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Plot Summary

The Grudge (2020) Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Release, runtime and language
2020 · 94 min · English
Echo score 47
Directed by
Nicolas Pesce
Starring
Andrea Riseborough, Jacki Weaver, John Cho, Frankie Faison, Demián Bichir, Betty Gilpin
Budget
$10M

A horrific act of violence against a family unleashes a powerful, malevolent spirit. As a detective investigates the disturbing events, she discovers a terrifying curse that has been passed down through generations. The vengeful spirit relentlessly targets anyone connected to the original tragedy, claiming new victims and spreading its wrath with terrifying speed. The detective must confront the dark history behind the curse before she becomes its next target.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 What happens: full plot
  2. 2 Plot questions answered
  3. 3 How it ends
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Grudge
  6. 6 Every angle

Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in The Grudge: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of The Grudge (2020) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Much like the original films, the narrative unfolds in a non-chronological manner, weaving together several distinct storylines. Here’s a clearer representation of the events, albeit not in the order they're presented in the film.

### The Landers Family

In 2004, a live-in nurse, Fiona Landers, becomes increasingly disturbed by unexplained occurrences in a Tokyo house. She confides in her co-worker Yoko that she is heading back to America. Unfortunately, Fiona's return is marred by horrifying encounters with the spirits of Kayako Saeki and Toshio. Upon reaching her Pennsylvania home at 44 Reyburn Drive, she reunites with her husband, Sam, and their daughter, Melinda. Tragically, the curse of Kayako takes hold of Fiona, driving her to slay Sam and Melinda before taking her own life.

Detectives Goodman and Wilson are called to investigate the gruesome murders. Goodman, unsettled by the house, refuses to enter, while Wilson braves the crime scene. After his exit, Wilson becomes unhinged, particularly after catching sight of Fiona’s ghost outside Goodman's car. In a moment of despair, he attempts suicide but survives with a disfigured face, eventually winding up in a psychiatric institution, while Goodman resigns from the case.

### The Spencers

Some time later, real estate agents Peter and Nina Spencer are distraught to find out that their unborn child is at risk of a rare genetic disorder, ALD. In an effort to find stability, Peter checks out 44 Reyburn Drive and encounters Melinda’s ghost, whom he mistakes for a lost girl, bleeding from her nose. As he cares for her at the haunted home, Nina remains at their residence. During a phone call, they agree to proceed with having their baby.

However, Peter soon finds himself tormented by the apparitions of Fiona and Melinda. Corrupted by the curse, Peter returns home where he tragically kills Nina and their unborn child before drowning himself in the bathtub.

### The Mathesons

In 2005, elderly couple Faith and William Matheson move into the infamous house. Faith, battling dementia and a terminal illness, brings in Lorna Moody, an assisted suicide consultant, to help. As Faith succumbs to the curse, she begins to see Melinda, leading to a rapid decline in her mental state.

Lorna urges William to leave the house, but he strangely reveals that he understands the significance of the ghosts, suggesting a future promise of being reunited with loved ones in death. When Lorna returns later, she is horrified to discover that Faith has killed William and mutilated herself. In a desperate escape, Lorna encounters Sam's ghost in her car, resulting in a fatal crash.

### Muldoon

By 2006, rookie detective Muldoon relocates to the town with her son Burke after her husband’s battle with cancer. The duo is summoned to the woods where Lorna's body has been found. Noticing Goodman’s distress over the house's connection to his previous investigations, Muldoon presses him for answers. Goodman reveals his suspicions about the house's curse, which he wishes to avoid.

Determined, Muldoon investigates the house, where she finds a disoriented Faith and William's corpse. Faith is subsequently hospitalized, but she tragically throws herself off a balcony, ending her life. As Muldoon digs deeper, she is haunted by the Landers’ ghosts and visits Wilson in the asylum, who warns her that all who enter the haunted house are bound to endure the curse themselves.

