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The Holly (2023) movie poster

Timeline

The Holly (2023) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2023 · 103 min · English
Directed by
Julian Rubinstein
Starring
Terrance Roberts

This documentary explores the complicated journey of Terrance Roberts, a former gang leader striving for redemption through peace initiatives. His progress is dramatically interrupted when he shoots a young gang member at one of his own rallies. Journalist Julian Rubinstein investigates the incident, revealing a complex situation involving activism, interactions with law enforcement, and the impact of gentrification in Denver’s Holly Square, exposing the underlying tensions and corruption within the community.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Holly (2023)

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

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

The Holly Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Holly (2023) 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. Gruesome Execution

    The movie opens in 1845 with a haunting depiction of a young woman's gruesome execution. Enveloped in flames, her charred face is masked, and a mysterious incantation is spoken while a doll is pressed against her lifeless form.

    When
    1845
  2. Disgraced Journalist in Banfield

    Fast forward to present-day Banfield, Massachusetts, where Gerry Fenn, a disgraced journalist, seeks redemption. A cryptic tip about bizarre incidents surrounding a cult piques his interest, leading him down a dark investigative path.

    Where
    Banfield, Massachusetts
  3. Discovery of the Charred Doll

    While investigating, Gerry discovers a charred doll dated February 31, 1845, which ignites a series of eerie supernatural events. His decision to crush the doll beneath his heel sets off a chilling chain reaction in the town.

    Where
    Banfield
  4. Encounter with Alice

    On a fateful night, Gerry encounters Alice Pagett, a mysterious young woman connected to an ancient tree. Her whispered incantation puts Gerry in a trance, compelling him to take her to her uncle, Father Hagan.

    Where
    Banfield
  5. Accusation from Dr. Natalie Gates

    Dr. Natalie Gates arrives in town and accuses Gerry of harming mute Alice. Her silence appears to hold the key to the town's dark history, and Gerry becomes immersed in the town's enigmatic narrative.

    Where
    Banfield
  6. Alice's Vision

    During a church service, Alice claims to be guided by the Virgin Mary, captivating the congregation. She urges everyone to return to the sacred site the following day, stirring hope and unease in equal measure.

    Where
    Church in Banfield
  7. The Miracle of Toby Walsh

    The following day, a paraplegic boy named Toby Walsh is brought to the tree after Alice channels the Virgin Mary's power. In a miraculous moment, Toby takes his first step, astonishing everyone present.

    Where
    The Tree
  8. The Statue Weeps Blood

    As Alice's miracles gain traction, the statue of the Virgin Mary begins to weep blood, casting an ominous shadow over the town. This unsettling occurrence deepens the intrigue surrounding Alice's divine connection.

    Where
    Church in Banfield
  9. Unearthing Dark Secrets

    Gerry and Natalie venture into the church's basement, discovering ancient texts that reveal a dark history of demons and witches. They learn of Mary Elnor, who was brutally executed, and find clues linking Alice to Mary.

    Where
    Church Basement
  10. Confrontation with Mary’s Spirit

    As tensions rise, Gerry and Natalie attempt to warn Alice about the dangers of Mary’s spirit. However, they are ambushed, forcing them to flee in search of safety and assistance amid the supernatural chaos.

    Where
    Church
  11. Ritual Goes Awry

    Joined by church officials, Gerry and Natalie attempt to perform a blessing ritual to rid Mary of her entrapment. Unfortunately, the ritual backfires when Delgarde accidentally ignites the doll, leading to catastrophic consequences.

    Where
    Shrine
  12. Alice as a Guardian

    In a climactic confrontation, Alice stands resolutely between Mary and Gerry, absorbing Mary's vengeful energy. Her selfless act leads to the ultimate sacrifice, extinguishing Mary's malevolence.

    Where
    Shrine
  13. Desperate Prayers

    After Alice's fall, Gerry desperately prays for her survival. Against all odds, she revives, and their emotional reunion signifies the power of love and miracles amidst dark forces.

