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Plot Summary

Nails (2017) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 85 min · English
Echo score 45
JustWatch #15,101 14
Starring
Shauna MacDonald, Steve Wall, Ross Noble, Amelia de Buyl Pisco, Charlotte Bradley, Conor Scott
Budget
$5M

After a devastating car accident leaves her physically trapped, track coach Dana Milgrom finds herself battling for survival in a hospital room. A disturbing entity known as Nails begins to haunt her, and as her cries for help are ignored, Dana’s perception of reality becomes increasingly fragile. She must confront a terrifying darkness and fight to prove her sanity while struggling to escape her physical and psychological torment.

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 Nails
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Nails (2017)

Where can you watch Nails? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Hoopla and Amazon MX Player: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Nails: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Nails (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.

Partially paralyzed after a harrowing hit-and-run incident while jogging, Dana Milgrom finds herself enduring a challenging recovery at Hopewell Rehabilitation Hospital. Her discomfort with the hospital escalates when she suspects that someone is stalking her during the night. However, her nurse, Trevor Helms, dismisses her fears as unlikely.

During her stay, Dana's husband Steve Milgrom and their daughter Gemma Milgrom come to visit. Trevor expresses his concerns to Steve about the possibility of Dana hallucinating. On her part, Gemma has a chance encounter with the ever-watchful hospital director, Elizabeth Leaming. Meanwhile, Steve shares news about Ashley, a promising new recruit for the track team he coaches, further complicating the family dynamics.

As night descends, Dana finds herself alone again, plagued by visions of a shadowy figure that appears to be haunting her. She relays her experiences to Dr. Ron Stengel, who is intrigued not only by her claims but also by the fact that she had been clinically dead for three minutes after her accident. The situation intensifies when the ghostly figure disables her breathing machine, nearly claiming Dana's life. She tells Steve about her disturbing encounters, describing a man with an unsettling visage and elongated hands.

To mitigate Dana's fears, surveillance cameras are installed in her room. Feeling protective, Steve confronts Elizabeth about the care his wife is receiving while she admonishes Trevor regarding equipment failures he attributes to the building's faulty wiring. In a strange twist, Dana connects with invalid patient Ellie through the thin wall separating their rooms, communicating through rhythmic thumping, which offers some solace.

Determined to uncover the hospital's dark past, Dana conducts research online and stumbles upon the tragic story of Eric Nilsson—a figure linked to the hospital's history who was thought to be involved in the mercy killings of five children, ultimately leading to his own suicide in 1984. As her fears mount, Dana confronts Trevor about Eric, but he merely directs her back to Dr. Stengel.

In a fit of distress, Dana finds scratch marks on her back, believing them to be from the ghostly figure that visits her at night. In her subsequent talk with Dr. Stengel, she learns more about Eric's troubled past, including his nickname "Nails," earned from his disturbing habit of collecting fingernails from child patients, which had made him a prime suspect in their mysterious deaths. Stengel reveals that Eric took his own life in the closet of Dana's room, reinforcing her belief that a dark presence lurks within.

While on a Skype call with Gemma, Dana is devastated to discover that Ashley has been spending time with Steve at home. Just then, Nails emerges from the closet in a terrifying confrontation, but the vision dissipates when Trevor arrives in time to shield Gemma. Dana presents Steve with footage of the closet door moving on its own; however, he expresses concern that the cameras might be exacerbating her fears. Desperate for validation, Dana instructs Gemma to inquire about Nails with Ellie, but the old woman unexpectedly passes away.

In an attempt to secure their safety, Trevor nails the closet shut. Dana beseeches him for assistance to escape the hospital, but he declines, ultimately confiding in Elizabeth that he did witness something eerie in Dana's room during the rescue. As Dana’s research evolves, she comes to believe that her near-death experience has rendered her capable of seeing Eric’s ghost.

One night, Nails manipulates Dana's computer, showcasing a video that exposes Steve's affair with Ashley. To further compound her anguish, supernatural scratches etch "I miss you" across Dana's skin. In the basement, Trevor finds a file belonging to Dana Breiman. Suddenly, Nails appears once again, violently attacking Trevor and ending his life.

