The Guest House

The Guest House

Year: 2017

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: English

Director: Maria Gargiulo

Thriller

When a single dad rents the GUEST HOUSE of a wealthy bachelor, he soon discovers his new landlord’s generosity does not come without a price.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen The Guest House yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – The Guest House (2017)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Guest House (2017). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

The events play out in a contemporary, present-day setting. Modern elements appear through college plans, city nightlife, and music performances. The pacing shifts from daytime domestic life to late-night scenes in clubs and waterfront areas, reflecting current youth culture and relationships.

Location

San Francisco, United States

The story unfolds largely within a family home and its attached guest house, which doubles as the mother’s art studio. San Francisco serves as the urban backdrop, with the waterfront, beaches, and a vibrant club scene providing contrasting settings. The guest house and the main house anchor intimate conversations and music-making, while the city’s iconic views frame the romance and tension.

🌁 City 🏡 Suburban Home 🎨 Art Studio

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:24

Main Characters – The Guest House (2017)

Meet the key characters of The Guest House (2017), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Rachel

An 18-year-old aspiring musician who just graduated high school. She is eager, vulnerable, and deeply connected to Amy, using music and creativity to navigate heartbreak and evolving identity.

🎵 Music 🧭 Growth 💖 Romance

Amy

The new employee who forms a deep bond with Rachel. She is introspective about love and boundaries, gradually embracing a real connection while wrestling with past experiences.

🎵 Music 💞 Love 🧭 Identity

Rachel's Father

A protective figure who discovers Rachel's relationship with Amy, triggering a confrontation that tests family loyalties and the boundaries between parent and child.

👨‍👧 Family 🎭 Drama ⚖️ Boundaries

Jason

Rachel's ex-boyfriend who ends their relationship as they head to college, setting emotional reckonings that push the story toward new love with Amy.

💔 Heartbreak 🔜 Future 🎒 Youth

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:24

Major Themes – The Guest House (2017)

Explore the central themes of The Guest House (2017), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💞 Romance

A central arc follows Rachel and Amy as they navigate a tender lesbian relationship, revealing how love can emerge unexpectedly even as boundaries and loyalties shift. The story traces how attraction challenges personal norms and forces characters to confront what they truly want. It also shows the risk of heartbreak when trust is tested by conflicting loyalties and family dynamics.

🏳️‍🌈 Identity

The film probes self-discovery, especially through Rachel's openness about her sexuality and her music as an outlet for identity. Amy's confessions about love and comfort with others push both women to reflect on who they are. The journey centers on authentic connection rather than public labels.

💔 Betrayal

Trust is fractured when intimate relationships cross boundaries — first between Rachel and Amy, then with the revelation of a father’s involvement. The drama hinges on how secrets erode trust and force characters to reassess loyalties. Reconciliation arrives only after honest confrontation and forgiveness that remains incomplete.

🎶 Music

Music serves as the emotional language for Rachel, who uses songs to express longing and ambition. The guest house, piano moments, and shared performances anchor the romance’s growth. Creative pursuit intersects with romance, illustrating how art can both heal and complicate personal ties.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:24

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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.

Intimate bittersweet romances like The Guest House

Stories where deep love is discovered, then fractured by betrayal.If you enjoyed the tender romance and heartbreaking betrayal in The Guest House, you'll find similar movies here. These are quiet, character-driven stories about deep connections fractured by secrets, leading to melancholic and bittersweet conclusions.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread follow a clear arc: a deeply intimate bond is formed between characters, often involving personal discovery. This connection is then shattered by a significant act of betrayal or conflict, forcing characters into a period of heartbreak and reflection before a bittersweet resolution that offers hope without full closure.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here because they share a specific emotional mix: high romance scores combined with significant sadness. They prioritize quiet, reflective dialogue over action, creating a tender yet melancholic atmosphere where emotional vulnerability is the central driving force.

Domestic thrillers with emotional betrayal like The Guest House

Thrillers where danger comes from broken trust in close quarters.Find more movies like The Guest House that blend thriller elements with personal drama. These stories focus on emotional manipulation and betrayal in confined, intimate settings like homes or close relationships, creating steady-burn tension.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a character entering a seemingly safe or beneficial domestic arrangement, only to discover that their host or close relation has ulterior motives. The thriller elements unfold through psychological manipulation and the breach of trust, leading to a climactic confrontation that resolves the immediate threat but leaves deep emotional scars.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a 'medium' intensity and 'steady' pacing, focusing on the psychological tension of interpersonal dynamics rather than overt violence. They explore themes like betrayal and vulnerability within a thriller framework, making the emotional stakes feel intensely personal.

Unlock the Full Story of The Guest House

Don't stop at just watching — explore The Guest House in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Guest House is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

The Guest House Summary

Read a complete plot summary of The Guest House, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

The Guest House Summary

The Guest House Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Guest House with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Guest House Timeline

The Guest House Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of The Guest House that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

The Guest House Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Guest House

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Guest House: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About The Guest House

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