Red Road

Jackie Morrison works as a CCTV operator in Glasgow, monitoring the Red Road Flats. She lives alone and maintains a routine of surveillance and recording. Her world is quiet and solitary, punctuated by occasional sexual encounters with a married man named Avery.

While analyzing feeds, Jackie recognizes a man she has seen before on the monitors. She discovers he is Clyde Henderson, a recently released prisoner who could be sent back to jail if he steps out of line. The recognition triggers her obsession as she begins to monitor his movements.

Jackie tracks Clyde through the city, eventually spotting him at a local cafe. She gathers information about his routines and social circle from the distance, watching how he interacts with others. The moment deepens her fixation as she prepares for a more direct encounter.

Following Clyde, Jackie learns he is throwing a party at the apartment he shares with another ex-con, Stevie. She gains entry to the party and observes the dynamics between Clyde and his companions. The scene builds a sense of looming danger.

At the party, Jackie exchanges looks with a drunken Clyde and they share a fleeting moment on the dance floor. She makes an excuse to slip away, avoiding a direct confrontation. The encounter heightens the tension between her obsession and Clyde's world.

Later, Jackie spots Clyde heading to a local bar and witnesses him stepping in to break up a fight between Stevie and another man. It confirms that Clyde still moves in volatile circles. The event amplifies Jackie's resolve as she accelerates her plan.

After the bar, Clyde initiates a conversation and invites Jackie back to his apartment. During the exchange, he reveals that he has a daughter and regrets losing touch with her. The revelation adds a personal dimension to the increasingly tense dynamic.

Jackie and Clyde have passionate sex, but Jackie panics afterward and makes a plan to frame him for rape. She strikes her own face with a stone and flees the apartment, all seen on CCTV. The staged scene sets off a chain of consequences that will pull both of them into a public reckoning.

The police identify Clyde as the rapist, and Jackie watches the arrest unfold on CCTV. A few moments later, Clyde's daughter is seen approaching the apartment block, signaling the human cost of the unfolding events.

Stevie gains entry to Jackie's home and demands to know why she falsely accused Clyde. Jackie finally reveals a terrible truth: Clyde had killed her husband and daughter in a road accident. The confession reframes the earlier actions within a larger tragedy.

Jackie tells the police she wishes to withdraw the rape accusation, acknowledging that her earlier manipulation was a lie. The admission complicates the investigation and shifts the moral balance of the narrative. The arrest record remains a matter of public record, even as she retracts her claim.

After Clyde's release, Jackie confronts him in a tense confrontation. He recounts the road traffic accident, explaining how he lost control of the car. Jackie reveals that her last words to her daughter were harsh and tells him that his daughter tried to reach him on the day of his arrest, underscoring the lingering pain and unresolved grief.