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The Year Between (2023) movie poster

Characters & Themes

The Year Between (2023) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2023 · 94 min · English
Echo score 61
Starring
Steve Buscemi, Emily Robinson, J. Smith-Cameron, Kyanna Simone, Wyatt Oleff, Alex Heller

After experiencing a sudden mental breakdown, college sophomore Clemence Miller receives a life-altering diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Returning home to the suburbs of Illinois, she faces a difficult journey of adjustment and self-discovery. With the support of her family, who are trying their best to understand her condition, Clemence strives to find balance and navigate the complexities of her new reality amidst uncertainty and emotional challenges.

Drama Cast, crew & box office
On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (4)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like The Year Between
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Year Between (2023)

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

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4 main characters · contains spoilers

The Year Between Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of The Year Between (2023), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Clemence Miller

    played by Alex Heller

    Clemence is a college student grappling with the complexities of her mental health, particularly bipolar disorder. Her impulsive behavior leads to significant challenges in her relationships and academic life. As she confronts these issues, her development throughout the film reflects her struggle to find stability and acceptance within herself and her family.

    • 💔 Struggle
    • 🌟 Resilience
    • 💼 Growth

  • Don

    played by Steve Buscemi

    Don, Clemence's father, is portrayed as a supportive yet optimistic presence in her life. As a local schoolteacher, he attempts to maintain a positive outlook despite the family's challenges. His character offers a balance of hope and realism, as he navigates his concerns for Clemence while trying to inspire his children.

    • 👨‍🏫 Teacher
    • 💪 Supporter
    • 😊 Optimism

  • Sherri

    played by J. Smith-Cameron

    Sherri is Clemence's mother, who runs a local craft store. As a concerned parent, she embodies love and care while grappling with her daughter's mental health challenges. Her commitment to her daughter's well-being highlights the theme of familial support, showcasing both her fears and determination to help Clemence.

    • 🛍️ Craft Store Owner
    • ❤️ Caring
    • 🤔 Concerned

  • Beth

    played by Kyanna Simone

    Beth is a coworker at the thrift store where Clemence works part-time. She becomes a crucial part of Clemence's support system, helping to foster a sense of stability in her life. Their budding friendship illustrates the importance of social connections in the recovery process.

    • 🤝 Friendship
    • 🌈 Support
    • 💖 Kindness

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:08

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Setting

Where and When Does The Year Between Take Place?

The setting of The Year Between (2023): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

The story unfolds in a contemporary setting, reflecting modern challenges faced by college students. Themes of mental health awareness, familial relationships, and the struggles of adolescence are prevalent, speaking to a society increasingly acknowledging these issues.

Location

Clemence's childhood home, local craft store, thrift store

The movie predominantly takes place in Clemence's childhood home, which she finds transformed into an office, emphasizing her feelings of displacement. The local craft store, owned by her mother Sherri, represents a familiar yet complicated connection to her past. Additionally, the nearby thrift store serves as a new environment for Clemence to explore responsibilities and foster new relationships.

  • 🏠 Home
  • 🛍️ Craft Store
  • 🏪 Thrift Store

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:08

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3 major themes

The Year Between Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is The Year Between (2023) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Mental Health

    The film delves deeply into the theme of mental health, particularly through Clemence's battle with bipolar disorder. It highlights the importance of understanding and supporting individuals facing such challenges. The narrative emphasizes the stigma and fear surrounding mental health issues while portraying the path to acceptance and recovery.

  • Family Dynamics

    Family plays a crucial role in Clemence's journey as they navigate their complex feelings towards her mental health struggles. The conflicts and bonds among her family members illustrate the impact of mental health on loved ones, showcasing both support and fear. This theme reflects the blend of hope and tension that often exists within families facing similar issues.

  • Growth

    Clemence's journey is marked by growth and self-discovery as she learns to navigate her mental health struggles. While the road is fraught with setbacks, her experiences highlight the importance of resilience. The interactions with friends and family serve as catalysts for her development, underscoring the potential for change and improvement.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 23:08

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Character & theme questions

The Year Between Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about The Year Between (2023): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does the movie take place?

The movie is set in the suburbs of Illinois, primarily in Clemence's childhood home, which has been converted into an office space. Additional key locations include her mother Sherri's local craft store and a nearby thrift store where Clemence works part-time.

  • Illinois
  • suburbs
  • setting
  • home
  • craft store
  • thrift store
Q2

What is the main setting of the story?

The story takes place in a suburban American environment centered around Clemence's family home. The contrast between her childhood home now functioning as an office highlights her feelings of displacement. The craft store and thrift store represent both familiar comfort zones and new spaces for growth.

  • suburbs
  • home
  • setting
  • family house
  • workplace
Q3

What is the movie about?

The film follows college sophomore Clemence Miller as she returns home after experiencing a mental breakdown and receives a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. It chronicles her difficult journey of adjustment, self-discovery, and finding balance while navigating her new reality with the support of her family.

  • bipolar disorder
  • mental health
  • college student
  • returning home
  • diagnosis
Q4

What are the main themes explored in the film?

The film explores three primary themes: mental health and the stigma surrounding bipolar disorder, family dynamics and how mental illness affects loved ones, and personal growth through resilience. The narrative emphasizes the importance of understanding, acceptance, and the ongoing nature of recovery.

  • mental health
  • family
  • growth
  • bipolar
  • resilience
  • recovery
Q5

How does the film portray mental health?

The film takes a realistic approach to mental health, showing the challenges of living with bipolar disorder including impulsive behavior and relationship difficulties. It highlights both the stigma and fear surrounding mental health issues while portraying the path to acceptance, emphasizing that recovery is an ongoing process rather than a cure.

