Nothing

Nothing

Year: 2003

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: Vincenzo Natali

FantasyScience FictionComedyCrude humor and satireGags jokes and slapstick humor

Two close friends share a cramped apartment: Andrew, an agoraphobic travel agent who works from home, and Dave, a mistreated office worker treated with contempt. Their mundane lives plunge into the surreal when the entire world outside vanishes, replaced by an endless white void surrounding their house.

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Timeline – Nothing (2003)

Trace every key event in Nothing (2003) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Dave is fired and framed; house under threat

Dave is fired from his job after his girlfriend frames him for embezzlement. At the same time, Andrew is falsely accused of attempted child molestation. With the house scheduled for demolition by the end of the day, the two men hide inside, as police, city officials, and outraged neighbors encircle the home.

Dave and Andrew's house
2

The world vanishes into a white void

They step outside to find the outside world replaced by a featureless white void. The nothingness beneath is flat, featureless, and springy. They resolve to explore the new landscape together.

Outside their house
3

First exploration and trail making

They begin to explore the empty plane, leaving objects behind to serve as a trail back. The white void offers no landmarks or guidance, testing their sense of direction. The act of scattering items marks their initial attempt to find a way back home.

The white void
4

Trail runs dry; they lose their way and return home

Having run out of markers, they lose the trail and wander aimlessly, eventually returning to their house. The vast, blank plane makes it hard to retrace steps or judge distance. Back inside, a strange quiet settles over the home.

Home inside the white void
5

Food shortage and the realization of hate's power

Back inside, Andrew realizes the house has no food left to eat. He glances around and sees the clock and overdue bills vanish as objects of hate, demonstrating that hatred can erase things from reality. They realize that hate directed at objects can erase both belongings and the world beyond.

House
6

Dave erases his hunger through hate

Dave concentrates his hatred and, effectively, hates away his need for food. The surreal power of hate is demonstrated as hunger disappears, though the reason remains unsettling. His action foreshadows how other emotions might reshape their surroundings.

House
7

Andrew reveals his past abuse; confronts his phobias

Andrew reveals that he was abused and tormented by his parents as a child. Dave urges him to confront the memories, and Andrew hates away the memories of each traumatic event. As the memories vanish, Andrew's phobias fade and he becomes more confident, altering their dynamic.

House
8

Friendship under strain leads to a split over the house

Friction grows as Andrew's newfound confidence shifts the balance. They decide they can no longer share the house and agree to settle ownership with a match of their favorite fighting game. The loser is exiled to the nothingness with their possessions.

House / nothingness
9

Dave loses the match and is exiled

Dave loses the fighting game and is exiled to the nothingness with his possessions. The parting marks the end of their shared life in the house, and Dave heads into the empty world alone.

The white void
10

Reconciliation attempt and a gesture of peace

Days after the separation, Dave visits Andrew's house in a happier mood, hoping to mend their friendship after hating away his anger toward Andrew. He even performs the national anthem for his self-created nation as a gesture of goodwill. But Andrew remains distant, refusing to hate away his lingering anger toward Dave.

Days later White void
11

Escalation and the erasure of possessions

Despite Dave's attempts at reconciliation, their anger erupts again and they begin hating away each other's possessions. Andrew retaliates by erasing one of Dave's possessions, and the conflict spirals until nothing, not even the house, remains.

White void
12

Destruction leaves only disembodied heads

In the final conflict, the two lose their bodies and are reduced to disembodied heads. They headbutt each other until exhaustion, then stop and decide to explore the nothingness anew as heads. The bond between them tests the limits of their connection but endures in a new form.

White void
13

Older heads awaken to approaching voices

Later, older Dave and Andrew—still disembodied heads—are awakened by a popping sound, followed by a loud clamor of voices getting closer. As the noise grows, they scream in anticipation of what is to come.

Later White void

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:22

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Nothing Summary

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