Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

The Foreigner (2017) movie poster

Timeline

The Foreigner (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 113 min · English
Echo score 70
JustWatch #1,340 17
Directed by
Martin Campbell
Starring
Ray Fearon, Jackie Chan, Rufus Jones, Orla Brady, Pierce Brosnan, Pippa Bennett-Warner
Budget
$35M

After a tragic terrorist attack claims the life of his daughter, London businessman Quan embarks on a relentless pursuit of justice. Driven by grief and rage, he targets a British official suspected of involvement, disrupting his own meticulously built life. His quest for retribution forces him to confront painful truths and long-buried secrets from his past, leading him down a dangerous path of revenge.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 The book behind the movie
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like The Foreigner
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Foreigner (2017)

Where can you watch The Foreigner? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV and Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

Streaming availability powered by JustWatch

15 events in order · contains spoilers

The Foreigner Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Foreigner (2017) 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. Picking Up Fan

    In London, Vietnam War veteran Ngoc Minh Quan goes about his day, intending to pick up his daughter, Fan, from school. This ordinary outing quickly turns into a heart-wrenching tragedy.

    Where
    London, England
  2. Visit to the Dress Shop

    Quan and Fan head to a dress shop in Knightsbridge as part of their day together. Little do they know that this decision will drastically alter the course of their lives.

    Where
    Knightsbridge, London
  3. The Explosion

    While Quan struggles to park his car, a motorcycle parks haphazardly nearby. Suddenly, a bomb detonates, demolishing both the dress shop and a neighboring bank, instantly killing Fan and eleven others.

    Where
    Knightsbridge, London
  4. Claim of Responsibility

    A news station receives a call from a group claiming responsibility for the bombing, identifying themselves as the Authentic IRA. The call prompts urgent discussions about the implications of this act of terrorism.

    Where
    News Station
  5. Ian Wood at the Scene

    Photographer Ian Wood arrives at the explosion site only to find a distraught Quan cradling his daughter Fan's lifeless body. The devastation at the scene is overwhelming as the aftermath begins to unfold.

    Where
    Explosion Site, London
  6. IRA's Reaction

    The members of the IRA closely monitor the news, deciding to maintain a low profile to avoid detection. They are aware that the explosion has triggered a larger investigation into their operations.

  7. Hennessy's Distress

    Liam Hennessy, the Irish Deputy Minister, receives a frantic call from his wife about the explosion while in bed with his mistress, Maggie. He faces pressure to assess the political fallout from the bombing.

    Where
    Hennessy's Home
  8. Quan's Quest for Vengeance

    Devastated by the loss of Fan, Quan is determined to find her killers. Despite warnings from his friend Lam, he starts his quest for answers, driven by grief and anger.

  9. Confronting Commander Bromley

    Quan approaches Commander Bromley at Scotland Yard, offering his life savings for information regarding the bombers. Bromley denies him, citing a lack of relevant information, further fueling Quan's frustration.

    Where
    Scotland Yard
  10. Journey to Belfast

    Undeterred, Quan travels to Belfast to confront Hennessy directly. Initially rebuffed, he tries to leverage Hennessy's past associations with the IRA, hoping to extract valuable information.

    Where
    Belfast
  11. Explosive Showdown

    In a desperate act, Quan creates an improvised explosive device and detonates it in Hennessy's office building. This violent escalation heightens the tension between Quan and Hennessy while instilling fear among Hennessy's associates.

    Where
    Hennessy's Office Building
  12. Surveillance and Ambush

    As Quan relentlessly pursues justice for his daughter, he surveils Hennessy and captures incriminating evidence of his secretive meetings. Tension escalates as Quan ambushes Hennessy's men, revealing the lengths he will go for revenge.

  13. Another Deadly Explosion

    The city is rocked by another explosion that claims more innocent lives, pushing Hennessy into a corner. The fallout from his associations with Maggie and the bombing begins to haunt him profoundly.

    Where
    London
  14. Confrontation at the Bombers' Hideout

    Quan discovers the bombers' hideout, leading to a brutal confrontation. With grim determination, he extracts names and uncovers the network responsible for his daughter's death.

  15. Final Confrontation with Hennessy

    In a dramatic culmination, Quan confronts Hennessy one last time, forcing him to face the consequences of his past choices. In the end, Quan seeks to balance his grief with a sense of closure.

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 21:20

Was this helpful?

Timeline questions answered

The Foreigner Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Foreigner (2017): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Quan target Liam Hennessy for revenge?

After the bombing kills his daughter, Quan researches the Irish Deputy Minister and discovers Hennessy has past connections to the IRA. Quan believes Hennessy knows the identities of the bombers or can lead him to them. When Hennessy refuses to cooperate, Quan becomes convinced that exposing his secret IRA affiliations will force him to act.

Foreshadowing: Early in the film, Quan is shown researching Hennessy after learning of his political position.

  • Quan
  • Liam Hennessy
  • revenge
  • IRA
  • bombing
Q2

How does Quan know about Hennessy's IRA past?

Quan conducts his own investigation, traveling to Belfast and uncovering historical records. He obtains a newspaper article that shows Hennessy proudly displaying his IRA affiliations from decades earlier. This evidence becomes Quan's leverage when confronting Hennessy directly.

  • Quan
  • Hennessy
  • IRA
  • investigation
  • newspaper
Q3

Did Hennessy order the bombing that killed Quan's daughter?

