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The To Do List (2013) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2013 · 104 min · English
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Directed by
Maggie Carey
Starring
Bill Hader, Alia Shawkat, Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons
Budget
$1.5M

During a summer in 1993, valedictorian Brandy Klark decides to break free from her strict upbringing. She creates a list of experiences she wants to have before college, including a significant rite of passage. With the help of friends and family, and even a surprising encounter with her boss, Brandy attempts to make up for lost time and embrace a more spontaneous lifestyle. However, she soon realizes that growing up involves more than just completing a checklist.

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 To Do List
  6. 6 Every angle
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15 events in order · contains spoilers

The To Do List Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The To Do List (2013) 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. Brandy's Valedictorian Honor

    In 1993, Brandy Klark, a studious and socially awkward teenager from Boise, Idaho, proudly graduates as her high school's valedictorian. This significant achievement sets the tone for her transformative summer ahead and highlights her dedication to academics.

    When
    1993
    Where
    Boise, Idaho
  2. The Graduation Party

    Following her graduation ceremony, Brandy attends a vibrant party with her best friends, Wendy and Fiona. It's here that she experiences her first kiss with Rusty Waters, a charming college student, igniting her ambitions for romance during the summer.

  3. A Misunderstanding

    After sharing a kiss at the party, Brandy faces a blow when Rusty mistakenly confuses her for someone else. This misunderstanding devastates her and triggers her determination to explore her sexuality and pursue Rusty.

  4. Brandy's Lifeguard Job

    To get closer to Rusty, Brandy takes a lifeguard position at the local pool while also preparing for the upcoming school year. This job not only brings her closer to her crush but also opens doors to various summer experiences.

    Where
    Local Pool
  5. Initiation Tasks

    Brandy's naïveté leads her into a series of initiation tasks imposed by the laid-back pool staff, led by Willy. One such task involves cleaning a shocking prank that turns out to be genuine, which strains her relationship with Willy.

    Where
    Local Pool
  6. An Unlikely Friendship

    After pushing Willy into the pool as vengeance, Brandy learns of his inability to swim, which surprisingly leads to the beginning of a friendship. She offers to teach him how to swim, showcasing her kindness despite their rough start.

    Where
    Local Pool
  7. Crafting the 'To Do List'

    Motivated by her quest for personal experiences, Brandy meticulously creates a 'to-do list' of intimate encounters she wishes to pursue over the summer. This list becomes both a guide and a source of conflict for her relationships.

  8. Cameron's Feelings

    Brandy's close friend Cameron becomes emotionally invested in her during the summer, but his feelings lead to heartache when he discovers her list. This revelation shatters his trust and forces Brandy to confront the implications of her actions.

  9. After-Hours Antics

    While Brandy and her friends indulge in late-night antics with a grunge band at the pool, Willy catches them in the act. The consequences of this escapade thrust Brandy into trouble, resulting in her departure from the job she cherished.

    Where
    Local Pool
  10. Breach of Trust with Friends

    Brandy's friends Wendy and Fiona discover her scorecard of sexual encounters, leading to an intense confrontation. Hurt by her prioritization of desire over friendship, they accuse her of betrayal and leave her feeling isolated.

  11. Rebellious Moment with Rusty

    Brandy shares a brief moment of rebellion with Rusty at a rival pool, a fleeting escape from her troubles. However, Wilhelm's intervention leads to her termination from her lifeguard job, further complicating her summer.

    Where
    Rival Pool
  12. Fighting for Her Relationships

    After several conflicts, Brandy realizes the emotional turmoil her actions have caused. She reaches out to her friends and offers heartfelt apologies, including a poignant musical gesture to express her regret.

  13. A Job Offer from Willy

    As summer winds down, Willy surprises Brandy by offering her a lifeguard position for the next summer. This gesture reignites her sense of purpose and hope for the future, positioning her to rebuild her life.

    Where
    Local Pool
  14. Reunion at Georgetown University

    As seasons change, Brandy finds herself reunited with Cameron at Georgetown University. Their reunion stirs up past emotions, and their connection ultimately leads to a climactic moment of intimacy between them.

    Where
    Georgetown University
  15. Confronting Consequences

    Just as Brandy embraces her newfound intimacy with Cameron, her father's abrupt interruption forces her to confront the consequences of her choices. This moment serves as a stark reminder that every action carries its price.

