Sequoia

Sequoia

Year: 2014

Runtime: 86 mins

Language: English

Director: Andy Landen

DramaComedyRomance

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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Timeline & Setting – Sequoia (2014)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Sequoia (2014). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Sequoia National Park, Hanging Rock, General Sherman Tree

Sequoia National Park in California provides the backdrop for Riley's final days. The park's ancient sequoias, including the Hanging Rock and General Sherman Tree, create a sense of timelessness that contrasts with Riley's limited time. The natural surroundings become a sanctuary where she and Ogden share moments of reality, art, and connection.

🌲 National Park 📍 California 🧭 Outdoors

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:42

Main Characters – Sequoia (2014)

Meet the key characters of Sequoia (2014), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Riley (Aly Michalka)

Riley is a young woman facing stage 3 oral cancer who records her visit with her doctor to inform her mother. She travels to Sequoia with a mix of fear, resolve, and stubborn hopeful energy. She uses film to capture her last moments and to assert agency over her story, even as time runs short. Her evolving relationship with Ogden reveals a longing for connection and meaning.

🥀 Illness 🎬 Filmmaking ❤️ Relationships

Ogden (Dustin Milligan)

Ogden is a compassionate aspiring musician who meets Riley on a bus; he supports her, helps her explore the park, and participates in filming her moments. His loyalty is steady as time dwindles, and he becomes a creative partner in documenting her final days. He stays by Riley's side, offering warmth, humor, and music as a form of solace. Their evolving bond provides a beacon of human connection amid the illness.

🎶 Music 🤝 Companionship 🌄 Road trip

Bev (Joey Lauren Adams)

Bev is Riley's mother, a pragmatic, emotionally distant figure who prioritizes practicality over sympathy. She shows little empathy for Riley's illness and pushes to finalize the divorce, reflecting a conflict between family duties and personal relief. Her stance creates tension within the family and underscores the film's exploration of love and obligation.

💔 Family 🗂️ Divorce 💬 Communication

Steve (Demetri Martin)

Steve is Bev's partner who accompanies the family to Riley's location to finalize the divorce papers. He approaches the situation with practical, strategic thinking and a willingness to push the plan forward. His role highlights the film's themes of estrangement and the complexities of adult relationships.

🗞️ News 🧭 Strategy 💬 Divorce

Oscar MacGrady (Todd Lowe)

Oscar is Riley's father, furious and protective, who mobilizes others to locate Riley. His anger triggers conflict within the family but also motivates action to bring the family together again. He embodies the tension between parental protectiveness and the pain of a fractured family.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family 😡 Anger 🕊️ Reconciliation

Van (Sophi Bairley)

Van is Riley's sister who tries to meet Riley and, at times, acts as a bridge between her parents' conflict and Riley's wishes. She endures a car accident while attempting to help and shows protective concern for her sister. Her presence adds a sibling perspective to the story's themes of family and care.

👧 Sibling 🚗 Accident 🫶 Protection

Colin (Lou Diamond Phillips)

Colin is a man with AIDS who prays to the General Sherman Tree for healing, sharing his hopes and what he would do if granted more years. He represents resilience and faith in the face of illness and becomes a quiet counterpoint to Riley's journey through the park's sacred spaces.

🌳 Nature 🙏 Faith 🤲 Hope

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:42

Major Themes – Sequoia (2014)

Explore the central themes of Sequoia (2014), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🫀 Mortality

Riley's diagnosis and the decision to document her journey shapes the film's meditation on mortality. The act of filming her illness gives her voice and a record of her perspective as time ticks away. The story explores what remains meaningful when life nears its end and who she wants with her in those final moments. The intimate scenes confront the fragility of life with honesty.

🤝 Connection

Relationships become Riley's lifeline as she leans on Ogden and her family. The bond forged through vulnerability and shared artistry offers hope amid despair. Ogden's loyalty and willingness to stay close transforms moments of surrender into something bearable. The film emphasizes that connection can give life meaning even in the face of loss.

🌲 Nature as Sanctuary

The Sequoia landscape frames Riley's experience, offering a space to reflect on life beyond medical walls. The park's monumental trees and open skies serve as symbols of endurance and memory. Through the scenes in nature, the characters find peace, music, and a chance to say goodbye. The film suggests that nature can provide a quiet, enduring context for processing life and death.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:42

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Explore Movie Threads

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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.

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Narrative Summary

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Why These Movies?

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 Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Sequoia, 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.

Sequoia Summary

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.

Sequoia Timeline

Sequoia Spoiler-Free Summary

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Sequoia Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Sequoia

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