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Plot Summary

Mr. Roosevelt (2017) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 90 min · English
Echo score 75
Starring
Andre Hyland, Daniella Pineda, Nick Thune, Armen Weitzman, Britt Lower, Doug Benson

After returning to Austin because of a family illness, struggling comedian Emily Martin finds herself navigating an uncomfortable weekend. She must confront her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend, while also dealing with the awkwardness of their changed relationship. Amidst the complications, she finds an unexpected connection with a local rebel, who helps her to re-evaluate her past, embrace the present, and consider what lies ahead.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Mr. Roosevelt
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Mr. Roosevelt (2017)

Where can you watch Mr. Roosevelt? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Google Play Movies and YouTube: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Mr. Roosevelt: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Mr. Roosevelt (2017) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Emily Martin, a striving comedian, has been navigating life in Los Angeles for the past two years, but her auditions remain fruitless. One day, a brief and disappointing encounter leads to a call from her ex, Eric Kline, informing her that their beloved cat, Mr. Roosevelt, is unwell.

Hastily, she makes her way back to Austin, Texas, where she unexpectedly runs into Eric at the veterinarian's office. Their reunion is cut short when Eric introduces her to his new live-in girlfriend, Celeste Jones, leaving Emily taken aback. With Mr. Roosevelt having already passed away, Emily feels obliged to settle the vet bill. As the couple extends an invitation for her to stay in the home she once shared with Eric, she is dismayed to discover that Celeste has redecorated completely.

While following their lives on social media, Emily notices a stark contrast: Eric's page is barren of photos, while Celeste's is filled with images showcasing their life together, including their late cat. Later that night, Emily is invited to dinner with the couple and another set of friends. The evening becomes increasingly awkward when Emily questions Eric about his band, only for Celeste to reveal that he's choosing a more stable career in real estate, while Emily explains her struggles as a comedian with aspirations that haven’t materialized.

Feeling frustrated, Emily leaves the table, only to bump into Jen Morales, a server who recognizes her from YouTube. In a moment of vulnerability, Emily shares her turmoil—her cat's death, Eric's new relationship, and her feelings of being replaced. To bring her back to the moment, Jen playfully splashes water on her, resulting in fits of laughter between the two.

However, upon returning to the dinner, Emily’s soaked appearance is met with confused glances. The following morning, Celeste offers Emily a flight back to LA using their frequent flyer miles, while Eric proposes to make breakfast for her. Their interactions stir old feelings as they find themselves once again physically close. But reality hits when Emily is starkly reminded of the absence of Mr. Roosevelt, causing her to recall Eric's comment about a coffee-free house now that the cat is gone.

With a plan to reclaim her independence, Emily decides to cycle into town for coffee before meeting up with Jen again at her home. Spending a liberating day at the Greenbelt, Emily eventually finds herself cutting ties with her job over a phone call. After indulging in some marijuana, she receives news about her cat’s cremation being completed, compelling her to return to the vet. Unfortunately, she's informed that Celeste has taken the ashes.

Frustrated, Emily confronts the couple about the urn being kept from her. As a brunch for Mr. Roosevelt's memorial is planned for the next morning, Emily and Eric seize the chance to escape to a nearby eatery where they run into Jen and her band. Eric joins Jen onstage, furthering the night’s adventure. The two share a kiss, but Eric quickly backtracks, insisting it was a mistake, citing his desire for a family—a stark contrast to Emily's commitment issues.

In a fit of anger, she spends a night with Art, only to awaken with regrets and stained clothes. Refusing to linger in her past, Emily throws on something old and heads to the brunch in a whirlwind of emotions. Discovering the situation absurd, she ultimately decides to take Mr. Roosevelt's ashes and pedals away.

Back at Jen's, Emily attempts to vent her frustrations, when another round of playful water splashing results in disaster—she loses control, sending the ashes flying. This moment triggers a long-overdue breakdown, which leads Jen to assist her in laying Mr. Roosevelt to rest in the backyard with Eric and Celeste.

As she packs up to leave, Emily scribbles a heartfelt goodbye and hastily discards most of her items in the shed before catching a ride to the airport with Jen, marking the end of this tumultuous chapter in her life.

Last updated: November 15, 2024 at 18:04

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Plot questions answered

Mr. Roosevelt Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Mr. Roosevelt (2017): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Emily come back to Austin?

Emily returns to Austin after receiving a call from her ex-boyfriend Eric informing her that their beloved cat, Mr. Roosevelt, is unwell. She rushes back to be with her pet, but arrives to learn that the cat has already passed away.

  • emily martin
  • mr roosevelt
  • cat sick
  • austin
  • ex boyfriend
Q2

Why is Eric with Celeste now?

Eric is now in a committed relationship with Celeste, who is his live-in girlfriend. The timeline shows they have been together long enough for her to move into the home Emily once shared with Eric and to completely redecorate it.

  • eric kline
  • celeste
  • new relationship
  • ex girlfriend
Q3

What happens to Mr. Roosevelt?

Mr. Roosevelt dies before Emily can arrive at the veterinarian's office. The cat is cremated, and the ashes become a point of conflict between Emily, Eric, and Celeste, as Emily feels entitled to keep them.

  • mr roosevelt death
  • cat ashes
  • cremation
Q4

Why does Eric quit his band?

Eric has abandoned his music career in favor of pursuing real estate, which he describes as a more stable career choice. This shift represents how both characters have changed, Emily is still chasing her unstable comedy dreams while Eric has chosen stability.

