Mr. Church (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Mr. Church was hired as a cook for the family due to a connection with the wealthy entrepreneur Richard Cannon. There were secretive terms in Cannon's will that provided temporary financial support to Marie after her diagnosis, and Mr. Church was the one who carried out these arrangements. The full details of this arrangement were known only to Mr. Church and Marie, creating an air of mystery around his initial presence in their home.

• mr church
• cook
• richard cannon
• hired
• family

Marie was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer in late 1971, but she deliberately kept this information hidden from Charlie. She feared that telling her young daughter about the terminal diagnosis would fracture their already tenuous family bond. Instead of explaining the severity of her condition, Marie chose to protect Charlie from the devastating truth for as long as possible.

• marie
• cancer
• diagnosis
• secret
• terminal illness

Charlie made the promise to attend prom because her mother Marie was seriously ill and unlikely to live much longer. During this emotionally charged time, Charlie promised that if she attended her prom, her mother would live long enough to witness her special day. This promise represented one last hopeful moment they could share together before the inevitable loss.

• prom
• promise
• marie
• dying
• wish

Despite putting on brave smiles for photos and reluctantly agreeing to go to prom, Charlie's worst fear came true. Shortly after the prom, Mr. Church delivered the heart-wrenching news that Marie had passed away. Charlie was unable to have her mother witness her at prom, and instead had to navigate the immediate grief of losing her mother while still a teenager.

• prom
• marie death
• passing
• grief

Charlie returned to Mr. Church's doorstep in 1980 while pregnant and seeking refuge from the pressures of her studies at Boston University. She needed a stable place to live and raised the condition that she would respect his privacy. This marked a significant turn in their relationship, as Charlie transitioned from being a student he supported to becoming more dependent on him during a challenging time in her adult life.

• charlie
• pregnant
• 1980
• return
• mr church

After Mr. Church passed away, Charlie discovered that he had been living a double life for three decades. Beyond being their cook, he was actually a talented pianist who performed at Jelly's nightclub. This secret aspect of his identity was something he kept hidden from both Charlie and her daughter Izzy throughout all their years together.

• mr church
• pianist
• jelly's nightclub
• secret
• double life

Izzy learned to cook by observing Mr. Church throughout the years they lived together. After Mr. Church passed away, Charlie woke up one morning to the familiar aroma of cooking, initially believing it was him. Instead, she discovered Izzy in the kitchen, having absorbed his culinary wisdom simply by watching him cook over the years. This moment showed that the lessons and love Mr. Church imparted endured beyond his death.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes showed Izzy frequently around Mr. Church while he cooked

• izzy
• cooking
• learned
• mr church
• legacy
• kitchen

Over six years from 1971 to 1977, Charlie's relationship with Mr. Church evolved from initial curiosity about the mysterious new cook to deep attachment. As her mother's health declined, Charlie grew distant from Marie but became closer to Mr. Church, who provided stability. After Marie's death, Charlie relied on Mr. Church for emotional and financial support through college, and later they raised Izzy together, forming an unconventional but loving family unit.

• charlie
• mr church
• family
• relationship
• bond

One evening, Mr. Church came home intoxicated and angry at Charlie for going through his possessions, forcing her to leave even while pregnant. Outside, she ran into Larson, a familiar face from her past. Their conversation was interrupted when a skateboarder knocked Charlie down, and Larson rushed her to the hospital in his car. Mr. Church later arrived at the hospital, ready to take responsibility for her care.

• larson
• hospital
• accident
• pregnant
• mr church

Mr. Church provided financial support for Charlie to attend Boston University, gifting her a car as well. This support stemmed from the mysterious arrangement connected to Richard Cannon's will and his relationship with Marie. After Marie's death, Mr. Church took on the role of supporting Charlie's future, enabling her to pursue higher education despite the financial challenges she would have otherwise faced as a young woman dealing with her mother's illness.

• college
• university
• finance
• education
• mr church
• support