Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Resurrection (2022) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Resurrection (2022) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2022 · 103 min · English
Echo score 65
JustWatch #11,678 6
Directed by
Andrew Semans
Starring
Tim Roth, Angela Wong Carbone, Bradley Lewis, Grace Kaufman, Jaime Zevallos, Josh Drennen

Margaret has built a structured and controlled life, but her carefully constructed world is thrown into turmoil with the sudden reappearance of David. His return forces her to confront the buried secrets of her past, blurring the lines between reality and memory. As she struggles to maintain control, her carefully planned future is threatened, and the darkness she thought she’d escaped resurfaces.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (4)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Resurrection
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Resurrection (2022)

Where can you watch Resurrection? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Philo, Shudder and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

Streaming availability powered by JustWatch

4 main characters · contains spoilers

Resurrection Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Resurrection (2022), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Margaret

    Margaret is a composed and accomplished businesswoman whose life spirals into chaos as she grapples with her past and present. As a single mother, her fierce love for Abbie underscores her internal conflicts, revealing her vulnerabilities and the horrific impact of her abusive relationship with David.

    • 👩‍💼 Career
    • 😟 Trauma
    • 💔 Motherhood
  • David

    played by Tim Roth

    David is a haunting figure from Margaret's past, initially charming but ultimately abusive and controlling. His manipulative nature and psychological torment towards Margaret drive the narrative, illustrating the impacts of domestic abuse and the struggle for power in relationships.

    • 😈 Abuser
    • ⛓️ Control
    • 🎭 Manipulative
  • Abbie

    played by Grace Kaufman

    Abbie is Margaret's daughter, preparing to leave for college but increasingly concerned about her mother's erratic behavior. Her character represents the innocence overshadowed by her mother's turmoil, and she embodies the longing for familial connection amidst chaos.

    • 👧 Daughter
    • 💔 Concern
    • 🎓 Transition
  • Peter

    played by Michael Esper

    Peter is Margaret's colleague and lover, whose involvement complicates her already fragile state. His character reflects the temptation of intimacy but also highlights the consequences of infidelity during critical moments of personal crisis.

    • 💔 Affair
    • 😥 Conflict
    • 💼 Career

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:38

Was this helpful?

Setting

Where and When Does Resurrection Take Place?

The setting of Resurrection (2022): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

The film unfolds in contemporary times, reflecting modern issues such as mental health, abusive relationships, and the challenges faced by single parents. It portrays a society where personal connections can deteriorate under pressure, revealing the fragility of stability in urban life.

Location

Albany, New York

Albany is the capital city of New York State, known for its rich history and vibrant arts scene. As a location for Margaret's story, it juxtaposes her professional aspirations with personal turmoil, making it a pivotal backdrop for her struggles as a single mother.

  • 🏙️ City
  • 👩‍👧 Family

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:38

Was this helpful?

3 major themes

Resurrection Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Resurrection (2022) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Psychological Thriller

    Resurrection dives deep into themes of psychological torment and the struggle for control in tumultuous relationships. Margaret's experiences reflect the effects of trauma and manipulation, showcasing a gripping narrative filled with suspense and emotional intensity.

  • Motherhood

    The theme of motherhood is central to Margaret's journey as she navigates the complexities of being a single mother. Her protective instincts towards her daughter Abbie highlight the sacrifices and struggles women endure, particularly when confronted with their past traumas.

  • Violence

    Violence plays a crucial role in the story, depicting both physical and emotional forms of abuse. Margaret's confrontation with David serves as a violent climax to her struggles, symbolizing her fight for autonomy and self-preservation amid her chaotic reality.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 19:38

Was this helpful?

Character & theme questions

Resurrection Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Resurrection (2022): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Resurrection set?

Resurrection is set in Albany, New York, the capital city of the state. The urban environment serves as a backdrop that contrasts Margaret's professional composure with her personal chaos, highlighting the tension between her controlled public life and the turmoil from her past.

  • Albany
  • New York
  • setting
  • location
  • city
Q2

When does the story take place?

The film takes place in contemporary times, reflecting modern issues like mental health struggles, abusive relationships, and the challenges faced by single parents in today's society.

  • contemporary
  • modern era
  • time period
Q3

What are the main themes in Resurrection?

The film explores psychological torment, the struggle for control in tumultuous relationships, and the lasting impact of trauma. It delves into themes of motherhood, domestic abuse, and the blurred lines between reality and memory as Margaret confronts her past.

  • psychological thriller
  • trauma
  • control
  • manipulation
  • memory
Q4

How does the movie explore motherhood?