  14. Tribute to Father Hagan

    Gerry, Alice, and Natalie visit Father Hagan’s grave to pay tribute to their fallen leader. Despite Alice's condition, Gerry finds new ways to communicate his gratitude for her survival.

    Where
    Hagan’s Grave
  15. Final Warning

    The film concludes with a chilling reminder of vigilance against false prophets. The statue of the Virgin Mary resuming to weep blood evokes a haunting scripture, leaving the audience with lingering unease.

    Where
    Church

Last updated: November 17, 2024 at 13:45

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Timeline questions answered

The Holly Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Holly (2023): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Mary Elnor executed in 1845?

Mary Elnor was a healer in 1845 who was accused of practicing witchcraft. Before her execution, she confessed to serving Satan. The townspeople nailed a mask of the Virgin Mary to her face and burned her at the stake, believing they were eliminating a demonic presence. Her spirit became trapped within a doll, setting the foundation for the supernatural events that unfold centuries later.

  • mary elnor
  • execution
  • witchcraft
  • 1845
  • burned at stake
  • demon
Q2

What is the significance of the charred doll?

The charred doll is the vessel containing Mary Elnor's trapped spirit. Dated February 31, 1845, it was created during her execution when an incantation was spoken and the doll was pressed against her lifeless body. The doll is described as both lucky and evil, designed to encapsulate malevolent spirits. When Gerry crushes it beneath his heel, he inadvertently releases Mary's vengeful spirit back into the world.

  • charred doll
  • mary elnor spirit
  • cursed object
  • supernatural release
Q3

How is Alice related to Mary Elnor and why can she perform miracles?

Alice Pagett is the direct descendant of Mary Elnor. Before her execution in 1845, Mary bore a child who was later adopted by Nicholas Pagett, making Alice the bloodline through which Mary's powers flow. Alice's ability to perform miracles comes from her ancestral connection to Mary, whose spirit channels through her to work through the Virgin Mary imagery. This genetic link allows Mary to use Alice as a conduit for her healing abilities.

  • alice pagett
  • mary elnor descendant
  • bloodline
  • healing powers
  • ancestry
Q4

Why does the Virgin Mary statue bleed?

The statue weeps blood as a supernatural phenomenon orchestrated by Mary Elnor's vengeful spirit. Rather than being a genuine miracle, the bleeding is a manipulative tactic to draw crowds and strengthen faith in the假的 divine events. Mary uses the religious imagery to control the narrative and increase her spiritual power through the collective belief of the townspeople.

  • bleeding statue
  • virgin mary
  • supernatural sign
  • manipulation
  • false miracle
Q5

How did Father Hagan die and why did he commit suicide?

Father Hagan hanged himself in the church after being confronted by the voice of Mary, who criticized him for lacking faith in her healing abilities. Hagan had grown increasingly troubled by the events surrounding Alice and the exploitation of what he knew to be dark supernatural forces. His confession booth encounter with Mary's spirit appears to have driven him to take his own life, though the exact psychological manipulation remains unclear.

Foreshadowing: Earlier warnings from Hagan about the dangers of exploiting Alice foreshadow his tragic end.

  • father hagan
  • suicide
  • hanged
  • church
  • mary's voice
  • despair
Q6

Why did the blessing ritual to release Mary Elnor's spirit go wrong?

The ritual failed because Delgarde accidentally ignited the doll while attempting to bless it. The flames quickly spread to a large cross on the wall, impaling Delgarde and setting him ablaze. This catastrophic failure occurred because the ritual was performed with incomplete understanding of Mary Elnor's nature, she was too powerful to be contained by a simple blessing, and the attempt only amplified her wrath.

  • ritual failed
  • delgarde
  • blessed doll
  • fire
  • cross
  • exorcism
Q7

What was the purpose of Alice standing between Mary and Gerry?