  • bipolar disorder
  • mental illness
  • mental health awareness
  • stigma
  • recovery
Q6

Who is the main character?

Clemence Miller is a college sophomore who experiences a mental breakdown and is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She returns to her childhood home in Illinois to recover, facing the challenge of redefining her identity while navigating relationships with her family and adjusting to her new reality.

  • Clemence Miller
  • protagonist
  • main character
  • college student
Q7

Who are Clemence's parents in the movie?

Clemence's father Don is a local schoolteacher who maintains an optimistic outlook while dealing with concerns about his daughter. Her mother Sherri runs a local craft store and demonstrates both love and fear as she supports Clemence through her mental health journey. Together they represent the complex blend of hope and tension within families facing similar challenges.

  • Don
  • Sherri
  • parents
  • family
  • mother
  • father
Q8

Who is Beth in the story?

Beth is Clemence's coworker at the thrift store where she works part-time. She becomes an important part of Clemence's support system, helping foster stability in her life. Their friendship illustrates how external social connections outside the family can play a crucial role in the recovery process.

  • Beth
  • coworker
  • friend
  • thrift store
  • support system
Q9

When does the movie take place?

The story unfolds in a contemporary setting, reflecting modern challenges faced by college students today. While no specific year is given, it takes place in the present day, addressing current societal issues around mental health awareness and the struggles of young adults.

  • contemporary
  • modern
  • time period
  • present day
Q10

How do Clemence's family members support her?

Clemence's family tries their best to understand her condition despite their complex feelings about her mental health struggles. Her parents provide a supportive home environment while navigating their own fears and concerns. The film shows both the bonds and conflicts among family members, illustrating how mental health affects everyone in the household.

  • family support
  • parents
  • loved ones
  • family relationships
Q11

What role does the craft store play in the story?

The local craft store, owned by Clemence's mother Sherri, represents a familiar yet complicated connection to Clemence's past. It serves as a bridge between her childhood and her current reality, symbolizing both the comfort of family ties and the complexity of returning to a life she had moved beyond before her diagnosis.

  • craft store
  • Sherri
  • mother
  • family business
  • setting symbol
Q12

What is the emotional tone of the film?

The film has a melancholic tone reflecting the quiet sadness and emotional weight of a life-altering diagnosis. However, it includes moments of support and small progressions that provide hope, creating a bittersweet feel. The story is emotionally heavy given its subject matter but avoids being purely bleak.

  • tone
  • mood
  • melancholy
  • bittersweet
  • emotional
  • drama

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Year Between, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about mental health recovery like The Year Between

Intimate and hopeful narratives about navigating life after a psychological diagnosis. If you were moved by The Year Between's honest portrayal of living with bipolar disorder, explore similar films about mental health journeys. These movies focus on the personal and familial challenges of recovery, offering a somber yet hopeful look at rebuilding a life after a diagnosis.

  • introspective
  • somber
  • hopeful
  • uncomfortable
  • relatable
  • anxious
  • Tone: melancholic, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a protagonist as they grapple with a life-altering mental health diagnosis. The narrative charts their journey through therapy, daily challenges, and strained but crucial family dynamics. The arc is often one of adjustment and self-discovery rather than a simple cure, leading to a bittersweet resolution that acknowledges both progress and the ongoing nature of the struggle.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a deeply personal focus on psychological well-being, a melancholic yet hopeful tone, and a steady, character-driven pace. They prioritize emotional authenticity over dramatic spectacle, creating a relatable and often uncomfortable viewing experience centered on resilience.

The Year Between movie poster

The Year Between

2023
Dark Illness movie poster

Dark Illness

1990
Imaginary Heroes movie poster

Imaginary Heroes

2004
Soundtrack movie poster

Soundtrack

2011
The Land of Steady Habits movie poster

The Land of Steady Habits

2018
Reign Over Me movie poster

Reign Over Me

2007
All My Puny Sorrows movie poster

All My Puny Sorrows

2022
My Favorite Season movie poster

My Favorite Season

1993

Somber family dramas similar to The Year Between

Stories where family bonds are tested by internal crises and difficult truths. For viewers who appreciated the heavy emotional weight and family dynamics in The Year Between, this collection features dramas where a household must cope with a member's internal crisis. These movies are characterized by their somber tone, steady pacing, and focus on the bittersweet reality of familial love and support.

  • somber
  • introspective
  • emotional
  • family
  • uncomfortable
  • relatable
  • Tone: somber, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a disruptive event—often a health or psychological issue—that forces a family to confront new challenges. The story unfolds through daily interactions, unspoken tensions, and small acts of care, exploring how relationships strain and strengthen. The conflict is primarily internal and interpersonal, leading to an ending that is realistic rather than neatly resolved.

Why they belong together: This thread connects movies that share a specific mood blend: somber and introspective, with a heavy emotional core. They use a steady, deliberate pace to explore complex family dynamics in the face of adversity, creating a deeply relatable and often cathartic experience for the viewer.

Interior movie poster

Interior

2018
It Runs in the Family movie poster

It Runs in the Family

2003
No Greater Love movie poster

No Greater Love

1995
The Land of Steady Habits movie poster

The Land of Steady Habits

2018
Fallen Hearts movie poster

Fallen Hearts

2019
Sentimental Value movie poster

Sentimental Value

2025
Home from the Hill movie poster

Home from the Hill

1960
All My Puny Sorrows movie poster

All My Puny Sorrows

2022

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Every angle

The Year Between (2023) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Year Between 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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