Last updated: November 21, 2024 at 11:24

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Timeline questions answered

The To Do List Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The To Do List (2013): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Brandy create a to-do list for sexual experiences?

Brandy creates the list after a devastating misunderstanding at a graduation party. She shares a kiss with her long-time crush Rusty Waters, but he mistakenly confuses her for someone else. This rejection motivates her to gain experience and confidence so she can properly seduce him before college starts.

Foreshadowing: Earlier at the party, Brandy's friends encourage her to break free from her strict upbringing, planting the seed for her rebellious summer.

  • brandy klark
  • to do list
  • rusty waters
  • motivation
  • summer 1993
  • coming of age
Q2

Why does Brandy get fired from her lifeguard job?

Brandy's termination happens when Willy catches her and her friends sneaking in after hours to hang out with a grunge band at the pool. This breach of trust, combined with her earlier rebellious behavior, leads Willy to fire her. Additionally, she was caught in a rebellious moment with Rusty at a rival pool earlier that same day.

Foreshadowing: The laid-back pool staff had been testing Brandy with initiation tasks throughout the summer, showing they were watching her behavior closely.

  • brandy fired
  • lifeguard job
  • willy
  • pool
  • termination
  • after hours
Q3

Why does Cameron get upset when he finds Brandy's list?

Cameron develops genuine feelings for Brandy over the summer while working together at the pool. When he discovers her to-do list, he realizes he was merely a checkbox for her sexual experiments rather than someone she genuinely cared about. The list reduces him to a stepping stone in her quest to seduce Rusty, shattering his trust and emotional investment.

Foreshadowing: Cameron shows increasing interest in Brandy throughout the summer, studying alongside her and supporting her goals, making his eventual heartbreak more impactful.

  • cameron mitchell
  • to do list
  • hurt
  • feelings
  • heartbreak
  • betrayal
Q4

Why do Wendy and Fiona get angry and call Brandy a slut?

Wendy and Fiona discover Brandy's 'scorecard' tracking her sexual encounters, which shocks them. They feel betrayed because Brandy prioritized completing her list over their friendship, sneaking around instead of being honest with them. Their anger stems from feeling used and excluded from Brandy's summer experiences.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the summer, Brandy keeps her list hidden from her friends while actively pursuing encounters, foreshadowing the breach of trust.

  • wendy
  • fiona
  • angry
  • slut
  • friendship
  • scorecard
  • betrayal
Q5

Does Brandy end up with Rusty or Cameron?

Brandy ends up with Cameron, not Rusty. After a failed date with Rusty that is ruined by an awkward encounter with Brandy's conservative parents, their connection fizzles. By the time Brandy reaches Georgetown University, Cameron is there waiting. They reconnect and finally become intimate, though their moment is interrupted by Brandy's father.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the summer, Cameron consistently shows genuine care for Brandy while Rusty's interest remains fleeting and superficial.

  • brandy
  • rusty waters
  • cameron mitchell
  • ending
  • relationship
  • georgetown
Q6

Why does Brandy agree to teach Willy how to swim?

After revenge-pushing Willy into the pool, Brandy discovers to her surprise that he cannot swim. Feeling guilty and seeing an opportunity to make amends, she offers to teach him. This act of kindness marks the turning point in their relationship, transforming their adversarial dynamic into an unlikely friendship that lasts through the summer.

Foreshadowing: Willy's initial hostility toward Brandy during her initiation tasks suggests there are layers to his personality beyond the tough boss facade.

  • willy
  • swim
  • lessons
  • friendship
  • pool
  • brandt klark
Q7

Why does Brandy's father interrupt her at the end of the movie?

Brandy's conservative judge father bursts into the room as she and Cameron are becoming intimate. This interruption serves as the movie's final lesson that every action has consequences. While Brandy has grown and reconciled with friends, she still must face the reality of her choices affecting her family dynamics.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show tension between Brandy and her father over candid sexuality discussions, building to this confrontation.

  • father
  • interrupt
  • ending
  • consequences
  • brandt klark
  • parents
Q8

What is the gross prank Brandy has to clean at the pool?

