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The Fabulous Four (2024) movie poster

Timeline

The Fabulous Four (2024) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2024 · 1 h 39 m · English
Echo score 50
JustWatch #12,342 11
Directed by
Jocelyn Moorhouse
Starring
Bette Midler, Susan Sarandon, Bruce Greenwood, Sophie von Haselberg, Timothy V. Murphy, Megan Mullally

Three lifelong friends reunite in Key West for a friend’s wedding, where they navigate unexpected surprises and rekindle old bonds. As they celebrate Marilyn’s (Bette Midler) whirlwind wedding, long-held secrets are revealed.

Comedy Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Fabulous Four
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Fabulous Four (2024)

Where can you watch The Fabulous Four? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Netflix, Netflix Standard and Hoopla: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

The Fabulous Four Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Fabulous Four (2024) 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. College Days

    Lou and Marilyn meet during their college years, developing a deep and unbreakable bond characterized by infectious laughter and late-night chats. Their friendship becomes a vital foundation that they carry into adulthood.

    When
    Early Years
    Where
    College Campus

  2. Living Together

    Transitioning into adulthood, Lou and Marilyn move into a cozy apartment together where they welcome their two new friends, Alice and Kitty. This formation of the Fabulous Four solidifies their shared lives with each friend's unique contributions.

    When
    Adulthood
    Where
    Cozy Apartment

  3. Career Paths Diverge

    Decades later, Lou has become a respected surgeon, while Kitty has shifted from a biologist to running a flourishing marijuana farm, embracing an 'earth mother' lifestyle. Meanwhile, Alice continues to live extravagantly, holding onto her rock star persona.

    When
    Present Day

  4. Marilyn's Loss

    Marilyn grapples with an emotional void after the recent loss of her husband, John, with whom she spent 48 years. Seeking solace, she dives deep into the fast-paced world of TikTok, trying to navigate her grief.

    When
    After John's Passing

  5. Unexpected Engagement

    In an unexpected turn, Marilyn announces her engagement to be married within a week, shocking her friends. This news prompts her to reach out to Lou, Alice, and Kitty, asking them to be her bridesmaids.

    When
    One Week Prior to Wedding

  6. The Plan to Entice Lou

    Kitty and Alice formulate a cunning plan to lure Lou back into their friendship fold. They concoct a story about a raffle for a polydactyl cat at the famed Hemingway mansion, knowing Lou's love for cats will be irresistible.

    When
    Several Days Before Reunion
    Where
    Hemingway Mansion

  7. Reunion in Florida

    Once at the Hemingway mansion in Florida, Lou confronts Marilyn, leading to emotional tensions as Lou feels betrayed. This confrontation reopens old wounds and unresolved issues between the friends.

    When
    Day of Arrival
    Where
    Hemingway Mansion

  8. The Gift and Tension

    In a humorous yet awkward moment, Marilyn gifts Lou a cheeky sex toy as a way to lighten the mood amidst tensions. This occurs during a fashion outing, only amplifying the discontent brewing within Lou.

    When
    After Arrival

  9. Wedding Dress Shopping Chaos

    While shopping for wedding dresses, tensions escalate when Marilyn announces her elopement with John, causing Lou to storm out. This explosive moment leads to an accidental collision with a cyclist, throwing Lou into unexpected circumstances.

    When
    During Dress Shopping
    Where
    Boutique

  10. Parasailing Adventure

    Marilyn arranges a thrilling parasailing trip, but Lou's seasickness complicates the fun. Alice tries to cheer Lou up by offering her marijuana-infused chocolate, leading to a mind-bending experience for Lou on the boat.

    When
    Day After Shopping
    Where
    Sea

  11. Bachelor Party Revelations

    At Marilyn's bachelorette party at a strip club, a performer named Nathan reveals he is Kitty's grandson. This heartfelt moment fosters joy and acceptance, showcasing the support Kitty provides to the younger generation.

    When
    Night of the Bachelorette Party
    Where
    Strip Club

  12. Confrontation Over Bradley

    The next day, Marilyn introduces her fiancé, Bradley, who is coincidentally connected to Lou through a cycling accident. This revelation sparks intense conflict between Marilyn and Lou, with emotions running high.

    When
    Day Before Wedding

  13. Wedding Day Breakdown

    As the wedding day arrives, Marilyn faces a mental breakdown due to the pressure of her whirlwind romance. This culminates in a mutual decision between her and Bradley to separate but remain friends.

