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My Son (2019) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 84 min · English
Echo score 64
Directed by
Christian Carion
Starring
Mélanie Laurent, Guillaume Canet, Antoine Hamel, Christophe Rossignon, Lino Papa, Marc Robert

In a small town in eastern France, panic arises when a seven-year-old boy disappears. His father, Julien, returns home, burdened by the guilt of abandoning his family. Driven by desperation, he embarks on a relentless search for his son, employing increasingly unorthodox and questionable methods in his determination to find him.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Events in order (15)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like My Son
  5. 5 Every angle

15 events in order · contains spoilers

My Son Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of My Son (2019) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Ethan's Disappearance

    Edmond Murray, a distressed father, is summoned to the scene after his son Ethan mysteriously disappears. This event marks the beginning of a desperate search that will lead Edmond into numerous confrontations and investigations.

  2. Reunion with Joan

    At the scene, Edmond encounters his ex-wife Joan, who is deeply affected by the situation. He offers her brief comfort amidst the chaos surrounding them, highlighting the emotional turmoil both parents are enduring.

  3. Joining the Search Party

    Determined to find his son, Edmond joins a search party. His resolve to locate Ethan intensifies, showcasing his commitment as a father amidst the uncertainty and desperation of the situation.

  4. Police Interrogation

    Following initial investigations, Edmond is questioned by the police regarding Ethan's disappearance. This adds another layer of stress as Edmond feels the weight of the situation and aims to prove his innocence.

  5. Confrontation with Frank

    Edmond's frustrations boil over when he confronts Joan’s new partner, Frank, who seems to envision a future without Ethan. This confrontation escalates into violence when Edmond physically attacks Frank in a fit of rage.

    Where
    Joan's Kitchen
  6. Arrest and Forgiveness

    After the attack on Frank, Edmond is arrested but no charges are pursued. Frank's decision to forgive Edmond underscores the complex emotional dynamics at play as they navigate their shared concern for Ethan.

  7. Secret Meetings with Inspector Roy

    Frustrated with the lack of progress, Edmond meets with Inspector Roy once more. In a covert discussion, Roy informs Edmond that he has been removed from the case, leaving him feeling even more helpless and desperate.

  8. Discovering Disturbing Videos

    Driven by desperation, Edmond illegally accesses Frank's phone and finds unsettling videos of Ethan. The videos show a mysterious car lurking in the background, raising alarms about a possible abduction.

  9. Locating the Kidnappers' Address

    With the help of Joan's brother, who works in insurance, Edmond manages to find the address linked to the suspicious vehicle. This breakthrough propels Edmond deeper into his quest to rescue Ethan.

  10. Confrontation with a Kidnapper

    Upon reaching the kidnappers' location, Edmond hides and prepares for a confrontation. He incapacitates a man with a crowbar and aggressively interrogates him, unveiling the sinister activities surrounding child abductions.

  11. Rescue Attempt

    With vital information in hand, Edmond rushes to a lodge where he believes Ethan is being held. His determination to save his son is evident as he takes bold risks to confront the captors.

    Where
    Lodge
  12. Tragic Escape

    During the chaotic escape with Ethan, tragedy strikes when Edmond is shot. This moment propels the story towards its climax, as the stakes become increasingly perilous for both father and son.

  13. Temporary Refuge

    Joan and Ethan find temporary safety behind a tree after the shooting. They momentarily wait for help, highlighting the tension and fear that has enveloped their lives since Ethan's disappearance.

  14. Rescue by Inspector Roy

    Inspector Roy arrives just in time to rescue Joan and Ethan. This intervention not only saves them from immediate danger but also reaffirms the importance of community and cooperation during crises.

  15. Bittersweet Reunion

    The film concludes with a poignant scene where Joan, Edmond, and Ethan stand together in nature. It serves as a heartwarming reminder of the bond between them, even as they face the consequences of their recent ordeal.

Last updated: October 25, 2024 at 11:36

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Timeline questions answered

My Son Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of My Son (2019): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Edmond attack Frank in the kitchen?

Edmond attacks Frank after learning that Frank has been giving Joan Valium to help her sleep and that Frank has been planning a future without Ethan, effectively trying to push the boy out of their lives. The combination of this revelation and his desperation over his missing son causes Edmond's frustration to boil over into violence.

  • edmond
  • frank
  • attack
  • joan
  • confrontation
Q2

How does Edmond access Frank's phone to find the videos?

After being removed from the case and feeling desperate, Edmond illegally retrieves Frank's phone, likely by stealing it while at Joan's house. This illegal action leads him to discover the disturbing videos of Ethan that contain the mysterious car in the background.