The prank is a reference to the famous Caddyshack scene where someone finds a candy bar in the pool and mistakenly thinks it's feces. The pool staff tricks Brandy into cleaning what she believes is a similar prank, but to her horror, it's actually real, not a joke at all. This humiliating moment is meant to test her resolve.

Foreshadowing: The staff's laid-back nature and history of pranking new lifeguards sets up this uncomfortable initiation.

  • baby ruth
  • caddyshack
  • prank
  • pool
  • gross
  • initiation
Q9

Why does Rusty mistake Brandy for someone else after their kiss?

At the graduation party, Rusty kisses Brandy but then confuses her with another person, likely due to the crowded, intoxicated atmosphere. This crushing mistake devastates Brandy because she hadDesired him for years as the object of her affection. The misidentification fuels her entire summer quest to become more experienced.

Foreshadowing: Brandy's longtime crush on Rusty is established from the start, making this misunderstanding particularly painful for her.

  • rusty waters
  • mistake
  • kiss
  • confusion
  • party
  • rejection
Q10

Why does Brandy's date with Rusty fail?

Brandy's date with Rusty fails due to an extremely awkward interruption by her conservative parents, who show up unexpectedly. This embarrassing situation highlights the clash between Brandy's rebellious summer behavior and her family's values, killing any romantic momentum she had with Rusty.

Foreshadowing: Tension between Brandy and her father about sexuality discussions earlier establishes his strict nature, making this confrontation inevitable.

  • rusty waters
  • date
  • failed
  • parents
  • awkward
  • brandt klark
Q11

What is the meaning of the movie's ending?

The ending delivers a bittersweet message: Brandy achieves her physical goal with Cameron and reconciles with her friends, but she's also confronted by her father's interruption, proving that growing up involves more than checking items off a list. The movie concludes that genuine experiences, emotional connections, and accepting consequences matter more than simply completing a checklist of sexual exploits.

Foreshadowing: The entire narrative builds toward this theme, as Brandy's mechanical approach to her list causes problems with everyone around her.

  • ending
  • meaning
  • bittersweet
  • growth
  • maturity
  • lesson
  • to do list

Movie threads

More Movies Like The To Do List, by Mood & Story

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

Awkward Coming-of-Age Comedies like The To Do List

Hilarious and cringe-worthy stories of youthful self-discovery and social blunders. If you liked The To Do List, you'll enjoy these movies that share its focus on cringe comedy and the painful humor of adolescence. This collection features similar stories of youthful awkwardness, sexual discovery, and comedic self-improvement set against a nostalgic backdrop.

  • awkward
  • comedic
  • embarrassing
  • youthful
  • nostalgic
  • rebellious
  • Tone: light, comedic, awkward
  • Pacing: steady, event-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a protagonist, often an outsider or a late bloomer, as they navigate the complex social rules of adolescence. The plot is driven by a series of humorous, often painfully awkward, attempts to gain experience, fit in, or achieve a personal goal, leading to both embarrassing failures and eventual self-awareness.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a specific tone that balances heartfelt coming-of-age themes with overt, situational comedy. The central appeal is the relatable awkwardness and the mix of secondhand embarrassment and genuine affection for the characters as they fumble their way toward maturity.

Bittersweet Teen Summer Journeys like The To Do List

Stories of transformative summers that end with a mix of accomplishment and melancholy. Find more movies like The To Do List that focus on a transformative summer before college. These films share a steady pace, a mix of comedy and heartfelt drama, and a bittersweet conclusion where characters achieve their goals but face the sobering reality of maturity.

  • nostalgic
  • youthful
  • bittersweet
  • reflective
  • comedic
  • friendship
  • Tone: bittersweet, reflective, comedic
  • Pacing: steady, episodic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative is structured around a finite period—typically the summer after high school—where a protagonist pursues a specific goal or list of experiences. The plot unfolds methodically as they check off items, leading to personal growth, strained friendships, and romantic entanglements. The conclusion is bittersweet, acknowledging success but also the loss of innocence and the impending separation from their current life.

Why they belong together: These movies are linked by their specific temporal setting, thematic focus on a 'last summer' of youth, and their distinct emotional arc. They blend comedy and medium emotional weight to deliver a story that feels celebratory yet realistically poignant, resonating with anyone who has experienced a formative Summer of change.

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Movies Like The To Do List

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Every angle

The To Do List (2013) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The To Do List 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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