Alice positioned herself as a guardian to absorb the full force of Mary's vengeful energy, sacrificing herself to protect Gerry and put an end to Mary's malevolent reign. As Mary Elnor's descendant, Alice was the only person who could safely intercept the spirit's wrath without being killed outright. Her selfless act channeled Mary's fury away from the crowd and effectively ended the cycle of vengeance that had persisted since 1845.

  • alice sacrifice
  • guardian
  • protection
  • mary's wrath
  • redemption
  • descendant
Q8

How did Alice survive after absorbing Mary's full fury?

Alice revived after what appeared to be death, though the exact mechanism remains ambiguous. Gerry's desperate prayers for her survival seem to have triggered a miraculous reversal. Alice emerges from death with her soul purified, having successfully extinguished Mary's malevolence. She remains mute and deaf from the experience, but alive, a outcome that suggests the sacrifice, while costly, achieved its intended purpose.

  • alice revived
  • miracle
  • survival
  • prayer
  • sacrifice aftermath
Q9

Why was Gerry Fenn discredited as a journalist?

Gerry Fenn was a disgraced journalist who lost his job for fabricating a story. His former boss Monica Slade reminds him of this past transgression when he approaches her, emphasizing that his current investigation represents an opportunity for redemption. The specific story he fabricated is not detailed, but it was serious enough to end his career and require him to seek redemption in Banfield.

  • gerry fenn
  • journalist
  • disgraced
  • fabricated story
  • redemption
Q10

What happened when Toby Walsh took his first step at the tree?

Toby Walsh, a paraplegic boy, was brought to the sacred tree where Alice channeled the Virgin Mary's power. In what appeared to be a miracle, Alice commanded Toby to take a step, and he did, astonishing everyone present. This event became a pivotal moment that transformed the tree into a site of pilgrimage and established Alice as a figure of supposed divine healing, though it was ultimately revealed as manipulation by Mary Elnor's spirit.

  • toby walsh
  • paraplegic
  • miracle
  • first step
  • tree shrine

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Holly, by Mood & Story

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

True Crime Documentaries of Community Tragedies like The Holly

Documentaries exploring a single violent event that fractures a tight-knit community. If you were captivated by The Holly's deep dive into the shooting at Holly Square, explore more movies like it. These documentaries examine similar single catastrophic events that expose the underlying corruption, gentrification, and social fractures within a community, often featuring investigative journalism.

  • somber
  • investigative
  • gritty
  • tragic
  • thought-provoking
  • social commentary
  • Tone: dark, somber
  • Pacing: variable, investigative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically centers on a specific, often public, act of violence. It then expands outward, using investigative techniques to examine the lives of those involved and the societal pressures that created the conditions for the tragedy. The story is less about solving a mystery and more about understanding a complex social ecosystem.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on a community-level true crime story, their heavy emotional weight, dark tone, and their structure of using a pivotal event to investigate systemic issues like gang violence, police relations, and economic disparity.

Bittersweet Journeys of Flawed Redemption like in The Holly

Stories where a character's path to atonement is complicated by their own past and actions. If you appreciated Terrance Roberts's complex struggle for peace in The Holly, you'll find similar movies here. These stories follow characters on difficult paths to redemption, where their efforts are met with setbacks and moral complexities, resulting in an ending that is hopeful yet scarred by reality.

  • somber
  • introspective
  • tragic
  • hopeful
  • moral complexity
  • emotional
  • Tone: dark, bittersweet
  • Pacing: variable, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The protagonist, often with a checkered past, actively works towards a better future or to make amends. However, their redemption arc is punctuated by significant failures or moral compromises. The ending acknowledges their effort and growth but is tempered by loss, sacrifice, or the recognition that some damage cannot be fully undone.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by their focus on a non-linear, realistic redemption arc, a bittersweet ending feel, and a heavy emotional weight derived from the character's internal and external struggles. The tone is typically dark or tense, reflecting the difficulty of the journey.

Every angle

The Holly (2023) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Holly 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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