  • eric band
  • real estate
  • music career
  • stable job
Q5

Why does Emily bond with Jen?

Jen, a server at the restaurant, recognizes Emily from YouTube and approaches her during a vulnerable moment. Their connection forms through mutual honesty, Emily shares her turmoil about the cat's death and feeling replaced, while Jen pulls her out of her head with playful humor.

  • jen morales
  • server
  • youtube
  • friendship
  • water splash
Q6

Why does Eric kiss Emily then back off?

During a brunch outing, Eric and Emily share a kiss, but Eric immediately regrets it and pulls away. He explains that he's looking to settle down and start a family, something Emily, with her commitment issues and unsettled life in LA, cannot offer him right now.

  • eric kiss
  • family
  • commitment
  • relationship tension
Q7

Why does Emily sleep with Art?

After Eric pulls away from their kiss, Emily acts out in anger and frustration by spending the night with Art, a man she barely knows. She wakes up with regrets and stained clothes, which adds to her emotional breakdown the following morning.

  • art
  • one night stand
  • emily
  • frustration
Q8

What happens to Mr. Roosevelt's ashes?

Emily confronts Eric and Celeste about keeping the ashes from her. During an emotional breakdown at Jen's house, Emily accidentally knocks over the urn while playing with water, scattering the ashes. This moment triggers her cathartic breakdown, and Jen helps her scatter the remaining ashes in the backyard with Eric and Celeste present.

  • ashes
  • urn
  • backyard
  • scatter
  • breakdown
Q9

Why does Emily throw away her belongings?

As Emily prepares to leave Austin, she writes a heartfelt goodbye and deliberately discards most of her old belongings in the shed. This act symbolizes her emotional release and readiness to let go of her past, marking her growth throughout the weekend.

  • packing
  • goodbye
  • emotional release
  • shed
  • closure
Q10

Does Emily find closure by the end?

Yes, Emily finds emotional closure despite not getting what she originally wanted. She doesn't reunite with Eric, loses the cat's ashes, and her comedy career remains unchanged. However, she gains a new friend in Jen, makes peace with her past, and leaves with a clearer sense of self and willingness to move forward.

  • ending
  • closure
  • resolution
  • self discovery
  • jen
Q11

Why does Emily feel strange staying at Eric's house?

Emily feels uncomfortable because the house she once shared with Eric has been completely redecorated by Celeste, erasing all signs of Emily's presence. Additionally, seeing evidence of Eric and Celeste's life together, such as photos on Celeste's social media, makes Emily feel replaced and nostalgic for her old life.

  • redecorated
  • house
  • celeste
  • uncomfortable
  • nostalgia
Q12

Why does Celeste offer Emily a flight back to LA?

Celeste offers Emily a flight using their frequent flyer miles the morning after the awkward dinner. This gesture could be seen as considerate, but it also functions as a polite way to speed Emily's departure, which creates tension given Emily's complicated feelings about leaving.

  • celeste
  • flight
  • frequent flyer
  • miles
  • departure

Movie threads

More Movies Like Mr. Roosevelt, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Mr. Roosevelt tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Awkward Return Home Comedies like Mr. Roosevelt

Stories of messy returns, forced confrontations, and bittersweet self-discovery in familiar places. If you liked the uncomfortable yet insightful journey in Mr. Roosevelt, you'll enjoy these movies that explore similar themes. This section features stories about characters navigating messy homecomings, dealing with changed relationships, and finding bittersweet closure, all with a blend of comedy and heartfelt drama.

  • awkward
  • nostalgic
  • melancholic
  • reflective
  • quirky
  • vulnerable
  • Tone: bittersweet, awkward
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows a protagonist who, often due to an external event, is compelled to return to their hometown or a significant past location. Over a short, concentrated period, they encounter ex-partners, old friends, and family, leading to a series of awkward, humorous, and emotionally charged interactions that force a re-evaluation of their past and present life.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the emotional complexity of homecomings, blending comedy derived from social discomfort with deeper themes of nostalgia, regret, and personal evolution. They share a specific vibe of being both painfully relatable and cathartically funny.

Bittersweet Indie Character Studies like Mr. Roosevelt

Quirky, character-driven stories where personal failure leads to quiet liberation. Find movies with a similar feel to Mr. Roosevelt in this collection of bittersweet indie character studies. These films feature relatable protagonists grappling with life's disappointments, using a mix of comedy and drama to tell stories about finding meaning in the mess and liberation in letting go.

  • bittersweet
  • quirky
  • melancholic
  • reflective
  • vulnerable
  • liberating
  • Tone: bittersweet, melancholic, quirky
  • Pacing: steady, reflective
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative is straightforward and centered on a single character's emotional journey over a short period. There is no grand victory or dramatic turnaround; instead, the arc is internal, focusing on the protagonist's gradual acceptance of their circumstances. The conflict is often with their own expectations, leading to an ending that is realistically bittersweet—a step forward, but not a complete resolution.

Why they belong together: These movies share a specific indie sensibility: a medium emotional weight, a steady pacing that allows for reflection, and a tone that perfectly balances life's disappointments with its quirky, unexpected joys. They are united by their focus on authentic, flawed characters and resolutions that feel earned yet realistically imperfect.

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Every angle

Mr. Roosevelt (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Mr. Roosevelt in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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