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Plot Summary

Somewhere Slow (2014) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2014 · 96 min · English
Directed by
Jeremy O'Keefe

Seeking a way out, Anna becomes unexpectedly involved in a robbery, viewing it as an opportunity to leave her old life behind. This event propels her on a surprising journey of self-discovery, where she confronts challenging circumstances and explores the intricacies of love and loss as she forges her own path.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Somewhere Slow
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Somewhere Slow (2014)

Where can you watch Somewhere Slow? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Fawesome, Amazon MX Player and Amazon Prime Video Free: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Somewhere Slow: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Somewhere Slow (2014) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

In the vibrant city of Wilmington, Delaware, we meet Anna, who makes her living by selling beauty products to doctors for Beutanical Gardens. Although she is genuinely sweet and often pays compliments to those around her, Anna harbors deep insecurities rooted in her childhood, believing she was unattractive. However, this perception is far from the truth, as even in moments where her makeup is absent, her beauty shines through.

During a seemingly ordinary visit to a fast food restaurant, Anna appears to be ordering for a group, but it becomes clear that all the food is for her alone. After indulging, she retreats to the bathroom to purge her food—a glimpse into her struggles with body image and eating disorders. Additionally, her habit of smoking and her obsessive-compulsive tendencies hint at a deeper emotional turmoil.

As her and her boyfriend Robert celebrate their first anniversary at a lovely restaurant, the evening takes an unexpected turn when she declines dessert, only to succumb to the sweet temptation moments later. This marks the beginning of a downward spiral when her boss informs her she is being let go due to performance issues, despite her apparent efforts. Ignoring orders not to take her product samples, she walks away with them, carrying both physical and emotional burdens.

Her visit to her ailing mother, who fights cancer while still taking care of Anna, reveals a complicated family dynamic. The tension escalates with Anna’s sister, who juggles caregiving duties and disapproves of her. Feeling overwhelmed, Anna indulges in reckless behavior, including smoking outside—a moment of escape from her responsibilities.

While driving with the tide of her life pulling her down, Anna finds herself with a nearly empty gas tank and a phone that needs charging. Instead of a practical stop for fuel, she opts for cigarettes. A subsequent event in the store propels Anna onto a bus bound for Maine, a journey towards a childhood cottage near a nuclear power plant in Massachusetts that belongs to her father's family.

On the bus, she collides with the intriguing character of Danny, also known as Jason or Travis—a disillusioned Mormon seeking freedom from the constraints of his faith. Together, they make their way to Boston to find friends, where Danny's reckless decision to steal a car kicks off a wild series of escapades.

Arriving at the home of Paul, who and his friends are a questionable lot involved in drugs and adult film production, Anna and Danny quickly realize they should not linger. Their adventure takes them to a seaside community reminiscent of the Kennedys, where they break into the family's cottage, despite others now occupying it. The tensions rise as nosy neighbors begin to catch on.

What started as a thrilling journey morphs into a romantic tale, capturing heart-to-heart conversations between the couple about their pasts and aspirations. Even without significant plot developments, their mutual attraction and chemistry create an engaging dynamic. As conflicts arise, the audience sees the opportunity for resolution between Anna and Danny. Finally, upon recharging her phone, Anna is inundated with messages, beckoning her back to the complexities of her life that she desperately sought to escape.

Last updated: May 12, 2025 at 07:04

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Plot questions answered

Somewhere Slow Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Somewhere Slow (2014): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Anna get fired from her job at Beutanical Gardens?

Anna is let go from Beutanical Gardens due to underperformance, despite her genuine efforts. Her boss informs her of the termination, and she leaves feeling rejected and insecure. This job loss is a pivotal moment that contributes to her emotional breakdown and subsequent impulsive decision to leave her life behind.

  • job loss
  • termination
  • Beutanical Gardens
  • career
Q2

What triggers Anna to suddenly leave and board a bus to Maine?

Multiple factors converge to push Anna away: she loses her job, struggles with eating disorders, feels overwhelmed caring for her terminally ill mother while her sister criticizes her behavior, and deals with deep-rooted insecurities about her appearance. At a convenience store, after buying cigarettes instead of gas or a phone charger, something propels her to impulsively board a bus bound for Maine, a destination tied to her father's family cottage.

  • road trip
  • impulse decision
  • Maine
  • escape
Q3

Why does Danny go by different names like Travis and Jason?

On the bus, Anna meets a man who introduces himself as Danny. He later reveals he also goes by Jason or Travis, a reflection of his identity crisis as a disillusioned Mormon seeking freedom from his strict religious background. His multiple names symbolize his rebellion against authority and his search for a new identity outside the constraints of his faith.

  • Travis
  • Danny
  • Jason
  • Mormon
  • identity
Q4

Why does Travis steal a car when Anna likely has money to rent one?

