How About You ... (2008) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Alice was already in fragile health and suffering from pain. Ellie took her to the river against medical advice and gave her marijuana to ease her discomfort. The next day, Alice died, though the exact cause isn't specified, her death appears related to her declining health. The incident highlights the consequences of Ellie acting outside her professional responsibilities and serves as a pivotal moment that tests her commitment to caring for the residents.

Foreshadowing: Ellie's decision to take Alice to the river against the nurse's orders directly foreshadows the tragic outcome.

• Alice death
• marijuana
• river scene
• Ellie's mistake
• care home rules

Heather was intercepting letters addressed to Hazel to protect her from painful memories. The letters were actually from Simon, Hazel's son whom she was forced to give up for adoption years earlier. Heather had been writing to Simon under Hazel's name, trying to find him, but kept the correspondence hidden because she feared confronting Hazel with this painful past. When the truth came out, Hazel forgave Heather, and they decided to meet Simon together.

Foreshadowing: Heather's demand that Ellie hand over any letters addressed to her sister was an early hint at the secret she was keeping.

• Heather
• Hazel
• letters
• Simon
• adoption
• sister secret

Hazel was forced to give up her son Simon for adoption when he was a baby. Decades later, Simon began searching for his birth mother. Heather had been secretly corresponding with him under Hazel's name, trying to locate him. When Hazel discovered the truth, through the letters and paintings Ellie found, she chose to forgive Heather's deception. The two sisters decided to meet Simon together in the new year, turning a long-hidden family secret into a potential reunion.

Foreshadowing: The hidden letters and Hazel's emotional reaction when Ellie discovered her paintings hinted at unresolved family pain.

• Simon
• Hazel
• adoption
• birth son
• family reunion
• Heather

Donald plays his late wife's favorite song on the piano each evening as a way of honoring her memory. He confesses to Ellie that he regrets never getting sober before she died, leaving him with painful memories of their last years together. The music represents his grief and his attempt to maintain a connection to someone he lost, revealing the vulnerable, Tender side behind his prickly exterior.

Foreshadowing: Donald's request for breakfast in his room rather than the dining room established his tendency to isolate himself.

• Donald
• late wife
• music
• sobriety
• regret
• piano

Georgia came to Woodlane after her husband died because she couldn't bear to be alone. She attempted to return to theater after his death, but found the world had changed and she couldn't reestablish herself in that life. She admits that part of the fun at Woodlane is 'abusing everyone,' using her sharp tongue and theatrical flair as a defense mechanism against loneliness and her fear of aging unnoticed.

Foreshadowing: Georgia's constant requests for martini and her trips to the pub established her as someone seeking attention and connection.

• Georgia
• husband death
• theater
• loneliness
• residential home
• performer

Mr. Evans from the Department of Health arrived at Woodlane and was shocked to discover that Kate had left the residents alone with only Ellie to care for them during Christmas. However, the residents defended their situation, insisting they were a family and wanted to stay. Moved by their bond, Mr. Evans initially left but returned later, admitting his wife had left him and accepting their invitation to stay for dinner, showing how the residents' unity transformed a potential conflict into connection.

Foreshadowing: Kate's departure to be with their mother after her stroke created the circumstance that led to the inspection.

• Mr. Evans
• health inspector
• Department of Health
• inspection
• Kate absence
• residents family

Ellie decides to leave Woodlane to spend time with her mother, who had suffered a stroke. Though she had developed strong bonds with the residents and helped transform the home into a caring community, she recognizes that her own family needs her. Her departure represents growth, she's learned from her experience at Woodlane but chooses to prioritize family connections, mirroring how the residents have become each other's family.

Foreshadowing: Kate's absence to be with their mother set the stage for Ellie to understand the importance of family ties.

• Ellie leaves
• mother stroke
• family
• Kate
• Woodlane departure
• growth

"How About You?" is the song Donald and Georgia sing and dance to at the film's close. It's the same tune Donald plays each night in memory of his late wife. The song becoming a shared moment between Donald and Georgia symbolizes how the residents have formed their own family, finding hope and connection despite their losses. The title reflects the film's theme of new beginnings and the question of whether life can still offer warmth and possibility.

Foreshadowing: Donald's nightly piano playing of this song established its emotional significance early in the story.

• How About You song
• ending
• Donald
• Georgia
• hope
• family
• resolution

Ellie formed a genuine friendship with Alice that made it difficult for her to maintain professional boundaries. She found herself drawn to Alice as a person rather than viewing her as just a resident to care for. This friendship, while heartfelt, caused Ellie to neglect other responsibilities and frustrated her sister Kate, who relied on her to maintain the routines of the care home. The friendship ultimately led to Ellie's fateful decision to take Alice to the river.

Foreshadowing: Ellie's arrival at Woodlane seeking employment already suggested she was looking for meaningful connection rather than just a job.

• Ellie
• Alice
• friendship
• neglect duties
• Kate
• professional boundaries

Heather and Hazel's relationship transforms from one marked by overprotectiveness and deception to genuine reconciliation. Heather had been secretly writing to Simon under Hazel's name, believing she was protecting her sister from pain. When Hazel discovered the truth, she chose forgiveness rather than anger. Together, they decided to meet Simon in the new year, turning Heather's secret act of love into a family reunion. The experience strengthens their bond as they face the past as united sisters.

Foreshadowing: Heather's insistence on controlling Hazel's letters hinted at a deeper secret she was guarding.

• Heather
• Hazel
• sisters
• forgiveness
• Simon
• reunion
• family bond