The Stranger Beside Me

Jennifer, a withdrawn young painter, meets Chris Gallagher at a family gathering and he quickly falls for her. He persuades her to marry him, and she clings to the hope that marriage may help her leave her trauma behind. The wedding marks a turning point as she begins to dream of a safer, more ordinary life.

Dana, Chris's 17-year-old cousin, warns Jennifer that happiness with him may be elusive. She hints at Chris's jealous, controlling tendencies that could threaten Jennifer's safety. Jennifer weighs the warning but chooses to move forward with the marriage.

With Chris now in the Navy, the couple relocates to a seaside town. Jennifer hopes for a quieter life and begins to form a friendship with neighbor Nancy Halloran. The new setting seems to promise stability, at least at first.

Gina Corbet becomes the target of a peeping tom and is later raped by a masked assailant. Fear grips the neighborhood as residents worry for their safety. Chris minimizes the danger, trying to reassure Jennifer that the threats are overblown.

Chris's behavior grows harsher and more possessive, shifting the couple's dynamics toward instability. Jennifer struggles to navigate his increasingly controlling mood. The home atmosphere becomes tense as trust erodes.

Jennifer discovers Chris left the Navy after threatening to take his own life, and she confronts him. He accuses her of spying, escalating the confrontation. That same night, he is arrested for voyeurism and pleads guilty, resulting in a discharge from the Navy.

The arrest devastates Jennifer as she learns she is pregnant. Despite the shock, she chooses to give Chris another chance and they return to their former home. For a time, life seems steadier, even as undercurrents of danger remain.

A masked rapist resumes preying on women in the neighborhood, rekindling fear. At the same time, Chris's temper grows still more dangerous, and Jennifer faces the double burden of pregnancy and fear for her safety and her unborn child.

Dana reveals that Chris molested her as a child, shocking Jennifer and clarifying why Dana warned her earlier. A California detective confirms there is enough evidence to pursue charges. The case is blocked because Chris is shielded by a district attorney friend.

Horrified, Jennifer resolves to leave Chris and protect herself and their baby. He refuses to let her go and turns increasingly abusive, raising the stakes of every decision she makes. She steels herself to take dangerous steps toward freedom.

Two police officers intervene and Jennifer briefly feels a sense of relief. Chris convinces her he will never be convicted and threatens harm to her and their baby if she stays, prompting her to withdraw the charges. The abuse resumes behind the apparent safety of the law.

Jennifer resumes a careful plan to gather proof by posing as his devoted wife. She locates weapons in his car to support a case, but before authorities can seize them, the evidence vanishes, reinforcing her fear that power and influence protect him. She continues to weigh her options under the threat of retaliation.

One night, Jennifer shadows Chris and witnesses him preparing to rape someone else. She sabotages his car and alerts Officer Kurtz. Responding police stop the assault, Chris tries to flee, and he is captured and arrested.

Chris pleads guilty to multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault and is sentenced to 99 years in prison. Jennifer and her daughter move to the Southwestern United States, seeking safety and a future unmarred by fear. The film closes on a note of hard-won courage and the cost of justice.