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The Guest House (2017) movie poster

Timeline

The Guest House (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 96 mins · English
Directed by
Maria Gargiulo
Starring
Paul Linke, Vincent Van Patten, Daniel Baldwin, Eileen Davidson, Shelby Janes, Jason Stuart

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.

Thriller Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (11)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Guest House
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Guest House (2017)

Where can you watch The Guest House? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Fawesome, Fandango at Home Free and Plex: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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11 events in order · contains spoilers

The Guest House Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Guest House (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. Rachel returns home after night out; Jason breaks up with her

    Rachel arrives home one morning after staying out all night with her boyfriend Jason. Jason has decided to break up with Rachel since they have both just graduated from high school and are going off to college, and they argue before he drives away. Rachel’s father scolds her for coming home late and informs her that a new employee at his company will stay in their guest house for a few days.

    When
    morning
    Where
    home

  2. Amy arrives and meets Rachel; tour of the house and guest house

    Amy arrives and Rachel shows her around the house and the guest house. Rachel plays a short original instrumental song on the piano and receives praise from Amy. Rachel explains that the guest house used to be her mother's art studio before she died from cancer.

    When
    daytime
    Where
    house and guest house

  3. Rachel and Amy deepen their connection; travel dreams and NY plans

    Later that day, as Amy prepares to take a bath, the two get to know each other, talking about travel and relationships. Rachel opens up about Jason's breakup and her plans to go to college in New York.

    When
    later that day
    Where
    guest house

  4. Wine and conversation about love; Amy's uncertainty

    That night, they share a bottle of wine and discuss love. Amy admits she isn’t sure what it means to be in love and that she’s never felt comfortable with men or with anyone.

    When
    night
    Where
    guest house

  5. Amy discovers Rachel's private moment

    Amy walks to the main house and accidentally sees Rachel masturbating to a lesbian adult film. She returns to the guest house without Rachel noticing.

    When
    late night
    Where
    main house

  6. The morning after: city outing and a music dream

    The next morning, Rachel takes Amy out to shop and see the city. They document their activities on a video camera and discuss their hopes and dreams; Rachel mentions her desire to make music.

    When
    morning
    Where
    city

  7. Ferris wheel confession; growing connection

    On a Ferris wheel at the beach, their conversations become more personal; Amy confesses that she thinks Rachel is cute and feels they have become best friends. They return home aware of their bond, and that night they make love.

    When
    daytime and night
    Where
    beach

  8. Love deepens; hot tub and a nightclub concert; tattoos

    The next day they spend more time together, making love in the hot tub and then going to a small nightclub concert. Afterward they visit a tattoo parlor to get matching tattoos.

    When
    next day
    Where
    hot tub, nightclub, tattoo parlor

  9. Piano moment with lyrics; Amy's embrace

    The following morning, Rachel goes to the piano and plays the same song but with lyrics. Amy walks in, hears part of the performance, and embraces Rachel.

    When
    morning
    Where
    piano room

  10. Morning confrontation: father and Amy; Rachel ends the relationship

    The next morning, Rachel's father arrives home early and is shocked to find her in bed with Amy. It’s revealed that her father and Amy slept with each other. Disgusted and heartbroken, Rachel breaks off their relationship.

    When
    morning
    Where
    home

  11. Months later: San Francisco show; reunion and love

    A few months later, Rachel performs a show at a small club in San Francisco. Afterward, Amy waits outside; they kiss and admit they missed each other. They walk by the water near the Golden Gate Bridge, and Amy tells Rachel she loves her; Rachel says she loves her too.

    When
    months later
    Where
    San Francisco; near Golden Gate Bridge

Last updated: October 01, 2025 at 13:04

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Timeline questions answered

The Guest House Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

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

Q1

Why did Rachel's father let Amy stay in the guest house?

Rachel's father was Amy’s employer at his company. He arranged for her to stay in the guest house while he was on a business trip, presenting it as a convenient arrangement for the new employee. However, their prior relationship makes this seemingly generous act more suspicious in hindsight.

  • rachel father
  • amy
  • guest house
  • landlord
  • employer
Q2

How did Amy know Rachel's father before staying in the guest house?

Amy was a new employee at Rachel's father's company. The timeline suggests they had already become involved before Amy moved into the guest house, though the exact timing of when their relationship began is not explicitly detailed in the film.

  • amy
  • rachel father
  • company
  • relationship
  • new employee
Q3

Why did Amy sleep with Rachel's father while also pursuing Rachel?