Steve becomes suspicious, suspecting Trevor's role in Dana's torment. Although Dana defends Trevor, she ultimately discovers that her own childhood file from when she was treated here for meningitis has surfaced in Trevor’s possession. This revelation triggers horrifying realizations, linking her past to the crimes committed by Eric.

Amidst the chaos, Elizabeth attempts to reach out to the authorities, but her efforts are thwarted by an ominous supernatural force. Tensions erupt between Dana and Steve after she reveals that Nails had shown her the video of his betrayal, leading to further disarray in their relationship. As the power fails throughout the hospital, Steve sets off in search of Ashley, only to find her possessed and ready to attack.

Realizing the impending danger, Dana urges Gemma to escape with her, fearing that Nails intends to claim more lives. With Gemma’s help, Dana bravely detaches her medical tubes and makes a run for it. In a sudden twist of fate, they come across Dr. Stengel, but he meets a grim fate as Nails kills him right before their eyes.

Determined to confront her fears, Dana locks Gemma out and faces Nails alone. In a chilling clash, Nails levitates Dana, violently hurling her around the room until she ultimately succumbs to the confrontation. As first responders find Gemma outside, she explains the horrifying truth: Nails was responsible for her mother’s death. A haunting vision reveals a ghostly Eric preparing to inject adult Dana with a needle, mirroring the tragedy faced by the children years earlier.

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 11:15

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Plot questions answered

Nails Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Nails (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 Nails specifically target Dana in the hospital?

Nails targets Dana because she was previously treated at Hopewell Rehabilitation Hospital as a child for meningitis. Eric Nilsson (Nails) was a former hospital worker who murdered children and took their fingernails. Since Dana survived a near-death experience (she was clinically dead for three minutes after her accident), she became able to perceive Eric's ghost, and he fixated on her as his next victim, continuing his pattern of targeting vulnerable patients.

Foreshadowing: Dana's childhood file from her previous hospitalization surfaces late in the film, revealing her connection to the hospital's dark history.

  • nails ghost
  • dana milgrom
  • eric nilsson
  • hospital haunting
Q2

Who is Eric Nilsson and why is he called Nails?

Eric Nilsson was a former patient and staff member at Hopewell Rehabilitation Hospital who was suspected of murdering five children. He earned the nickname 'Nails' because he had a disturbing habit of collecting fingernails from the child patients he killed. After being blamed for the children's deaths, Eric committed suicide in the closet of Dana's current hospital room in 1984.

Foreshadowing: The film hints at Eric's history through Dana's online research and Dr. Stengel's explanations about the hospital's tragic past.

  • eric nilsson
  • nails nickname
  • hospital murders
  • child deaths
Q3

Why does Dana being clinically dead for three minutes matter?

Dana's three-minute clinical death after her hit-and-run accident is significant because it grants her the ability to see Eric Nilsson's ghost. The near-death experience appears to have opened her perception to the supernatural, allowing her to perceive Nails when other patients and staff cannot.

Foreshadowing: This detail is introduced early by Dr. Stengel, who shows interest in Dana's claims specifically because of her brief death.

  • near-death experience
  • clinical death
  • supernatural ability
  • perception
Q4

What triggers Nails to disable Dana's breathing machine?

Nails disables Dana's breathing machine during one of his nighttime visits as a direct attempt to kill her. This attack demonstrates that the ghost is not merely appearing to frighten Dana but is actively dangerous and capable of interacting with physical objects in the hospital room.

Foreshadowing: The breathing machine incident occurs shortly after Dana first sees Nails and describes him to Dr. Stengel, escalating the threat level.

  • breathing machine
  • attack
  • suffocation
  • ghost attack
Q5

Why does Trevor Helms get killed by Nails?

Trevor Helms is killed by Nails in the hospital basement while investigating files related to Dana Breiman (Dana's childhood name). Eric targets Trevor because Trevor represents another person from the hospital connected to the child murders, and Nails eliminates anyone who gets too close to uncovering the truth about his crimes.

Foreshadowing: Trevor's death follows his decision to investigate the hospital's records and his growing belief that something supernatural is actually occurring in Dana's room.

  • trevor helms death
  • basement
  • killed
  • nails attack
Q6

Why is Dana's childhood hospital file significant?

Dana's childhood file reveals she was previously treated at Hopewell Rehabilitation Hospital as a child under the name Dana Breiman. This connects her directly to Eric Nilsson's reign of terror decades earlier. The discovery explains why Nails has singled her out, he has a twisted connection to her from her childhood hospitalization.