    When
    Wedding Day
    Where
    Wedding Venue

  14. Alice's Mysterious Role

    Throughout the storyline, Alice often disappears and reappears, taking on a mysterious role. Her sporadic appearances add an air of intrigue as she navigates the unfolding drama of the group's journey.

    When
    Throughout Events

  15. Embracing New Beginnings

    In the film's conclusion, Kitty delivers a vibrant performance that captivates everyone present. With encouragement from Captain Ernie, Lou decides to embrace her fresh start and leave their chaotic journey behind, looking towards Key West.

    When
    After Wedding
    Where
    Performance Venue

Last updated: November 17, 2024 at 14:04

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Timeline questions answered

The Fabulous Four Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Fabulous Four (2024): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Lou storm out during wedding dress shopping?

Lou storms out because Marilyn casually mentions planning to elope with John, not realizing Lou hasn't been told that John (Marilyn's deceased husband) is actually dead. Lou is devastated to learn about John's death this way, on top of feeling excluded from Marilyn's sudden engagement. The revelation triggers her long-simmering resentment about being kept in the dark.

  • lou
  • marilyn
  • wedding dress
  • john
  • elopement
Q2

Why does Marilyn say she's going to elope with John if John is dead?

Marilyn is referring to Bradley, her new fiancé, but the film never clearly establishes when or if she told the others his name. This communication breakdown causes confusion and pain for Lou, who interprets the comment as either a cruel joke or evidence that she's been completely shut out of Marilyn's life.

  • marilyn
  • john
  • bradley
  • elopement
  • confusion
Q3

Why do Kitty and Alice trick Lou with the Hemingway mansion cat raffle?

Kitty and Alice devise the cat raffle story because they know Lou is a passionate cat lover and devoted Ernest Hemingway fan. They need to lure her away from her demanding surgical career to attend Marilyn's wedding, knowing she wouldn't come otherwise. The ruse works, though Lou feels betrayed when she discovers the truth.

  • lou
  • kitty
  • alice
  • hemingway mansion
  • cat raffle
Q4

Who is Nathan at the bachelorette party and why is he important to Kitty?

Nathan is Kitty's grandson, a transgender man who was kicked out of his home for being himself. He reveals this connection during his strip club performance at Marilyn's bachelorette party. The reunion is emotionally significant for Kitty, showing her acceptance and pride in her grandson's authenticity.

  • nathan
  • kitty
  • grandson
  • bachelorette party
  • strip club
Q5

Why does Lou use the Kegel ball as a slingshot?

After Lou accidentally hits a cyclist while running from the boutique, she witnesses thieves attempting to rob the fallen rider. In a panic to protect him, Lou grabs the Kegel ball Marilyn gave her and uses it as ammunition in a makeshift slingshot to ward off the thieves. This bizarre moment leads to her meeting Bradley, the cyclist who turns out to be Marilyn's fiancé.

  • lou
  • kegel ball
  • bradley
  • thieves
  • slingshot
Q6

Why does Marilyn call off the wedding?

Marilyn experiences a full mental breakdown on her wedding day, overwhelmed by the rapid pace of her relationship with Bradley, grief over John's death, and guilt over the conflict with Lou. She and Bradley mutually decide to separate but remain friends, agreeing to take time to reflect on their feelings before committing.

  • marilyn
  • bradley
  • wedding
  • breakdown
  • cancelled
Q7

What was the past betrayal between Lou and Marilyn?

The summary hints at an unspecified betrayal by Marilyn in the past that still weighs on Lou, along with reminders of her lost love (John). While the exact nature of the betrayal isn't detailed in the summary, it contributed to Lou's emotional distance and her feeling of being excluded from Marilyn's life decisions.

  • lou
  • marilyn
  • betrayal
  • past
  • friendship
Q8

Why does Alice keep disappearing throughout the movie?

Alice's absences are never fully explained in the film. She appears sporadically throughout the events, present for key moments like dress shopping, the parasailing trip, and the bachelorette party, but her personal life or reasons for leaving remain ambiguous. This adds an element of mystery to her character, though it may simply reflect her free-spirited rock star lifestyle.

  • alice
  • mysterious
  • disappear
  • rock star
Q9

Why does Lou protect the cyclist from thieves after hitting him?

Despite being angry and flustered from hitting the cyclist with her car, Lou's instinctive response is to protect him from opportunistic thieves who see an easy target in the fallen rider. This act of bravery, using the Kegel ball as a weapon, shows Lou's underlying compassion, even when she's upset.