The film does not fully explain Amy's motivations for this betrayal. She developed a genuine romantic connection with Rachel while seemingly continuing her secret involvement with Rachel's father. This dual relationship suggests Amy may have been confused about her own feelings or unwilling to disclose her prior connection.

Foreshadowing: Amy admits she has never felt comfortable with men or anyone, hinting at deeper uncertainty about her identity and relationships.

  • amy
  • rachel father
  • betrayal
  • affair
  • romantic relationship
Q4

What did Rachel discover when her father came home early?

When Rachel's father returned home unexpectedly, he found Rachel in bed with Amy. The shocking revelation was that Rachel's father had also slept with Amy, making Amy both Rachel's romantic partner and her father's lover. This devastating discovery exposed the betrayal and ended Rachel and Amy's relationship.

  • rachel father
  • amy
  • discovery
  • betrayal
  • relationship end
Q5

Why did Rachel end her relationship with Amy after discovering the truth?

Rachel was heartbroken and disgusted when she learned Amy had been sleeping with her father while dating her. The betrayal was two-fold: Amy had concealed her prior relationship with Rachel's father and had been intimate with both of them. This breach of trust forced Rachel to end things immediately.

  • rachel
  • amy
  • break up
  • betrayal
  • trust
Q6

What happened to Rachel and Amy after they separated?

Months after the painful separation, Rachel moved to San Francisco and began performing her original music at small clubs. One night after her show, Amy appeared waiting for her outside. They kissed, admitted they missed each other, and walked together along the waterfront near the Golden Gate Bridge where Amy declared her love. Rachel reciprocated, signaling a tentative reconciliation.

  • rachel
  • amy
  • san francisco
  • reunion
  • golden gate bridge
Q7

Why did Rachel perform in San Francisco instead of at home?

After the betrayal and breakup, Rachel relocated to San Francisco, putting distance between herself and the painful memories in her hometown. Her choice to perform at a small club, rather than with family support, reflects her new independent life and likely her strained relationship with her father following the discovery.

  • rachel
  • san francisco
  • music
  • performance
  • independence
Q8

What did the matching tattoos represent in the story?

Rachel and Amy got matching tattoos together as a physical symbol of their deepening relationship and commitment to each other. The tattoos served as a ritual to mark a significant milestone in their romance, representing their connection at that moment before the eventual betrayal and separation.

  • tattoos
  • matching
  • rachel
  • amy
  • commitment
  • relationship
Q9

Why was the guest house originally Rachel's mother's art studio?

Rachel explained to Amy that the guest house had previously been her late mother's art studio. Rachel's mother died from cancer, and the space was converted into a guest house after her death. This detail adds emotional depth, connecting Amy to Rachel's personal history and loss.

  • guest house
  • mother
  • art studio
  • cancer
  • rachel family
Q10

Why did Rachel's father come home early from his trip?

The film does not explicitly explain why Rachel's father returned home early from his business trip. His unexpected arrival was the catalyst that led to the discovery of Rachel and Amy together, ultimately revealing his own secret relationship with Amy.

  • rachel father
  • early return
  • business trip
  • discovery

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Guest House, by Mood & Story

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

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.

  • romantic
  • heartbreaking
  • vulnerable
  • tender
  • quiet
  • reflective
  • Tone: melancholic, tender
  • Pacing: steady, reflective
Why these movies?

The story pattern: 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 they belong together: 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.

Intermezzo: A Love Story movie poster

Intermezzo: A Love Story

1939
My Reputation movie poster

My Reputation

1946
Sentimental Destinies movie poster

Sentimental Destinies

2000
An Affair of Love movie poster

An Affair of Love

2000
Intimacy movie poster

Intimacy

2001
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond movie poster

The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond

2009
Brief Encounter movie poster

Brief Encounter

1974
The Mistress movie poster

The Mistress

2012

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.

  • tense
  • uneasy
  • betrayal
  • vulnerable
  • confined
  • psychological
  • Tone: tense, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: 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 they belong together: 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.

Nathalie... movie poster

Nathalie...

2006
Trust movie poster

Trust

2021
To Catch a Spy movie poster

To Catch a Spy

2021
Compromising Positions movie poster

Compromising Positions

1985
Married Life movie poster

Married Life

2008
Such Good Friends movie poster

Such Good Friends

2025
Things Heard & Seen movie poster

Things Heard & Seen

2021
Fireworks Wednesday (2006) movie poster

Fireworks Wednesday (2006)

2016

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Every angle

The Guest House (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Guest House 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.

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