The film makes clear Hennessy did not order or directly orchestrate the bombing. However, he maintains hidden ties to various IRA factions and has knowledge of their operations. He claims ignorance about the specific bombers, though his deniability is questionable given his history.

  • Hennessy
  • bombing
  • IRA
  • responsibility
Q4

What happens to Quan at the end of the movie?

After confronting Hennessy and uncovering the truth about the bombers, Quan returns to his restaurant. He is watched by a government agent sent by Commander Bromley, suggesting he remains a person of interest. His friend Lam finds him and offers a moment of comfort, but Quan remains alone with his grief, having achieved vengeance but lost everything else.

  • Quan
  • ending
  • revenge
  • restaurant
  • closure
Q5

Why does Quan bomb Hennessy's office building?

After traveling to Belfast and confronting Hennessy, Quan is denied information about the bombers. Frustrated and desperate, Quan constructs a homemade bomb and detonates it in a bathroom in Hennessy's office building. The attack is not intended to kill but to scare Hennessy into cooperation, demonstrating how far Quan is willing to escalate.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Quan offers his life savings to Commander Bromley for information, showing his desperation.

  • Quan
  • bomb
  • Hennessy
  • office
  • escalation
Q6

Who actually carried out the bombing in London?

The bombing is carried out by a faction within the IRA known as the Authentic IRA. This group calls a news station to claim responsibility. While Hennessy has historical IRA connections, the film distinguishes between his political career and the actual bombers he claims not to control.

  • IRA
  • Authentic IRA
  • bombing
  • bombers
Q7

Does Quan find the actual bombers?

Yes, Quan eventually discovers the bombers' hideout through his relentless surveillance and investigation. He confronts them directly, extracting names and uncovering the network responsible for his daughter's death before the police close in.

Foreshadowing: Quan is shown repeatedly surveilling Hennessy's associates.

  • Quan
  • bombers
  • hideout
  • confrontation
Q8

What is Maggie's role in the story?

Maggie is Hennessy's mistress, whom he is with when the bombing occurs. She becomes a complication in Hennessy's life as Quan photographs their secret meetings. The timeline suggests Maggie may have connections to the bombing network itself, adding another layer of betrayal as Hennessy's secrets unravel.

Foreshadowing: Maggie is first shown with Hennessy on the morning of the bombing.

  • Maggie
  • Hennessy
  • mistress
  • betrayal
Q9

Why does Quan travel to Belfast?

Quan travels to Belfast to confront Hennessy directly, believing the Irish Deputy Minister's past connections to the IRA make him the key to finding the bombers. Hennessy initially dismisses Quan, but Quan reveals he knows about Hennessy's IRA history, creating tension between them.

  • Quan
  • Belfast
  • Hennessy
  • IRA
Q10

Is Quan ever arrested by the police?

The film does not show Quan being arrested. Despite his violent actions, including the bombing of Hennessy's office building, Quan's pursuit of justice appears to be tolerated or even assisted by Commander Bromley at Scotland Yard, who allows him to operate as an unofficial asset while keeping him under surveillance.

  • Quan
  • police
  • arrest
  • Bromley

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Foreigner, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about a relentless pursuit of vengeance like The Foreigner

Protagonists driven by grief on a methodical and destructive path for justice. If you liked The Foreigner's story of a father's single-minded quest for revenge, explore these similar movies. This list features intense thrillers and action dramas where grief-stricken protagonists embark on a destructive path for justice, creating a gripping and emotionally heavy viewing experience.

  • vengeful
  • grieving
  • tense
  • methodical
  • angry
  • relentless
  • Tone: tense, angry, melancholic
  • Pacing: fast, driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically begin with a catastrophic personal loss that shatters the protagonist's world. This event ignites an unwavering, often skill-based quest for retribution. The story unfolds as a tense cat-and-mouse game, pitting the protagonist against a powerful, entrenched system or individual, leading to escalating confrontations and a resolution that offers justice but rarely peace.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their core narrative engine: a grief-fueled, obsessive quest for revenge. They share a high-intensity, tense tone, heavy emotional weight, and a focus on a methodical protagonist whose specialized skills are weaponized for vengeance, resulting in a consistently gripping and somber mood.

Grief-stricken investigative thrillers similar to The Foreigner

Personal tragedy forces an ordinary person into a dangerous investigation. Discover movies like The Foreigner where a profound personal loss forces an everyday person into a dangerous investigation. These tense thrillers blend deep emotional drama with suspenseful mystery, as protagonists unravel political corruption and betrayal while grappling with their own overwhelming grief.

  • grieving
  • anxious
  • investigative
  • tense
  • conspiracy
  • melancholic
  • Tone: tense, melancholic, anxious
  • Pacing: steady, building suspense
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves an ordinary person whose life is shattered by a sudden, often politically-charged tragedy. Refusing to accept the official story, they begin their own amateur investigation, which leads them down a rabbit hole of secrets, powerful antagonists, and personal danger. The journey is as much about uncovering external truths as it is about processing internal grief.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are united by the fusion of heavy emotional drama with investigative suspense. The protagonist's deep personal grief is the primary motivator, creating a high-stakes, tense atmosphere as they piece together a complex puzzle, often exposing political or institutional corruption.

If you liked this

Movies Like The Foreigner

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

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

The Foreigner (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Foreigner 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.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app