Swept Under

Swept Under

Year: 2015

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: English

Director: Michel Poulette

Thriller

Morgan works as a cleaner for crime scenes, a job that requires her to get her hands dirty. While investigating a particularly gruesome scene, she finds a crucial piece of evidence missed by the forensics team. Her unique ability to analyze blood splatter also captures the attention of Nick, a young detective on the case. They form an unlikely partnership as they delve into a series of related murders, growing closer to each other and the truth. However, their developing feelings threaten to cloud their judgment and put them in danger from a cunning killer.

Dark
Ambiguous ending
Emotionally heavy
High intensity
Steady pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Swept Under (2015)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Swept Under (2015). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Set in a contemporary urban setting, the film follows a modern police precinct and related crime-scene locations. The present-day timeframe reflects current policing practices, forensic techniques, and investigative intertwining. The story grounds its suspense in real-world ethics and professional boundaries.

Location

Crime scenes, Police station, Butler's house

Most actions unfold across sterile crime-scene cleanup sites, the bustle of a busy police station, and the private home of Butler. The locations emphasize the procedural grind of modern investigations and the psychological toll on those who work them. The contrast between clinical environments and intimate spaces mirrors the characters' struggles to connect and conceal.

🕵️ Investigation 🏙️ Urban 🧬 Forensics

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:29

Main Characters – Swept Under (2015)

Meet the key characters of Swept Under (2015), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Morgan Sher (Devin Kelley)

Morgan Sher works as a crime-scene cleaner who grapples with the emotional toll of handling grisly scenes. She struggles to form meaningful connections in her personal life, and a past trauma shapes her guarded demeanor. She brings keen observational insight to murders, even as she navigates danger and moral ambiguity.

💔 Trauma survivor 🧭 Investigator mindset 🧪 Forensic insight

Nick Hopewell (Aaron Ashmore)

Nick Hopewell is the new partner who aims to prove himself to his captain. He is eager to impress with his investigative instincts but cautious about crossing professional boundaries. His growing attraction to Sher is tempered by a rule against dating cops and coworkers, reflecting his struggle to balance ambition with ethics.

🤝 Partnership ⚖️ Ambition 🔎 Investigation

Gary Butler

Gary Butler is a donor with a criminal history who is nervous when questioned about the rape accusation, which he claims was an extortion attempt. He becomes entangled in the investigation and ultimately participates in the arrangements around the murders. The case reveals his willingness to hide the truth to protect his interests.

💼 Donor 🗝️ Hidden motives 🧩 Complicity

Adam Fowler

Adam Fowler is a conductor implicated in the conspiracy, portrayed as a calculating mastermind behind the killings. His position in the orchestra and his control over others make him a central figure in the case. He uses manipulation to shield himself and those around him from discovery.

🎼 Conductor 🗝️ Mastermind 🧩 Deception

Captain LaSalle

Captain LaSalle leads the precinct and pushes for progress on the case. She becomes angry when Hopewell pursues the evidence, and later grows suspicious of Sher as the investigation unfolds. She embodies authority and the pressure to resolve a high-stakes murder inquiry.

👮 Police leadership 🎯 Authority 🕵️ Investigation

Detective (Stephanie Costa)

The detective works within the precinct's framework, mediating between Sher's unconventional methods and the formal investigation. She challenges assumptions and monitors the evolving relationship dynamics that influence the case's direction. Her cautious approach highlights the friction between innovation and protocol.

🧭 Investigation 🗂️ Bureaucracy

Ed Braxton

Ed Braxton is a detective whose reputation was damaged after a case Sher helped solve that he could not. He initially clashes with Sher and resents her influence, but his professional obligations pull him into the evolving partnership with Hopewell. His stance often reflects a traditional, conflict-prone policing style.

👮 Authority 🔥 Conflict 🧭 Reputation

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:29

Major Themes – Swept Under (2015)

Explore the central themes of Swept Under (2015), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Morality

Two investigators push against the boundaries of the law when they turn to drastic measures to close a case. Sher's willingness to cross lines contrasts with Hopewell's rigid sense of justice, highlighting the gray areas in modern policing. The theme explores how personal ethics collide with professional duties, forcing characters to decide what kind of cops they want to be.

💔 Trauma

Morgan Sher is a former rape victim who endured captivity, and the case forces her to confront those memories. This trauma shapes her ability to trust and her relentless pursuit of answers. The narrative links personal wounds to her decisions, illustrating how past hurt can drive both resilience and moral ambiguity.

🤝 Trust

Romantic boundaries complicate the evolving partnership between Sher and Hopewell. Their relationship develops under professional tension, with Sher enforcing a policy against dating cops and coworkers. The theme examines how trust is built, tested, and sometimes strained by duty, desire, and suspicion.

🔎 Investigation

Clues like the cane, the Lully reference, and the orchestra connections drive the investigation forward. The case appears neatly solvable through a logical sequence, yet new evidence later casts doubt on the conclusion. The theme underscores how investigators must weigh certainty against the risk of a misleading narrative.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:29

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies with investigative duos like in Swept Under

Opposites forced together to solve a crime, blurring professional and personal lines.If you liked the dynamic between Morgan and Nick in Swept Under, you'll enjoy these movies featuring unlikely partnerships in crime-solving. These films explore how professional collaboration evolves under pressure, often leading to complex relationships and morally ambiguous outcomes, similar to the tense alliance in Swept Under.

tense partnershipprofessional frictionunlikely alliesinvestigativemorally graygrittyclaustrophobic collaboration

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a central investigation that serves as the crucible for an unconventional partnership. The protagonists start with conflicting approaches but are forced to rely on each other's strengths. As the case deepens, their personal boundaries blur, creating emotional stakes that are as high as the physical danger they face, often leading to a climax where their relationship is tested alongside the resolution of the crime.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their core dynamic: the compelling friction and developing bond between two mismatched leads driving a dark investigation. They share a tone of professional tension mixed with personal vulnerability, a steady pacing that allows the relationship to build, and a focus on how collaboration can be both a strength and a fatal weakness.

Movies about trauma and justice like Swept Under

Characters haunted by past violence taking matters into their own hands.Fans of Swept Under's Morgan will appreciate these stories about characters motivated by severe trauma to pursue justice. These films, like Swept Under, explore the psychological weight of past violence and the morally compromising actions it can provoke, offering a similar vibe of gritty, emotionally heavy thrillers.

traumaticmorally grayvengefulpsychologically damagedgrittyunsettlingheavyvigilante

Narrative Summary

The narrative is a character study of a protagonist grappling with a traumatic past, which becomes the engine for the plot. Their quest for justice is personal and often operates outside the law, forcing them to make difficult moral choices. The story examines the cost of their actions, both on themselves and those around them, frequently culminating in an ambiguous resolution that questions the very nature of justice and healing.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their exploration of trauma as a primary motivator. They share a dark, intense tone and heavy emotional weight, focusing on the psychological damage of their protagonists and the gritty, often bleak, realities of seeking personal retribution or closure outside conventional systems.

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Swept Under Summary

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Swept Under Timeline

Swept Under Spoiler-Free Summary

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Swept Under Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Swept Under

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