Relics

Relics

Year: 2017

Runtime: 86 mins

Language: English

ComedyDrama

After a year living in Tokyo, Greg returns to South Africa to face unresolved feelings and memories. He plans to say goodbye to friends, locate his parents' former apartment, and confront his lingering feelings for the girl he left behind. The journey forces him to confront the weight of the past and the relics of relationships left unfinished.

Dark
Bleak ending
Emotionally heavy
High intensity
Slow pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Relics 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!

Timeline & Setting – Relics (2017)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Relics (2017). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Contemporary setting

The events unfold in the present day, with references to past generations and family history. The story spans over roughly a year, incorporating modern medical and forensic practices. It explores themes of memory, dementia, and inherited trauma within a modern context.

Location

Old house, Cabin in the woods

The movie takes place primarily in a dilapidated old house that is haunted by dark, supernatural forces. The house is an embodiment of decay and mystery, with locked rooms, shifting hallways, and a labyrinthine interior. The cabin in Kay's dreams is an old, abandoned structure deep in the woods, serving as a significant location tied to family history and the sinister presence.

🏚️ Haunted 🌲 Isolated 🕰️ Deteriorating

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:43

Main Characters – Relics (2017)

Meet the key characters of Relics (2017), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Edna (Robyn Nevin)

An elderly woman suffering from dementia, with flashes of awareness and darker, possessed traits. Her deterioration masks a deeper, supernatural affliction that has plagued her family. Edna's actions and the sinister entity through her reveal her tragic and complex connection to the house's curse.

🧓 Elderly 🌀 Haunted 💀 Possessed

Kay (Emily Mortimer)

Edna's daughter, caught between her caregiving responsibilities and her fear of the supernatural forces. Her journey highlights her struggle to protect her family from hereditary evil and her own psychological trauma. Kay’s rediscovery of family history emphasizes the cycle of inherited darkness.

👩 Family 🧠 Protective 🌒 Haunted past

Sam (Bella Heathcote)

Edna's granddaughter, initially more empathetic and eager to care for her grandmother. She becomes increasingly entangled in the supernatural mystery, experiencing hallucinations and danger. Her role underscores the theme of uncovering hidden family secrets.

👩‍👧 Family 🔎 Curious 🚪 Explorer

Neighbor's Son

A young boy with Down syndrome, who refuses to enter the house after an incident where he was locked in the closet by Edna. His rejection signifies the house’s dangerous and sinister influence on innocent children.

🧒 Child 🚧 Danger 📛 Haunted

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:43

Major Themes – Relics (2017)

Explore the central themes of Relics (2017), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👻 Supernatural Horror

The film delves into themes of malevolent spirits and possession, illustrating how dark supernatural entities influence and torment the characters. The house itself acts as a conduit for these malevolent forces, blurring the line between dementia and supernatural affliction.

🔗 Family and Inheritance

The story explores how familial trauma, mental illness, and malevolent curses are passed down through generations. The connection between Edna, her ancestors, and her descendants underscores the inescapable nature of inherited darkness.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:43

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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 psychological horror movies like Relics

Slow burning horror where the setting itself becomes a psychological prison.If you appreciated the suffocating atmosphere in Relics, explore more movies where dread is built through claustrophobic settings. This collection features slow-burn horror films that use confined spaces—like decaying houses or psychological labyrinths—to create an unrelenting sense of oppression and fear, similar to the experience in Relics.

claustrophobicoppressiveeeriedreadsinistergloomyanxious

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern typically involves characters confronting a malignant force tied to a specific location. The story unfolds through atmospheric pressure, where exploration of the environment reveals a dark history or a psychological threat that slowly consumes the protagonists.

Why These Movies?

This thread groups films that share a core focus on environmental and psychological claustrophobia. They are united by a slow, deliberate pace, a heavy emotional weight, and a visual style that makes the setting feel like an active, oppressive antagonist.

Movies about generational curses and haunted families like Relics

Stories where a family's sinister past manifests as a literal, inescapable curse.For viewers who were captivated by Relics' themes of a family curse, this list features similar films where generational trauma becomes supernatural horror. Discover movies that explore the terrifying legacy of a family's dark past, blending psychological depth with chilling supernatural elements, much like Relics.

melancholicsinistergloomytragiceeriedecayhaunting

Narrative Summary

These stories often follow a protagonist who returns to or uncovers their family's origin, only to find that a traumatic history has taken on a monstrous life of its own. The plot revolves around breaking or succumbing to a cyclical fate, with the horror serving as a metaphor for inherited pain.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their central metaphor: using the supernatural to explore profound themes of legacy, memory, and inherited suffering. They share a dark tone, bleak outlook, and a focus on the horrifying weight of the past on the present.

Unlock the Full Story of Relics

Don't stop at just watching — explore Relics 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 Relics is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Relics Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Relics, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Relics Summary

Relics Timeline

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

Relics Timeline

Relics Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Relics 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.

Relics Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Relics

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Relics: 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 Relics

Explore More About Movie Relics

Relics (2017) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

Relics (2017) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

Relics (2017) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow