her apartment above the restaurant and end up having sex. The encounter marks the start of a complicated, lie-filled dynamic between them.

The morning after, Gwen discovers Newton has left in the night, leaving behind a doodle of the house he built for Becky. She is intrigued by the man and the project, and decides to follow him to Dobb's Mill. The doodle becomes a symbol that pulls her toward the town.

Gwen travels to Dobb's Mill by bus and moves into the empty house, presenting herself as Newton's wife to the town. She charges groceries to Newton's account at the general store, starting to weave a false life around him. Her plan begins to take shape as she begins playing the role that could save him.

In town, Gwen fabricates a meeting with Becky and a backstory about Newton's promotion, then meets Newton's parents and smooths over their concerns with charm. The lies begin to pull family and friends into her web. Her charisma makes the deception feel almost plausible.

Newton drives to Dobb's Mill and finds Gwen squatting in the furnished house, claiming she fled harassment. Becky stops by to congratulate him on his supposed promotion and marriage. The two begin negotiating: Gwen will help him win Becky back by fanning jealousy and using her stories to boost his career.

Newton's parents suggest a wedding reception at the new house, but Newton hesitates while Gwen eagerly agrees. The plan signals a blending of lies and real affection as they edge toward a public celebration. The reception would cement their forged marriage in the town.

One day, Newton and Becky kiss at Becky's house, but Becky stops him, refusing to be a mistress. The moment reveals the fragility of Newton's relationships and the danger Gwen's deception poses to both of them. The tension between desire and loyalty thickens.

A waitress at the Café Budapest tells Newton Gwen's past: she grew up in a foster home, had a husband at 16, and lied about harassment. Newton confronts Gwen with the new information, and she explains she came to Dobb's Mill to chase a picture-perfect life. She tries to leave, but Newton pleads with her to stay for the wedding reception.

On the day of the reception, Becky shares old stories about Newton, and Gwen accuses Becky of being in love with him. Gwen storms out in tears, while Newton praises her performance for making the scene believable. The staged moment fractures as the truth threatens to surface.

Becky asks whether Gwen's stories were real, and Newton insists that they were all true. The admission deepens his emotional investment in Gwen and the manipulative dynamic they share. Gwen wrestles with the growing fragility of their deception.

As Gwen tries to board a bus to leave town, Newton stops her and proposes marriage. He fabricates an over-the-top tale about delivering himself to her in a box to win her over. Moved, Gwen embraces him, and the couple moves toward a real commitment.

Some time later, Newton and Gwen are happily married and living together in the house. Newton professes his love, and Gwen begins to reveal more about herself. The life they’ve built seems real, even as the final twist begins to cast doubt.

Gwen confesses that her real name is Jessica, not Gwen. The revelation reframes all prior events and motivations, leaving their future together open to interpretation. The couple's journey ends on a note of ambiguity about love, truth, and identity.