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Timeline

The Perfection (2019) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 90 min · English
Echo score 68
JustWatch #34,293 1
Directed by
Richard Shepard
Starring
Alaina Huffman, Allison Williams, Christina Jastrzembska, Doralynn Mui, Evelyn Chew, Glynis Davies

A gifted musician haunted by a tragic past becomes entangled with a promising young student. Their intense focus on achieving musical excellence leads to a dangerous obsession. As their relationship intensifies, a web of secrets and revenge unfolds, threatening to consume them both.

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

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Perfection (2019)

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

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

The Perfection Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Perfection (2019) 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. Charlotte's Sacrifice

    Charlotte, a talented cellist, halts her musical ambitions to care for her sick mother. This sacrifice defines her early life as she struggles to balance her passion for music with familial responsibilities.

  2. Mother's Passing

    Following the death of her mother, Charlotte finds herself yearning to reconnect with her musical roots. This pivotal moment sparks her decision to reach out to her former mentor, Anton, seeking guidance and a return to her passion.

  3. Anton Invites Charlotte

    Anton, now running the renowned Bachoff music school, invites Charlotte to join him in evaluating young cellists. This invitation reignites Charlotte's hope for a future in music and sets the stage for her journey.

    Where
    Bachoff Music School, Boston
  4. Meeting Lizzie

    At the auditions, Charlotte meets Lizzie, a standout pupil of Anton's. Their instant connection develops into a friendship marked by mutual respect and admiration for each other's musical talent.

    Where
    Bachoff Music School, Boston
  5. Bus Trip Across China

    After the auditions, Lizzie and Charlotte take a bus trip across China, celebrating their bond. However, the night of celebration leads to a hangover that complicates their journey the next day.

    Where
    China
  6. Chaos on the Bus

    While on the bus, Lizzie's worsening hangover leads to a frantic request for a stop. What follows is a chaotic moment where Lizzie violently vomits, revealing a swarm of insects inside her.

    Where
    On a bus, China
  7. The Insects' Revelation

    In a shocking twist, Lizzie discovers that the insects are actually under her skin. Driven by panic and desperation, she takes a drastic action and amputates her own hand with a chopper.

  8. Return to Bachoff

    Weeks later, Lizzie arrives back at Bachoff school, burdened with physical and emotional scars. Flashbacks reveal that the hallucinations she experienced were caused by a drug Charlotte had given her instead of real painkillers.

    Where
    Bachoff Music School
  9. Heartbreak and Betrayal

    Heartbroken, Lizzie begs Anton for re-admission but faces a cold rejection, as she can no longer perform. This moment of betrayal heightens the tension between the two women who once shared a bond.

    Where
    Bachoff Music School
  10. Seeking Revenge

    Consumed by rage, Lizzie seeks retribution against Charlotte in Minneapolis, using a stun gun to incapacitate her. This act of revenge brings their strained relationship to a boiling point.

    Where
    Minneapolis
  11. Confrontation at Bachoff

    Lizzie brings Charlotte back to Bachoff, where Anton questions Charlotte’s intentions. Flashbacks unearth the trauma Charlotte faced in pursuit of musical perfection under Anton's oppressive regime.

    Where
    Bachoff Music School
  12. Ultimate Ultimatum

    Anton issues Charlotte a harsh ultimatum: play flawlessly or face dire consequences. As Charlotte attempts to meet this demand, a single mistake leads to severe repercussions from Anton.

    Where
    Bachoff Music School
  13. Poisoned Revenge

    In a shocking turn of events, Lizzie poisons the drinks of the men who are watching Charlotte perform. This act of bravery leads to the demise of those who once oppressed them, turning the tide.

    Where
    Bachoff Music School
  14. Final Confrontation

    With both women armed with kitchen knives, Lizzie and Charlotte confront Anton in a climactic showdown. Their injuries from the struggle reflect their struggles against oppression and abuse.

    Where
    Bachoff Music School
  15. Haunting Performance

    The film closes with a poignant cello concert performed by Lizzie and Charlotte. Although both are physically scarred, their music showcases resilience, captivating their disfigured audience—Anton, forced to listen in silence.

    Where
    Bachoff Music School

Last updated: November 15, 2024 at 15:49

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Timeline questions answered

The Perfection Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Perfection (2019): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Charlotte give Lizzie a hallucinogenic drug instead of painkillers?

Charlotte gave Lizzie what she claimed were painkillers to help with her hangover, but they were actually a powerful hallucinogen. The drug caused Lizzie to experience terrifying visions of insects crawling under her skin. It's implied Charlotte may have deliberately drugged Lizzie, possibly as a form of testing or manipulation, though the exact motivation remains ambiguous.

  • charlotte
  • lizzie
  • hallucinogen
  • drug
  • bus
  • insects
  • painkillers
Q2

Why did Lizzie amputate her own hand on the bus?

Lizzie saw insects crawling under her skin and believed she was infested with them. Panicking, she grabbed a chopper from Charlotte and sliced off her own hand in a desperate attempt to remove the parasites. This brutal act was actually triggered by Charlotte's hallucinogenic drug, not a real infestation.

  • lizzie
  • amputation
  • hand
  • bus
  • insects
  • hallucination
Q3

Why did Anton refuse to readmit Lizzie after her injury?

After Lizzie amputated her hand, she begged Anton to be readmitted to Bachoff. Anton coldly rejected her, stating she was no longer useful without her ability to play cello. This reveals Anton's exploitative nature, he views students purely as instruments for musical perfection, not as people with worth beyond their talent.