Fearful for her family's safety, Muldoon enlists Goodman’s help, learning that the curse stretches back to Japan and that Fiona was the one who inadvertently brought it over. Facing relentless attacks from the Landers' spirits, Muldoon resolves to burn 44 Reyburn Drive to the ground, engulfed in visions and horror.

As the flames consume the ghosts and the house, Muldoon embraces Burke in the aftermath. However, in a chilling twist, sometime later, she attempts to hug Burke before school, only to find herself holding a version of Melinda instead. Just as the realization dawns on her, Fiona’s ghost drags Muldoon away, leaving the haunting legacy of the cursed home painfully unresolved. The scene fades into silence as the credits roll over the same home where the Spencers met their tragic end, now a new chapter in the curse’s terrifying saga.

Last updated: October 27, 2024 at 23:12

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Plot questions answered

The Grudge Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about The Grudge (2020): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why did Fiona Landers kill her husband and daughter?

Fiona Landers was possessed by the curse of Kayako Saeki after working as a nurse in Tokyo. The curse followed her back to Pennsylvania, where she began experiencing horrifying visions of Kayako and Toshio. The malevolent spirit's influence drove her to madness, ultimately causing her to murder her husband Sam and daughter Melinda before taking her own life.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in Tokyo, Fiona told her co-worker Yoko that she was disturbed by unexplained occurrences and needed to return to America, foreshadowing the curse's grip on her.

  • fiona landers
  • curse possession
  • kayako saeki
  • murder-suicide
  • family killed
Q2

How does the curse spread to new victims?

The curse is transmitted through entering the haunted house at 44 Reyburn Drive. Anyone who enters the home becomes infected with the curse, which manifests as ghostly visions and psychological torment. The curse then spreads from these victims to others around them, creating a chain of supernatural harm that affects family members, investigators, and even those who merely encounter the infected.

  • curse transmission
  • 44 reynburn drive
  • haunted house
  • infection
  • supernatural
Q3

Why did Peter Spencer kill his wife Nina and unborn child?

Peter Spencer was corrupted by the curse after visiting the haunted house to inspect it as a real estate agent. He encountered Melinda's ghost and later began seeing apparitions of Fiona and Melinda at his home. The curse corrupted his mind, leading him to tragically kill his wife Nina and their unborn child before drowning himself in the bathtub.

Foreshadowing: Peter mistook Melinda's ghost for a lost girl bleeding from her nose, showing his vulnerability to the curse's influence from their first contact.

  • peter spencer
  • nina spencer
  • murder-suicide
  • curse corruption
  • unborn child
Q4

What happened to Detective Wilson after investigating the murders?

After investigating the Landers family murders at 44 Reyburn Drive, Detective Wilson became haunted by Fiona's ghost, who appeared outside his car. The psychological torment drove him to attempt suicide in a moment of despair. He survived but was left with a disfigured face and was institutionalized in a psychiatric hospital, where he remained trapped by the curse's lingering effects.

Foreshadowing: During the initial investigation, Wilson braved entering the crime scene while Goodman refused, setting Wilson up for deeper curse exposure.

  • detective wilson
  • psychiatric institution
  • suicide attempt
  • curse Haunting
  • disfigurement
Q5

Why did Faith Matheson kill her husband William?

Faith Matheson, who was suffering from dementia and a terminal illness, became increasingly affected by the curse after moving into 44 Reyburn Drive. She began seeing Melinda's ghost, and her mental state rapidly deteriorated. The curse drove her to murder her husband William before mutilating herself, demonstrating how the curse preys on vulnerable individuals with weakened minds.

Foreshadowing: Faith's dementia made her particularly susceptible to supernatural influences, which the house exploited.

  • faith matheson
  • william matheson
  • dementia
  • murder
  • curse victims
Q6

Where did the curse originate and how did it reach America?

The curse originated in Japan, attached to the spirits of Kayako Saeki and her son Toshio. Fiona Landers, while working as a live-in nurse in a Tokyo house, became the first American to encounter and be possessed by this curse. She inadvertently brought the curse to America when she returned to Pennsylvania in 2004, passing it through the generations and infecting everyone who entered her home.