  • edmond
  • frank
  • phone
  • videos
  • investigation
Q3

What does the mysterious car appearing in Ethan's videos reveal?

The mysterious car appearing in the background of Ethan's home videos serves as a crucial clue that someone had been surveilling the boy before the abduction. This leads Edmond to trace the vehicle's license plate, ultimately discovering the address connected to the kidnappers.

  • ethan
  • car
  • videos
  • surveillance
  • kidnapping
Q4

What does the man Edmond tortures with the blowtorch reveal?

The man Edmond corners at the remote location reveals that he is a distributor of child exploitation material who shows pictures to potential kidnappers, allowing them to select victims. This information leads Edmond to the lodge where Ethan is being held captive.

  • blowtorch
  • kidnapper
  • confession
  • child exploitation
  • lodge
Q5

How does Edmond locate the lodge where Ethan is held?

Edmond combines two pieces of information: the suspicious vehicle from the videos and help from Joan's brother who works in insurance to trace the license plate to an address. This leads him directly to the remote location where the kidnappers are keeping Ethan.

  • address
  • lodge
  • rescue
  • insurance
  • tracking
Q6

What happens to Edmond after he rescues Ethan?

During the escape from the kidnappers, Edmond is shot while driving and the car goes off the road. Although he survives, Inspector Roy reminds him that his actions and the violence he used will likely factor into future court proceedings regarding the abduction network, leaving his legal fate uncertain.

  • edmond
  • shot
  • arrest
  • court
  • consequences
Q7

Why does Inspector Roy remove Edmond from the investigation?

Inspector Roy secretly informs Edmond that he has been removed from the case, though no clear rationale is given in the film. This leaves Edmond feeling helpless and forces him to take increasingly desperate and illegal measures to find his son on his own.

  • roy
  • removed
  • case
  • police
  • investigation
Q8

Why does Frank forgive Edmond after being attacked?

Although Edmond is arrested for attacking Frank in the kitchen, Frank chooses not to pursue charges. He understands that Edmond's violent outburst stems from the immense emotional stress of his son's disappearance and his desperate concern for Ethan's safety.

  • frank
  • forgiveness
  • arrest
  • charges
  • understanding
Q9

What is the significance of the RC quadcopter in the final scene?

The final scene shows Ethan practicing with an RC quadcopter, symbolizing both the return to normal childhood activities and the family's tentative attempt to move forward. However, the presence of Inspector Roy's warning about court proceedings casts a shadow over this moment of reunion.

  • quadcopter
  • ending
  • reunion
  • ethen
  • normalcy

Movie threads

More Movies Like My Son, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about vigilante justice like My Son

When the system fails, ordinary people take justice into their own hands. If you liked the desperate, unorthodox methods in My Son, explore other movies where characters take the law into their own hands. These films often feature high-intensity thrillers and crime dramas centered on parental protection, revenge, or moral ambiguity, delivering a similarly urgent and cathartic viewing experience.

  • urgent
  • relentless
  • suspenseful
  • vengeful
  • unsettling
  • cathartic
  • Tone: tense, desperate
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with a profound personal loss or failure of authority, triggering a protagonist's transformation into a vigilante. The plot follows their increasingly desperate and often illegal actions as they spiral further from their normal life, culminating in a violent confrontation that leaves lasting consequences.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a core theme of bypassing legal systems for personal justice, driven by heavy emotional weight and high intensity. They create a cohesive experience through fast pacing, tense tones, and a focus on the psychological toll of extreme actions.

Anxious missing person thrillers similar to My Son

High-tension races against time where every second counts. For viewers seeking more heart-pounding movies like My Son, this collection focuses on high-stakes missing person investigations. These tense, fast-paced dramas and thrillers capture the visceral desperation of a search, often involving police procedurals, moral dilemmas, and emotionally heavy outcomes.

  • heart-pounding
  • suspenseful
  • desperate
  • anxious
  • urgent
  • unsettling
  • Tone: tense, anxious
  • Pacing: fast, urgent
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern is a linear, high-stakes investigation triggered by a disappearance. The focus is on the frantic search efforts, the psychological decay of the searchers, and the procedural or illegal steps taken, leading to a resolution that often carries significant emotional or physical scars.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared ability to generate relentless suspense and anxiety through a core missing person premise. They connect through a fast pace, a consistently tense tone, and a straightforward narrative drive that prioritizes visceral emotional impact over complex twists.

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Movies Like My Son

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Every angle

My Son (2019) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about My Son 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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