Foreshadowing: Trevor finds this file before his death, and Dana later discovers it in his possession, forcing her to confront her hidden past.

  • childhood file
  • dana breiman
  • past connection
  • hospital history
Q7

What happens to Ashley at the end of the movie?

Ashley becomes possessed by Nails when Steve goes to find her during the hospital power outage. She attacks Steve, demonstrating that Nails can possess and control other people in addition to appearing as a ghost. This possession mirrors Eric's historical pattern of harming those connected to the hospital.

Foreshadowing: The film establishes Nails's ability to manipulate physical objects and space before showing he can also possess individuals.

  • ashley possession
  • steve affair
  • attacked
  • controlled
Q8

Why does Dana die despite fighting back against Nails?

Dana ultimately succumbs to Nails's attack because Eric Nilsson is significantly more powerful than she anticipated. Despite detaching her medical tubes to escape and facing Nails alone in a final confrontation, Dana is overpowered, the ghost levitates and throws her around the room until she dies, mirroring how Eric killed the children decades earlier.

Foreshadowing: The ending vision shows adult Dana being injected with a needle by Eric's ghost, paralleling the children's fates.

  • dana death
  • final confrontation
  • killed
  • tragic ending
Q9

What do the scratch marks on Dana's back represent?

The scratch marks that appear on Dana's back are physical evidence of Nails's nighttime attacks. Unlike hallucinations, these marks are real injuries inflicted by Eric Nilsson's ghost as he visits her. The supernatural scratches even form the phrase 'I miss you' on her skin, demonstrating the ghost's disturbing connection to her.

Foreshadowing: This physical manifestation of the ghost's presence occurs after Dana learns more about Eric's history, escalating the horror.

  • scratch marks
  • physical evidence
  • supernatural injury
  • i miss you
Q10

Why does Steve go looking for Ashley during the power outage?

Steve goes looking for Ashley when the hospital power fails because he suspects she may be in danger. However, his decision also reflects his ongoing infidelity, he rushes to find his mistress rather than staying to protect his wife and daughter, prioritizing his affair over his family's safety during the crisis.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish Steve's affair through Nails's video revelation and Dana's discovery during the Skype call.

  • steve affair
  • power outage
  • ashley
  • abandonment

Movie threads

More Movies Like Nails, by Mood & Story

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

Claustrophobic Horror movies like Nails

Characters fight for their lives while confined in a single, menacing location. If the trapped-in-a-hospital-room premise of Nails gripped you, explore more movies like it. This thread features similar horror stories where characters battle supernatural or psychological threats within a single, confining location, creating an intensely anxious and oppressive viewing experience.

  • claustrophobic
  • anxious
  • trapped
  • paranoid
  • isolating
  • oppressive
  • Tone: dark, oppressive
  • Pacing: steady, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically center on a protagonist who is physically or situationally trapped, often in a place that should be safe but becomes a prison. The narrative unfolds linearly as the threat escalates, focusing on survival and the unraveling of sanity against an inescapable danger.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared core mechanic: a confined setting that directly fuels the horror. They create a specific, palpable sense of dread through spatial limitations, forcing a direct and relentless confrontation with the antagonist.

Bleak Supernatural horror films similar to Nails

Supernatural stories where the darkness wins, leaving no hope for the protagonists. For viewers who appreciated the grim, hopeless ending of Nails, this collection features similar horror movies where supernatural entities triumph. If you like stories with heavy emotional weight, disturbing themes, and conclusions that offer no escape or victory, you'll find more movies like Nails here.

  • bleak
  • hopeless
  • disturbing
  • dread
  • torment
  • unraveling
  • Tone: dark, bleak
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows a character, often already vulnerable, who becomes the target of a malevolent supernatural force. Their investigation or struggle only confirms the power and ruthlessness of the entity. The arc is a downward spiral into despair, ending with the protagonist's defeat or death.

Why they belong together: These films are united by a shared, punishing tone and a narrative commitment to a hopeless outcome. The similarity lies in the emotional experience of witnessing a futile struggle against an unstoppable supernatural evil, resulting in a heavy, bleak feeling.

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Movies Like Nails

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Every angle

Nails (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Nails 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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