Foreshadowing: Fiona's disturbing experiences in Tokyo and her urgent need to return to America established the curse's foreign origin.

  • kayako saeki
  • toshio
  • japan
  • curse origin
  • fiona landers tokyo
Q7

What happens at the end of The Grudge 2020?

Detective Muldoon burns down 44 Reyburn Drive in an attempt to destroy the curse and protect her son Burke. However, in a chilling twist, when she tries to embrace Burke the next morning, she instead grabs a ghost version of Melinda. Fiona's ghost then drags Muldoon away, revealing that the curse has claimed her too. The curse persists despite the house's destruction, leaving the cycle of death unbroken.

Foreshadowing: Wilson warned Muldoon that everyone who enters the house is bound to endure the curse themselves, foreshadowing her fate.

  • muldoon ending
  • melinda ghost
  • fiona ghost
  • curse persists
  • house burned
Q8

Why couldn't Muldoon escape the curse after burning the house?

Muldoon could not escape the curse because she had already been infected when she entered the house to investigate. The curse had attached itself to her, and destroying the physical structure of the house did not eliminate the supernatural infection she had already absorbed. This mirrors the curse's nature in the original films, it is not bound to the house itself but to the spirits of those who died there, who can follow their victims anywhere.

Foreshadowing: Goodman's warning that he wished to avoid the house due to its curse and Muldoon's continued sightings of the Landers' ghosts showed her infection progressing.

  • muldoon curse
  • house burning
  • supernatural infection
  • cannot escape
Q9

What happened to Detective Goodman after the initial investigation?

Detective Goodman was so unsettled by the house's aura during the Landers murder investigation that he refused to enter. While Wilson braved the crime scene and was destroyed by the curse, Goodman managed to avoid direct infection. He resigned from the case and spent years trying to avoid the house, warning Muldoon about its dangers. However, his connection to the case meant he was never truly free from the curse's influence.

Foreshadowing: Goodman's instinctive refusal to enter the house showed his awareness of its danger, though he could not completely escape its reach.

  • detective goodman
  • resigned
  • avoided house
  • curse warning
Q10

How did Lorna Moody die in The Grudge 2020?

Lorna Moody, an assisted suicide consultant hired to help Faith Matheson, was killed in a car accident while fleeing the haunted house. After discovering that Faith had murdered William and mutilated herself, Lorna ran to her car in panic. She encountered Sam's ghost while driving, which caused her to crash fatally in the woods, adding another victim to the curse's toll.

  • lorna moody
  • car accident
  • sam ghost
  • woods
  • curse victim
Q11

How are the different storylines in The Grudge 2020 connected?

All storylines in The Grudge 2020 are connected through the cursed house at 44 Reyburn Drive. The narrative spans 2004 (Landers family), 2005 (Matheson couple), and 2006 (Muldoon investigation), showing how the curse continuously claims new victims. Each family moves into the same house, becoming infected by the curse and passing it on to others through their deaths, creating an interconnected web of supernatural horror.

  • non-chronological
  • timeline connection
  • 44 reynburn drive
  • multiple families
Q12

Why does the curse remain unresolved at the end of the movie?

The curse remains unresolved because it is not bound to the physical house alone but to the malevolent spirits of those who died violently within it. When Muldoon burns the house, she destroys the building but not the spirits of Kayako, Fiona, and their victims. These ghosts continue to exist and hunt new victims, as evidenced by Muldoon's own transformation into a curse victim. The ending emphasizes the inescapable, generational nature of the curse.

  • curse unresolved
  • spirits persist
  • generational curse
  • no resolution
  • bleak ending

Ending explained

What Happens at the End of The Grudge?

How The Grudge (2020) ends, in short: the final scene, the last twist and what it means for the characters. The full ending explained, with every spoiler, lives on its own page.