Upon arriving in Boston, Travis makes a reckless decision to steal a car rather than rent one legitimately, despite Anna probably having sufficient funds. This impulsive act demonstrates Travis's disregard for rules and his chaotic approach to life, a trait that defines much of their journey together and sets the tone for their adventurous escape.

  • car theft
  • Boston
  • reckless decision
Q5

What happens at the convenience store that leads Anna to board the bus?

While driving with nearly an empty gas tank and a dying phone, Anna stops at a convenience store but prioritizes buying cigarettes over practical needs like fuel or a charger. The summary mentions an unspecified event at the store that propels her onto the bus to Maine, this moment represents a breaking point where she chooses escape over continuing her troubled life.

  • convenience store
  • cigarettes
  • gas
  • bus
Q6

Why does Anna purge after eating at the fast food restaurant?

At a fast food restaurant, Anna orders what appears to be food for multiple people but consumes it all herself, then retreats to the bathroom to throw up. This reveals her struggle with an eating disorder, a manifestation of her deep-seated insecurities about her appearance that she has carried since childhood, despite others seeing her as beautiful.

  • eating disorder
  • purging
  • fast food
  • body image
Q7

What is the significance of Anna's family cottage near the nuclear power plant?

Anna's destination is a childhood cottage in Massachusetts belonging to her father's family, located near a nuclear power plant. This location represents a connection to her past and a potential fresh start away from her troubled present life in Wilmington. When she and Travis arrive, they discover others are now occupying the cottage, but they decide to stay anyway.

  • cottage
  • nuclear power plant
  • Massachusetts
  • family history
Q8

What messages does Anna receive when she finally recharges her phone?

After recharging her phone at the cottage, Anna is inundated with messages that beckon her back to her old life, the responsibilities and problems she fled. The exact content of these messages isn't specified, but they represent the pull of her previous life: her mother, her sister, her boyfriend Robert, and the obligations she tried to escape.

  • messages
  • phone
  • return
  • responsibilities
Q9

Why does Anna take her product samples when she is fired?

When Anna's boss informs her she is being let go, she ignores the directive not to take her product samples and walks away with them. This act represents both a physical burden she carries and the emotional weight of rejection, she takes something because it was hers, symbolizing her struggle to hold onto identity and worth after being dismissed.

  • product samples
  • fired
  • stealing
Q10

Why does Anna visit her mother despite their strained relationship?

Anna visits her terminally ill mother despite their complicated dynamic, revealing the complexity of their relationship. Her sister, who has been the primary caregiver, expresses frustration over Anna's irresponsible behavior, including smoking and neglecting family duties. This visit highlights Anna's guilt and inability to meet expectations, contributing to her emotional overwhelm.

  • mother
  • cancer
  • sister
  • family tension

Movie threads

More Movies Like Somewhere Slow, by Mood & Story

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

Transformative Road Trip Movies like Somewhere Slow

Characters hit the road to escape their lives and find new versions of themselves. If you liked the journey of escape and self-discovery in Somewhere Slow, you'll find similar stories here. These movies feature characters who leave everything behind on an impulsive road trip, leading to transformative experiences, unlikely romance, and a hopeful new beginning.

  • road trip
  • self-discovery
  • escapism
  • unlikely romance
  • introspective
  • atmospheric
  • Tone: hopeful, introspective
  • Pacing: variable, journey-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically starts with a protagonist at a breaking point, leading to an impulsive decision to escape their current life. The physical journey on the road mirrors their internal journey of self-reflection and growth, often catalyzed by a new romantic connection or a series of challenging encounters that test their resilience.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their focus on the road trip as a metaphor for personal transformation. They share a mix of melancholic introspection and hopeful optimism, with a variable pacing that balances quiet character moments with the momentum of travel and adventure.

Movies with Bittersweet Hopeful Endings like Somewhere Slow

Stories where hope emerges from personal crisis, tinged with the sadness of what was lost. Fans of the bittersweet yet hopeful ending in Somewhere Slow will appreciate these films. They feature characters overcoming serious personal issues like family conflict or self-destructive behavior, finding a new path forward that is realistically hopeful without being a perfectly happy ending.

  • bittersweet
  • hopeful
  • introspective
  • emotional
  • character-driven
  • melancholic
  • Tone: bittersweet, hopeful
  • Pacing: variable, character-focused
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories often begin with a protagonist in a state of crisis or disillusionment. Through a series of challenging events and new connections, they gradually forge a new path. The ending acknowledges the pain and loss of the past while affirming the possibility of a better, though imperfect, future.

Why they belong together: This thread groups movies that masterfully balance heavy, real-world themes with a core of hopefulness. They are defined by a medium emotional weight and a bittersweet resolution, avoiding both unrelenting bleakness and simplistic happily-ever-afters, creating a deeply resonant and authentic emotional experience.

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Movies Like Somewhere Slow

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

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Every angle

Somewhere Slow (2014) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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

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