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Spree (2020) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2020 · 93 min · English
Echo score 58
JustWatch #5,927 19
Directed by
Eugene Kotlyarenko
Starring
Joe Keery, Kyle Mooney, Sasheer Zamata, Mischa Barton, David Arquette, Caroline Hebert

A socially isolated rideshare driver, Kurt, seeks fame by livestreaming a violent spree he calls "#thelesson." Installing cameras in his car, he embarks on a deadly pursuit, intending to go viral and gain notoriety. However, he soon finds that achieving internet fame is far more challenging and dangerous than he initially imagined, leading him into a desperate and increasingly perilous situation.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Spree
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Spree (2020)

Where can you watch Spree? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on AMC+, MUBI and Philo: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

Spree Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Spree (2020) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Kurt's Obsession with Fame

    Kurt Kunkle, a young man yearning for social media fame, is driven by jealousy over Bobby, a child he once babysat who has become an internet sensation. This obsession ignites Kurt's desire to find any means to go viral and be recognized in the digital world.

  2. Starting with Spree

    Securing a job with the rideshare app Spree, Kurt transforms his car into a mobile broadcasting studio. Eager to broadcast his journey, he launches a new livestream series titled 'The Lesson,' aiming to share tips on gaining social media popularity.

  3. The Chilling Tactic

    As Kurt begins to drive passengers, he devises a sinister plan by poisoning bottles of water. He hands these to unsuspecting riders, believing that the ensuing chaos will propel him to fame, despite the morality of his actions.

  4. The Encounter with Jessie

    Kurt picks up Jessie Adams, a popular comedian with a significant social media following. Starstruck by her fame, Kurt is keen to impress, but Jessie is unimpressed by his obsession with followers, leading her to exit the ride early.

  5. The Comedy Show Revelation

    Upon learning that Jessie will perform at a comedy show streamed to millions, Kurt grows increasingly desperate for recognition. He confronts Bobby, demanding his assistance, but when Bobby refuses, an unexpected confrontation ensues.

  6. Murder on Stream

    During their heated argument, Kurt’s jealousy escalates into violence, resulting in Bobby’s murder. He hijacks Bobby's streaming audience, attempting to convince them that the murder is an elaborate act for entertainment purposes.

  7. Kurt's Father Gets Involved

    Kurt's father, Kris Kunkle, unknowingly becomes part of his son's dark world, requesting a ride to a club where DJ uNo performs. Kurt's pursuit of social media visibility leads him to attempt to impress uNo, but he faces initial rejection.

    Where
    Nightclub
  8. The Poisoned Performance

    As Kurt waits for uNo to fulfill her promise of a social media tag, she unwittingly consumes the poisoned water. This results in her sudden collapse, drawing attention and raising suspicions about Kurt’s actions involving his passengers.

    Where
    Nightclub
  9. Becoming the Rideshare Killer

    With the police investigating the chaos surrounding the poisoned performances, Kurt's actions lead to him being labeled as 'The Rideshare Killer.' This notoriety begins to spread on social media, heightening his infamous image.

  10. Jessie's Viral Commentary

    Jessie uses her comedy stage time to critique society's obsession with social media fame. In a powerful act, she destroys her phone on stage, which goes viral, thus marking the end of her performance with a shocking mic drop.

  11. A Dangerous Ride Home

    Ironically, after a night of excessive drinking, Jessie finds herself in a rideshare with Kurt, who has just killed the previous driver. Their encounter turns hostile as Kurt viciously taunts Jessie about her previous actions during her performance.

  12. The Final Confrontation

    A fierce struggle unfolds in the vehicle as Jessie fights for her life, leading to a crash that allows her to regain control. She confronts Kurt at his house, where she uncovers the disturbing truth about his mother’s fate.

    Where
    Kurt's House
  13. The Public Spectacle

    In a dramatic climax, Jessie turns the tables on Kurt, resulting in his death. She makes a bold statement by taking a selfie with his body, catapulting her to fame and declaring her a hero against his tyrannical actions.

  14. Kurt's Infamous Legacy

    As Jessie's fame flourishes, Kurt's infamous actions continue to circulate in less reputable corners of the internet. His legacy as 'The Rideshare Killer' remains, but Jessie's defiance serves as a significant counterpoint to his disturbing narrative.

Last updated: October 27, 2024 at 17:52

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Timeline questions answered

Spree Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Spree (2020): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why is Kurt so obsessed with going viral?

Kurt's obsession with fame stems from his jealousy toward Bobby, a child he once babysat who became an internet sensation with impressive livestreaming numbers. This resentment drives Kurt to seek any means necessary to achieve the same level of recognition, ultimately leading him to resort to murder as a way to stand out in the crowded social media landscape.

Foreshadowing: Early scenes establish Kurt'senvy by showing him watching Bobby's streams with visible frustration.

  • kurt
  • fame
  • jealousy
  • bobby
  • viral
  • social media
Q2

How does Kurt poison his passengers?

Kurt devises a sinister plan by poisoning bottles of water and handing them to unsuspecting rideshare passengers. He believes that the ensuing chaos and deaths will finally gain him the notoriety he craves, though his audience remains minimal despite these heinous acts.

  • poison
  • water
  • passengers
  • murders
  • rideshare
Q3

Why does Bobby think the murders are staged?