Read the full ending explained

The ending of "The Grudge" reveals the devastating consequences of a cycle of revenge and injustice. Harun, who initially tries to hide his crime after killing Ceyhun Arik in self-defense, becomes entangled in a web of lies and vengeance. As the truth unfolds, we learn that Gul Cankir, the woman calling herself “The Crane Killer,” was driven by a desire for revenge against those who falsely accused her father, Ramazan Turel, and caused his brutal death in prison. She killed police officers and hired the taxi driver to eliminate Harun, but after Harun’s self-defense kill of the driver, she manipulated the situation to blackmail him into murdering his superior, Cevat, with the damning evidence she possessed. Gul’s motives are rooted in her childhood trauma and her thirst for justice for her father.

Eventually, Harun uncovers the devastating truth behind his own past. The case he was investigating—linked to the murders and the drug trade—was rooted in the wrongful conviction and death of Ramazan Turel. Turel’s children, Gülendam and Emre, sought revenge for their father by killing police officers involved in his framing. The police officer Tuncay, originally Emre, reveals that he poisoned people at work as revenge for his father’s wrongful death. The film suggests that Harun, aware of his moral lapses and failures, chooses to make a redemptive act in the end. He refuses to kill Tuncay, who had begged to be shot, and instead lays down his weapon, symbolizing his recognition of his own flawed decisions and the cycle of hatred he helped perpetuate.

Continue reading the ending (1 more paragraphs)

The story ends with Harun being arrested, his career ruined, and his moral integrity questioned. The final flashback shows Harun’s first meeting with Tuncay, reminding us that even those within the system are damaged by the cycle of grudges and injustice. Ultimately, the film underscores how unresolved revenge and moral compromises can destroy lives and how true justice might only be achieved through mercy and acceptance of one’s imperfections. Harun’s choice to walk away from revenge signifies hope—an acknowledgment that breaking free from cycles of hatred may be the only way to truly find peace. The film ends on a somber, reflective note, illustrating that the cycle of grudges can continue unless someone dares to end it.

The Grudge ending explained in full

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Grudge, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about inescapable curses like The Grudge

Stories where a relentless supernatural force dooms everyone in its path. If you liked the relentless supernatural horror of The Grudge, explore more movies about unstoppable curses and vengeful spirits. This list features similar horror stories where characters are pursued by an inescapable fate, filled with oppressive dread and bleak outcomes.

  • relentless
  • dread-filled
  • hopeless
  • supernatural
  • haunting
  • bleak
  • Tone: dark, bleak
  • Pacing: variable, building dread
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically involve an ancient or powerful curse that is triggered by a specific event or location. The story follows multiple characters, often across different timelines, as they discover the curse's rules only to find they are powerless to stop it. The plot structure reinforces the curse's cyclical and all-consuming nature, leading to tragic conclusions.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a core premise of an unstoppable supernatural antagonist. They create a similar viewing experience dominated by high tension, bleak atmospheres, and the terrifying concept of a fate that cannot be reasoned with or escaped.

Complex horror investigations like The Grudge

Horror stories where investigations into a dark past reveal interconnected tragedies. Fans of The Grudge's intricate story will enjoy these movies that weave together multiple timelines to reveal a horrific truth. Discover similar complex horror mysteries where detectives or protagonists uncover generational curses and interconnected tragedies through a non-linear narrative.

  • anxious
  • unsettling
  • complex
  • investigative
  • tragic
  • haunting
  • Tone: dark, unsettling
  • Pacing: variable, slow burn with bursts
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a protagonist, often an investigator, delving into a central supernatural mystery. The story jumps between their present-day inquiry and flashbacks to past events that created the curse or entity. These timelines eventually converge, showing how the past doomfully dictates the present, and the investigation itself often pulls the protagonist into the curse's cycle.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their use of a complex, multi-threaded narrative to build horror. They share a specific pacing that alternates between slow-burn discovery and sudden terror, creating a unique rhythm of unease and shock that feels intellectually engaging and deeply unsettling.

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Movies Like The Grudge

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Every angle

The Grudge (2020) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Grudge in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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