  • lou
  • cyclist
  • thieves
  • bradley
  • accident
Q10

Why does Lou get seasick during parasailing and what happens?

Lou suffers from seasickness during Marilyn's parasailing trip, making the experience miserable. To cheer her up, Alice gives her marijuana-infused chocolate, which causes Lou to hallucinate about cats performing surgery. The surreal experience leads her to untie the boat and sing "Don't Worry, Be Happy" off-key, adding comedic chaos to the day.

  • lou
  • seasick
  • parasailing
  • marijuana
  • hallucination
Q11

Why does Lou yell at Marilyn for her social media addiction?

During the cannabis-fueled outing, Lou confronts Marilyn about her addiction to TikTok and other deceptions, expressing frustration that Marilyn is more focused on documenting her life for social media than genuinely connecting with her friends. This outburst stems from Lou's broader feelings of being excluded and overlooked.

  • lou
  • marilyn
  • tiktok
  • social media
  • confrontation
Q12

How does Lou meet Bradley?

Lou meets Bradley when she accidentally hits him with her car while running out of the boutique in anger. After the collision, she defends him from thieves using her Kegel ball as a makeshift weapon. Unbeknownst to both of them at the time, Bradley is Marilyn's fiancé.

  • lou
  • bradley
  • cycling accident
  • meeting

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Fabulous Four, by Mood & Story

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

Celebratory Friendship Comedies like The Fabulous Four

Stories of old friends reconnecting and finding joy in shared chaos. If you enjoyed the warm, chaotic reunion in The Fabulous Four, explore more movies like it. This thread gathers comedies about lifelong friends reconnecting, filled with humorous mishaps, heartfelt confessions, and the uplifting joy of rediscovering old bonds at pivotal life moments.

  • friendship-focused
  • celebratory
  • warm
  • uplifting
  • comedic
  • sentimental
  • Tone: light, warm, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady, event-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins with a group of friends reuniting for a specific event like a wedding or vacation. This catalyst reignites old dynamics, leading to the revelation of long-held secrets and the resolution of past conflicts. The journey is one of reconciliation and self-discovery, culminating in a reaffirmation of friendship and a hopeful new beginning.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on friendship as the central relationship, a LIGHT tone driven by character-based comedy, and a celebratory event that serves as the narrative engine. They deliver an uplifting, feel-good experience with minimal emotional heaviness.

Just Friends movie poster

Just Friends

2005
The Fabulous Four movie poster

The Fabulous Four

2024
My Best Friend movie poster

My Best Friend

2007
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion movie poster

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion

1997
Friendsgiving movie poster

Friendsgiving

2020
My Best Friend's Wedding movie poster

My Best Friend's Wedding

1997
American Reunion movie poster

American Reunion

2012
Vacation Friends movie poster

Vacation Friends

2021

Late-in-Life Comedies like The Fabulous Four

Humorous and hopeful stories of self-discovery in one's later years. Fans of The Fabulous Four's portrayal of joy and change later in life will enjoy these similar movies. This collection highlights uplifting comedies about older characters on journeys of self-discovery, filled with playful humor, warm friendships, and a hopeful outlook on aging.

  • self-discovery
  • aging
  • hopeful
  • playful
  • warm
  • comedic
  • Tone: hopeful, light, playful
  • Pacing: steady, character-focused
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives follow characters, often women, who are navigating a significant transition or rediscovering their identity after years of routine. The plots are straightforward, focusing on personal liberation, chasing new dreams, and forming deep connections. Conflicts are resolved with humor and grace, leading to an ending that celebrates new beginnings and the enduring power of friendship.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by their LIGHT emotional weight, STEADY pacing, and a core theme of joyful self-acceptance and change in one's senior years. They share a vibe that is fundamentally optimistic and celebratory, avoiding heavy drama in favor of warm, comedic exploration.

Forever Female movie poster

Forever Female

1953
About Fifty movie poster

About Fifty

2011
Grumpier Old Men movie poster

Grumpier Old Men

1995
Never Too Old movie poster

Never Too Old

2013
Never Too Late movie poster

Never Too Late

1965
Grumpy Old Men movie poster

Grumpy Old Men

1993
A Family Affair movie poster

A Family Affair

2024
Senior Year movie poster

Senior Year

2022

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Every angle

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