New Year, New You

New Year, New You

Year: 2018

Runtime: 85 mins

Language: English

Director: Sophia Takal

Echo Score: 56
ThrillerHorror

A group of longtime friends reunite for a New Year's Eve celebration. As they reminisce about the past, long-held grievances and resentments surface, leading to a night of unexpected and deadly consequences. The reunion quickly turns sinister as old memories manifest in increasingly dangerous and murderous ways, threatening to destroy their friendships and their lives.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen New Year, New You yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

New Year, New You (2018) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of New Year, New You (2018), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

Alexis, Suki Waterhouse, watches over a child she babysits as they view a video featuring Danielle Williams, Carly Chaikin, a social media influencer with her own streaming show and a former friend of Alexis. Later, Alexis returns home to prepare for a New Year’s Eve party with her high school friends Kayla, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Chloe, Melissa Bergland, and Danielle, setting the stage for a gathering that promises old tensions and new pressures. The mood shifts the moment Danielle arrives, raking over past grievances and reigniting the hurt caused by rumors about Kelsey, the girl whose suicide became a painful touchstone for the group, including Kelsey, Isabella Acres.

What follows is a dangerous tilt from social drama to deadly games. Alexis, in a chilling display of control, uses champagne to “waterboard” Danielle, counts down to midnight, and then orders the others to tie Danielle up as if agreeing to a shared, if twisted, pact. With Danielle bound, Alexis berates her for bullying the group and then unveils a plan to sabotage Danielle’s career by forcing a confession about Kelsey’s suicide onto camera. When Danielle refuses to take the blame, Alexis damages Danielle’s appearance to make her look “camera-ready,” intensifying the power imbalance at the party. Kayla, overwhelmed, slips away to FaceTime her girlfriend Frankie, Michelle Haro, while Danielle convinces Chloe to free her in exchange for a coveted spot on the YouTube channel she’s leaving behind. The moment of triumph is short-lived, as Danielle knocks Alexis unconscious when the group reconvenes.

Danielle and Chloe imprison Alexis and Kayla inside a sauna, intending to let them perish and then call the cops to stage an accidental death. The plan takes a perilous turn when Alexis and Kayla smash the sauna window with a champagne bottle in a desperate bid to escape, only to collide with Danielle and Chloe. They retreat to Alexis’s closet, and Alexis heads out to retrieve her phone, leaving Kayla briefly alone. Chloe finds Kayla, who pleads for a quiet exit and secrecy, but Chloe is racked by fear and violence, ultimately killing Kayla in the struggle. Meanwhile, Danielle corners Alexis and slices her calf, but Alexis manages to break free.

Chloe joins Danielle downstairs as Frankie arrives, seeking Kayla and sensing the growing danger. Danielle and Chloe decide to frame Frankie and kill her, a plan they execute as Chloe fatally stabs Frankie. The chase resumes as Alexis rises to defend herself, knocking Chloe down the stairs and killing her. Danielle presses on, and Alexis hurls Danielle out of a window into the pool, ending Danielle’s life. The house quiets for a moment, but the repercussions echo beyond the party’s end: later, an influencer who worked with Danielle recounts how Frankie killed Danielle after Danielle had encouraged Kayla to end their relationship.

Standing beside that account, Alexis momentarily grieves, then quickly pivots to her own agenda, returning to the camera with a bright, unsettling buoyancy. She films again, savoring the notion that she now has Danielle’s life, and the audience sees a chilling transformation: the once-turbulent circle is replaced by Alexis’s gleeful ascent into a familiar, ruthless spotlight. In the ashes of the party, the cycle of manipulation and ambition remains, but Alexis’s grip on power—and on the image of victory—appears unshakable.

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:59

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Claustrophobic thrillers with toxic friendships like New Year, New You

Gatherings where old friends become deadly enemies in a confined space.If you liked the vicious tension of New Year, New You, you'll find more movies here where social gatherings turn deadly. These thrillers focus on groups trapped together, where past grievances lead to psychological manipulation and brutal survival scenarios in a confined space.

claustrophobicanxiousviciousunsettlingdesperateoppressivesinister

Narrative Summary

The narrative typically begins with a reunion or celebration that quickly sours. Confined to one location, characters are forced to confront a dark past, often involving bullying or betrayal. Trust dissolves as a manipulative individual seizes control, turning the gathering into a deadly game of revenge with a high body count and a bleak resolution.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared focus on the explosive dynamic of toxic relationships in a claustrophobic setting. They deliver a similar experience of high-intensity dread, fast-paced escalation from social tension to violence, and a dark, vicious tone centered on psychological torture and survival.

Movies about calculated revenge and psychological torment like New Year, New You

Stories where a calculated avenger inflicts psychological and physical hell.For viewers who appreciated the ruthless revenge plot of New Year, New You, this section gathers stories centered on a manipulative avenger. These films explore themes of past trauma, bullying, and betrayal, culminating in a dark and heavy viewing experience with bleak, unsatisfying conclusions.

viciousunsettlingsinisteroppressivedesperateanxiousrevenge-driven

Narrative Summary

The story follows a victim-turned-avenger who orchestrates a scenario to punish those who wronged them. The revenge is not quick but drawn out, emphasizing psychological manipulation over simple violence. The narrative is straightforward, showing the avenger's chilling ascent to power while their victims suffer, ultimately ending with the villain victorious and the cycle of cruelty unbroken.

Why These Movies?

They are united by a core theme of cold, calculated revenge and the exploration of psychological manipulation as a weapon. They share a dark tone, high intensity, heavy emotional weight from themes like bullying and trauma, and a bleak ending feel where evil triumphs, providing a coherent vibe of unsettling vindictiveness.

Unlock the Full Story of New Year, New You

Don't stop at just watching — explore New Year, New You in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what New Year, New You is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

New Year, New You Timeline

Track the full timeline of New Year, New You with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

New Year, New You Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in New Year, New You

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape New Year, New You. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in New Year, New You

New Year, New You Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of New Year, New You that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

New Year, New You Spoiler-Free Summary

More About New Year, New You

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about New Year, New You: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About New Year, New You

Similar Movies to New Year, New You

Discover movies like New Year, New You that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.