Paws (1997) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Anja breaks into Alex's home with her vicious dog Sibelius demanding money. When Alex tells her the money is in his retirement account, she kills him anyway. Later, she discovers the money is missing and notices the initials 'SA' on a file, which leads her to Susie.

Foreshadowing: Early in the film, Alex frantically writes a message and transfers it to a floppy disk, showing he anticipated trouble.

• anja
• alex
• murder
• money
• retirement fund

PC is hit by a car near Susie's neighborhood after being chased by Anja. The family takes him in. Zac is a 14-year-old who recently moved to Sydney from Melbourne with his mother Amy, stepfather Stephen, and sister Binky.

Foreshadowing: Alex entrusts PC with the disk and warns him to trust no one, setting PC's journey in motion.

• pc
• zac
• family
• sydney
• car accident

PC creates a translation program that converts any language or sound into plain English, including his own barking. Zac helps by giving PC a Scottish-tinged voice and installing the software onto a palm-sized device worn as a bow-tie microphone, allowing PC to speak freely.

Foreshadowing: Alex tells PC to deliver the file only to Susie, implying PC can communicate intelligently.

• pc
• translator
• computer
• barking
• speak

PC reveals he is from Iceland and was married to Anja. She betrayed him by stealing Alex's programs and using them to earn millions. Heartbroken, Alex fled to Australia with PC, but Anja eventually tracked them down, leading to the events of the film.

Foreshadowing: Anja's violent pursuit of PC and the disk suggests a deeper personal connection.

• pc
• anja
• iceland
• marriage
• betrayal
• alex programs

The clue 'LAP in' is misread by Sammy as the French word for rabbit, leading them to the greyhound track. Later, Binky finds Sammy's Hollywood pin badge, and Sammy explains Hollywood refers to Los Angeles. The clue 'LA pin' reveals the money was hidden inside the pin as jewelry.

Foreshadowing: Alex's video says 'the rest is in and under your nose,' hinting the treasure was hidden in plain sight on one of the children.

• clue
• lap
• hollywood
• la pin
• money
• hidden

Stephen had previously loaned money to Anja before he married Zac's mother Amy. When Anja arrives at their home threatening the family, Stephen decides to help them track her down to the greyhound track where Alex and Susie once worked.

Foreshadowing: Stephen's past connection to Anja is revealed when she mentions owing her money, creating tension in the household.

• stephen
• anja
• loan
• money
• help

PC gets catapulted into the commentator's box and announces the money is in the rabbit. Anja misinterprets this as the mechanical rabbit used in greyhound racing and tears it apart, but gets stuck and is dragged around the track while the kids escape with the real treasure.

Foreshadowing: Sammy's deciphering of 'LAP in' as rabbit leads them to the racetrack setting.

• anja
• greyhound track
• mechanical rabbit
• defeat

The money is hidden inside Sammy's Hollywood pin badge. When Binky finds the pin and Sammy explains that Hollywood refers to Los Angeles, they realize 'LA pin' was the key clue. The pin contains jewelry where Alex hid the wealth.

Foreshadowing: Alex's video says 'the rest is in and under your nose,' and the wordplay with 'Hollywood' and 'LA' points to the children's belongings.

• money
• hidden
• hollywood pin
• la pin
• sammy
• binky

After killing Alex, Anja discovers the money is missing. She notices the initials 'SA' on a file name in Alex's address book and realizes they point to Susie. This leads her to follow Susie, eventually discovering she has a daughter Samantha and lives next door to Zac's family.

Foreshadowing: Alex tells PC to deliver the disk only to Susie, establishing her as the intended recipient.

• anja
• susie
• spying
• sa initials
• file

When Zac and Sammy are watching Alex's video clues at the flat, Anja arrives with a dagger. Zac deletes the file to prevent Anja from getting the information, but she retaliates by grabbing PC and dragging him away, kidnapping him.

Foreshadowing: The buildup shows Anja's relentless pursuit of the money clues throughout the film.

• pc
• kidnapped
• anja
• dagger
• alex flat

Zac deletes the file containing the money's location to prevent Anja from finding it. He chooses to sacrifice the information rather than let the villain succeed, though this leads to PC being kidnapped.

Foreshadowing: Alex warned PC to trust no one, showing the file's danger.

• zac
• delete file
• anja
• protect pc

PC cleverly engineers a breakout from Sibelius's cage at the greyhound track, tricking the dog into letting him out. When Zac arrives to help, Sibelius escapes and chases them around the track, creating chaos that helps foil Anja's plans.

Foreshadowing: PC demonstrates his intelligence throughout the film by creating the translator and solving clues.

• pc
• sibelius
• escape
• greyhound track