Sequoia
Year: 2014
Runtime: 86 mins
Language: English
Director: Andy Landen
A great place to quit life! A young man meets a 23-year-old cancer patient on the way to the park and disrupts her plan to commit suicide.
Warning: spoilers below!
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Sequoia (2014) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained
Read the complete plot breakdown of Sequoia (2014), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Riley Aly Michalka records her visit with her doctor, Sean Hood who plays Dr. Morton, so her absent mother will know Riley has stage 3 oral cancer with a 10% chance of survival.
On a bus to Sequoia National Park, Ogden Dustin Milligan offers to drop her off after their chance encounter, and just before she exits his car, she kisses him.
Earlier the same day, Riley’s sister, Van Sophi Bairley, tries to sneak out to meet Riley but totals the car. Van reluctantly tells their father, Oscar Todd Lowe, that Riley is in Sequoia with lethal drugs.
Furious, Oscar phones his ex-wife and Riley’s mother, Bev Joey Lauren Adams, who shows no sympathy toward Riley’s latest “staged drama.” Bev’s new partner, Steve Demetri Martin, is equally unsympathetic. Steve and Bev, motivated to finalize Oscar and Bev’s divorce papers, agree to drive Oscar and Van to Riley’s location—just after Steve drives them all to his interview first.
Back at the hotel, Riley listens to Van’s voicemail and is upset to learn that Van won’t be joining her on her last day.
In the morning, Ogden finds Riley at the hotel’s pool where she shows him the effects of her oral cancer. He stays with her and also obliges to take her to the peak, the ironically named Hanging Rock.
It is not until Riley and Ogden reach a blocked road that she reveals to him that she’s taken lethal drugs and is running out of time. This frustrates them both. She steals his car and drives away leaving him behind, but Ogden, having memorized her phone number from earlier, calls and promises that he’ll stay with her until the end wherever she wants to go. Reunited, Riley teaches Ogden how to film her last moments but in doing so, they also film each other exploring and enjoying the park. During a brief rainstorm, they retreat to the car and Ogden plays the mandolin and sings an original song to her.
Afterwards, Ogden films Riley from afar as she approaches the Sherman Tree (General Sherman Tree), a tree believed to have healing powers. There, she meets Colin Lou Diamond Phillips, a man with AIDS who prays to the tree, by telling it his disease, why he wants to live, for how many years, and what he promises to do if he gets his wish. Riley doesn’t ask for a specific number of years but she does ask to live to help Ogden’s songwriting.
Riley then collapses, but Ogden manages to drive her to the peak for her final moments. When Riley’s family arrives, they see Riley peacefully lying on Ogden’s lap.
Riley’s parents watch her videos in a hospital waiting room. Riley wakes up and Van asks her to stick around until Van is at least 18. The film ends with all of Riley’s family bickering, but reunited. While her family bickers, Riley receives a call from Ogden who sings her new lyrics to his song from earlier.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:07
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Movies about finding hope in sadness like Sequoia
Stories where profound grief is met with moments of grace and connection.If you were moved by the bittersweet balance of Sequoia, explore more movies like it. These films tackle heavy themes like terminal illness or grief but are defined by their tender, hopeful hearts, focusing on the connections that bring light into dark times.
Narrative Summary
The narrative pattern often involves a character confronting a seemingly insurmountable loss or a finite future. The journey isn't about overcoming the obstacle but about learning to live with it, finding small victories, and forming transformative relationships that redefine what it means to find peace and happiness.
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These films are grouped together because they share a specific emotional recipe: a heavy central theme balanced by a tender, often intimate tone. The pacing is typically steady and character-driven, allowing for quiet, reflective moments that make the hopeful beats feel earned and genuine, rather than saccharine.
Movies about life-changing encounters like Sequoia
When a chance meeting irrevocably alters the course of two lives.For viewers who loved the central relationship in Sequoia, this list features similar movies where a pivotal meeting changes everything. These stories focus on how a chance connection between strangers can disrupt despair and lead to unexpected healing and new beginnings.
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Narrative Summary
The plot is typically character-driven, starting with two individuals on separate, often isolating, trajectories. Their paths cross, creating an initial friction that gives way to a deep, transformative bond. The story explores how this connection helps each character heal old wounds, face their fears, and choose a different path than the one they were on.
Why These Movies?
Movies in this thread share a core narrative engine: a 'found connection' that serves as the catalyst for change. They possess an intimate, reflective mood and a steady pacing that allows the relationship to develop authentically. The emotional core is the transformative power of human understanding.
Unlock the Full Story of Sequoia
Don't stop at just watching — explore Sequoia 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 Sequoia is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Sequoia Timeline
Track the full timeline of Sequoia with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Characters, Settings & Themes in Sequoia
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Sequoia. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
