The Devil You Know

The movie opens with Zoe Hughes peering through bushes, her expression enigmatic and unsettling. The film crew appears disgruntled by her performance, their mood shifting when Zoe's mother arrives. This early tension foreshadows the rivalry between generations of actresses and the pressure to live up to a famous name.

Zoe's legendary mother, Kathryn Vale, makes an unexpected visit that instantly changes the room's mood. The intrusion of old fame and high expectations intensifies the rivalry between mother and daughter. The moment signals the high-stakes dynamic that will define Zoe's attempt to step out from Kathryn's shadow.

Zoe pretends to surpass her mother's success by lying about a new audition. Kathryn's reaction is unexpectedly proud, which gives her the confidence to return to showbiz. Zoe's ruse backfires in a way that deepens her resentment toward Kathryn.

Zoe's affair with Kathryn's new husband, Jake, surfaces, revealing that he does not miss Zoe when he's with his wife. The affair adds a layer of betrayal and fuels Zoe's mounting resentment toward the family. Zoe's jealousy thickens as she braids romance, manipulation, and ambition into the feud.

Kathryn receives a threat about the suspicious death of her former husband. Jake confronts Zoe, accusing her of sending the threat, but Zoe denies involvement. The tension within the triangle tightens as trust frays and old wounds reopen.

Harassing mail continues to arrive, pushing Kathryn to retreat to a secluded mansion in the woods for safety. Edie, Kathryn's loyal assistant, joins her, and Jake and Zoe soon follow. The remote setting deepens isolation and provides fertile ground for manipulation and plotting.

Flashbacks reveal Zoe seducing and killing Kathryn's former husband to spite her. Edie and Zoe conspire to destroy Kathryn's new marriage by casting doubt on Jake's innocence in the threatening letters. The past and present collide as the mansion becomes a crucible for deception.

Gunshots awaken the house, and Edie rushes to Zoe's limp body while Jake, barely seeing the crime, hurries to shield Kathryn. Kathryn rounds on Edie and Jake, demanding answers and forcing a confrontation about loyalty and truth. The investigation exposes fragile alliances and the widening rift between the remaining players.

Zoe reveals that she is alive and, during the interrogation, kills Jake. Her victory is cold and calculating, as she taunts Kathryn with the notion that she could have doubted the wrong man all along. Zoe escapes into the night, while the police close in on the scene.

Kathryn, exhausted and embittered, refuses to protect Zoe any longer as the police close in. Zoe pleads with her mother for help, but Kathryn walks away with a smirk, leaving her daughter to face consequences alone. The moment cements a permanent rift between them and marks the end of their direct alliance.

One year passes and Kathryn and Edie ride in the back of a limo, basking in the glory of Kathryn's return to the big screen. A radio announces Kathryn Vale's Oscar nomination, signaling a sympathy-fueled comeback in the eyes of the public. The scene closes on a note of vindication and the enduring price of the feud.

The nomination cements Kathryn Vale's comeback and highlights the complexity of fame, motherhood, and revenge in the public eye. Edie shares a quiet smile with Kathryn, recognizing the long road that led to this moment. The film closes with Kathryn poised at the height of renewed stardom, haunted by the past as much as it celebrates it.