Motherhood is central to Margaret's journey as a single mother protecting her daughter Abbie. The film highlights the sacrifices and struggles women endure, particularly when past traumas resurface and threaten the stability they've built for their children.

  • motherhood
  • single mother
  • protective instincts
  • daughter
  • family
Q5

Who is Margaret in the movie?

Margaret is a composed and accomplished businesswoman living in Albany with her daughter Abbie. As a single mother, she has built a structured life but her past with an abusive ex-partner threatens to unravel everything she has carefully constructed.

  • Margaret
  • main character
  • protagonist
  • single mother
Q6

Who is David and what is his relationship with Margaret?

David is a haunting figure from Margaret's past who returns to disrupt her life. Initially charming but ultimately abusive and controlling, he represents the psychological torment and manipulative dynamics of domestic abuse that Margaret thought she had escaped.

  • David
  • abuser
  • ex-partner
  • domestic abuse
  • manipulator
Q7

Who is Abbie in Resurrection?

Abbie is Margaret's daughter, a young woman preparing to leave for college. She becomes increasingly concerned about her mother's erratic behavior, representing the innocent lives affected by the ripple effects of past trauma and domestic violence.

  • Abbie
  • daughter
  • college
  • Margaret's child
Q8

Who is Peter in the film?

Peter is Margaret's colleague and lover, representing the possibility of new intimacy in her life. His involvement adds complexity to her already fragile emotional state and highlights the complications of moving forward while haunted by past trauma.

  • Peter
  • colleague
  • lover
  • romantic subplot
  • relationship
Q9

How does Resurrection handle the topic of abusive relationships?

The film portrays domestic abuse through David's psychological manipulation and control over Margaret. It illustrates how abusers maintain power, the psychological toll on victims, and the challenge of breaking free from such toxic dynamics.

  • domestic abuse
  • toxic relationship
  • psychological manipulation
  • control
Q10

What role does violence play in Resurrection?

Violence in the film encompasses both physical and emotional abuse, culminating in a violent confrontation between Margaret and David. This climax symbolizes her fight for autonomy and self-preservation against the chaotic reality of her past.

  • violence
  • abuse
  • confrontation
  • climax
  • survival
Q11

What is the tone and mood of Resurrection?

Resurrection has a consistently dark and tense tone throughout, focusing on psychological threat, grief, and emotional turmoil. The film maintains steady suspense with escalating confrontations that keep viewers on edge while exploring heavy emotional themes.

  • tone
  • mood
  • dark
  • suspenseful
  • psychological horror

Movie threads

More Movies Like Resurrection, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Resurrection tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about psychological unraveling like Resurrection

Stories where a character's sanity is systematically dismantled by a returning threat. If you liked Resurrection and its portrait of mental collapse, explore more movies like it. These psychological thrillers and dramas focus on characters whose carefully constructed realities are shattered by a manipulative and threatening presence from their past, creating a deeply unsettling viewing experience.

  • psychological
  • unsettling
  • claustrophobic
  • paranoid
  • oppressive
  • anxious
  • Tone: dark, tense, unsettling
  • Pacing: steady, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a linear but escalating structure, where a menacing figure re-emerges to gaslight and torment the protagonist. The conflict is primarily internal and psychological, blurring the lines between memory and reality, and often leads to a violent or ambiguous climax that questions whether the threat was ever truly vanquished.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on psychological decay, manipulative antagonists, and an oppressive, anxious mood. They prioritize emotional heaviness and high tension over physical action, creating a similar feeling of being trapped in a nightmare from which the character cannot wake.

Slow burn thrillers about past trauma like Resurrection

Films where a buried trauma slowly resurfaces to destroy the present. For viewers seeking more movies like Resurrection, this list highlights slow burn thrillers and dramas where a dark past returns to haunt the protagonist. These films share a steady pacing, a heavy emotional weight, and an ambiguous or bleak ending, perfect for fans of unsettling, character-driven horror.

  • slow burn
  • dread
  • oppressive
  • unsettling
  • dark
  • psychological
  • Tone: dark, bleak, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, slow burn
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a protagonist attempting to outrun a traumatic history, only to have it resurface through memories, symbols, or a personification of their guilt. The pacing is deliberate, using atmospheric tension rather than jump scares, to create a feeling of inescapable fate, often culminating in an ending that suggests the past can never be fully reconciled.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here based on their shared mood of slow-burning dread, their focus on themes of grief and unresolved trauma, and their use of a steady, atmospheric pace to create an oppressive viewing experience. The emotional journey is consistently heavy and psychologically focused.

If you liked this

Movies Like Resurrection

Similar movies to Resurrection: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Resurrection (2022) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Resurrection in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app