  • anton
  • lizzie
  • rejection
  • injury
  • admission
  • bachooff
Q4

What kind of abuse did Charlotte endure at Bachoff school?

Flashbacks reveal Charlotte suffered brutal physical and psychological abuse at Bachoff under Anton's regime. The school used a harsh system designed to force students toward 'perfection' through torment. Charlotte bore a tattoo marking her as one of Anton's victims, the same tattoo she later noticed on Lizzie.

  • charlotte
  • abuse
  • bachoff
  • anton
  • trauma
  • tattoo
Q5

Why was Charlotte determined to protect Lizzie from Anton?

Charlotte recognized the same tattoo on Lizzie that she herself bore, identifying her as another victim of Anton's abusive system. Having endured years of torture at Bachoff, Charlotte saw herself in Lizzie and was driven to shield her from experiencing the same horrors she suffered.

  • charlotte
  • lizzie
  • protect
  • anton
  • bachoff
  • tattoo
Q6

How did Lizzie locate Charlotte in Minneapolis for revenge?

After being rejected by Anton and learning Charlotte had drugged her, Lizzie became consumed with rage. She tracked Charlotte down to Minneapolis, used a stun gun to incapacitate her, and then brought her back to Bachoff to confront her about the betrayal.

  • lizzie
  • charlotte
  • minneapolis
  • revenge
  • stun gun
Q7

Why did Lizzie poison the guards but confront Anton with knives instead?

Lizzie poisoned the drinks of Geoffrey and Theis, the men ordered to assault Charlotte, killing them during Charlotte's performance. She then confronted Anton directly alongside Charlotte, choosing a more personal, violent confrontation with kitchen knives rather than poisoning him. This allowed both women to take symbolic revenge with their own hands.

  • lizzie
  • poison
  • anton
  • guards
  • knives
  • revenge
Q8

What does the final cello performance between Lizzie and Charlotte represent?

The ending shows Lizzie and Charlotte performing together on cello, Lizzie using her left hand despite her injury, Charlotte using her right. Despite their physical and emotional scars, they find a twisted harmony. Anton, disfigured and bound, is forced to listen in silence, symbolizing their victory over their abuser and reclaiming their art on their own terms.

  • ending
  • cello
  • performance
  • lizzie
  • charlotte
  • anton
  • harmony
Q9

Why did Charlotte agree to return to Bachoff after everything?

Charlotte was brought back by Lizzie, who used a stun gun to capture her. However, Charlotte's true reason for cooperating was her desire to protect Lizzie from Anton. Knowing the abuse that awaited her former friend, Charlotte faced Anton rather than let Lizzie confront him alone.

  • charlotte
  • bachoff
  • return
  • lizzie
  • anton
  • protect
Q10

What was Anton's 'play flawlessly' ultimatum to Charlotte?

Anton gave Charlotte one final chance: play perfectly or face severe consequences. This ultimatum represented his cruel teaching method, demanding impossible perfection and punishing any mistake. When Charlotte inevitably made a small error, Anton released his guards to assault her, demonstrating the system of control and abuse he maintained.

  • anton
  • charlotte
  • ultimatum
  • perfection
  • play
  • consequence
Q11

Was Charlotte's drugging of Lizzie intentional or accidental?

The film strongly suggests Charlotte deliberately gave Lizzie the hallucinogen. She switched the medication from real painkillers to a powerful drug, then filmed Lizzie's breakdown. This was likely a test or demonstration for Anton, proving Charlotte's willingness to be cruel, fitting the abusive culture of Bachoff where students must prove they'll do anything for perfection.

  • charlotte
  • lizzie
  • drug
  • intentional
  • test
  • anton

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Perfection, by Mood & Story

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

Thrillers about vengeful artists like The Perfection

Obsessive artists use their craft as a weapon for brutal revenge. If you liked the way The Perfection uses musical ambition as a vehicle for revenge, explore these movies where art and obsession collide. This list features similar stories of creative prodigies weaponizing their talents in dark, psychologically complex thrillers.

  • vengeful
  • obsessive
  • dark
  • tense
  • psychological
  • cunning
  • Tone: dark, vengeful, obsessive
  • Pacing: fast, escalating tension
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows a gifted but deeply wounded protagonist who re-enters a world that harmed them. Under the guise of mentorship or collaboration, they orchestrate an elaborate and often shocking revenge plot, using their specialized skills to turn the tables on their antagonists.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on artistry as a double-edged sword—both a source of trauma and the means for retribution. They share a dark tone, high psychological intensity, and a plot where revenge is executed with chilling precision.

Psychological thrillers with traumatic twists like The Perfection

Disturbing pasts unravel through shocking narrative turns and reveals. For viewers who enjoyed the shocking reveals and traumatic backbone of The Perfection, this collection gathers movies with similar narrative structures. Discover films where a character's painful past is the key to understanding a complex web of deception and survival.

  • unsettling
  • anxious
  • twist-heavy
  • dark
  • tense
  • psychological
  • Tone: dark, unsettling, anxious
  • Pacing: fast, twist-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories often begin with a seemingly straightforward situation that grows increasingly unsettling. The plot relies on flashbacks, hallucinations, or perspective shifts to reveal that the protagonist is acting out of severe, previously hidden trauma, turning a simple story into a complex exploration of survival and psychological damage.

Why they belong together: This thread groups films that prioritize a stressful, twist-driven narrative powered by themes of severe psychological trauma. They share a fast pace that escalates tension, a dark and heavy emotional weight, and a structure that recontextualizes early events through late revelations.

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Movies Like The Perfection

Similar movies to The Perfection: 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 Perfection (2019) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Perfection 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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