Bobby naively assumes that Kurt's murders are staged pranks or performance art, rather than real violent crimes. This misunderstanding allows him to continue watching Kurt's stream without alerting authorities, ultimately contributing to his own demise when Kurt confronts him.

  • bobby
  • staged
  • murders
  • naive
  • livestream
Q4

Why does Kurt kill Bobby?

Kurt confronts Bobby demanding that he share his stream to help Kurt gain exposure. When Bobby refuses and instead starts livestreaming their heated argument, Kurt's jealousy and desperation boil over, leading him to murder Bobby on camera. He then hijacks Bobby's audience, trying to convince viewers it's all an elaborate act.

Foreshadowing: Kurt's jealousy toward Bobby is established early, making this confrontation inevitable.

  • kurt
  • bobby
  • murder
  • jealousy
  • livestream
Q5

What happens to uNo after she drinks the poisoned water?

After Kurt persuades uNo to drink the poisoned water while waiting for him to bring her food, she suddenly collapses. She later regains consciousness but panics when police approach, shooting one officer and escaping, which triggers an intense police pursuit.

  • uno
  • poison
  • water
  • collapse
  • police
  • shooting
Q6

Why does Jessie get in Kurt's car again?

After her viral comedy set where she destroys her phone, Jessie goes out drinking. In her intoxicated state, she accidentally enters Kurt's rideshare without realizing he is the same driver from before or that he has just killed the previous driver. This sets up the dangerous final confrontation.

Foreshadowing: The irony of Jessie's phone destruction is that it removes her ability to call for help.

  • jessie
  • rideshare
  • drunk
  • kurt
  • confrontation
Q7

What does Jessie discover about Kurt's mother?

When Jessie confronts Kurt at his house, she discovers the fate of his mother, though the exact details are left somewhat ambiguous. This revelation adds another layer to Kurt's disturbed psychological state and explains some of his twisted motivations.

  • kurt
  • mother
  • house
  • jessie
  • discovery
Q8

How does Jessie manage to kill Kurt?

A fierce struggle ensues in the vehicle after Jessie realizes the danger she's in. She manages to regain control during a crash, fights back against Kurt, and ultimately kills him in the confrontation at his house, turning the tables on her would-be killer.

  • jessie
  • kurt
  • struggle
  • fight
  • kills
Q9

Why does Jessie take a selfie with Kurt's dead body?

After defeating Kurt, Jessie takes a selfie with his lifeless body. This act propels her to nationwide celebrity status, making her a hero in the public eye. The moment perfectly encapsulates the film's dark critique of social media culture, where even killing a killer can lead to viral fame.

  • jessie
  • selfie
  • body
  • fame
  • viral
Q10

What makes the ending so ironic?

The ending is deeply ironic because both Kurt and Jessie achieve the fame they desperately sought, but through completely opposite means. Kurt becomes infamous as 'The Rideshare Killer' in dark corners of the internet, while Jessie becomes a celebrated hero by killing him. The film suggests that in today's social media-driven world, both notoriety and heroism are just different paths to viral stardom.

  • ending
  • irony
  • fame
  • kurt
  • jessie
  • social media

Movie threads

More Movies Like Spree, by Mood & Story

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

Social Media Horror Movies like Spree

Unhinged characters spiral into violence, fueled by a desperate craving for online fame. If the chilling critique of internet fame in Spree resonated with you, explore these movies that also dissect the dark side of technology. These stories feature characters driven to extremes by social media, livestreaming, and the desperate pursuit of online notoriety, often with fast-paced and violent consequences.

  • unhinged
  • anxious
  • cynical
  • chaotic
  • desperate
  • sinister
  • Tone: dark, cynical, sinister
  • Pacing: fast, relentless, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically follow a linear, fast-paced escalation. A disillusioned or socially isolated character, often an anti-hero, becomes fixated on achieving recognition through digital platforms. Their initial attempts are misguided, leading to increasingly drastic and dangerous acts that spiral out of control, culminating in a public spectacle of violence.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared thematic core: a sharp critique of contemporary internet culture. They possess a dark, cynical tone, high intensity, and a chaotic pacing that mirrors the relentless nature of online content. The emotional journey is one of heavy, unsettling tension derived from a disturbingly relatable desire for fame.

Live-Feed Thrillers with the Vibe of Spree

Stories where violence unfolds in real-time, broadcast for a captive and complicit audience. For viewers who appreciated the real-time, livestreamed chaos of Spree, this collection highlights movies that share its first-person, mediated perspective. Discover similar films where the action is presented through cameras, screens, or live feeds, creating a uniquely immersive and anxious viewing experience that critiques the spectacle of violence.

  • anxious
  • claustrophobic
  • tense
  • voyeuristic
  • chaotic
  • gritty
  • Tone: tense, anxious, bleak
  • Pacing: fast, immediate, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern is defined by its presentation. The story is captured through diegetic cameras—be it security feeds, livestreams, or personal recordings—creating a sense of immediacy and unfiltered access. This technique amplifies tension, reduces narrative distance, and often implicates the audience in the voyeuristic consumption of the violent spectacle.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their formal approach to storytelling, which directly shapes the viewer's experience. They generate a specific kind of anxiety and immersion through their first-person visual style. The shared elements are a fast pace, high tension, and a meta-commentary on observation and media consumption.

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Movies Like Spree

Similar movies to Spree: 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

Spree (2020) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Spree 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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