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The Inhabitant (2022) movie poster

Timeline

The Inhabitant (2022) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2022 · 97 mins · English
Echo score 49
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Directed by
Jerren Lauder
Starring
Leslie Bibb, Kenneisha Thompson, Dermot Mulroney, Sabreena Iman, Ryan Francis, Lizze Broadway
Budget
$1.6M

Tara appears to be an ordinary high‑schooler, but her parents keep a troubling distance while a series of gruesome axe murders terrorizes the town. As she begins to witness nightmarish entities, she is forced to confront a sinister presence lurking inside her, questioning her sanity and uncovering a shocking family legacy.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle
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12 events in order · contains spoilers

The Inhabitant Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Inhabitant (2022) 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. Tara's nightmares and the curse

    Dreams plague Tara as she experiences nightmares, murderous impulses, and visions of Lizzie Borden urging her to kill. She becomes fearful and withdrawn, convinced the curse tracks their family through generations. Her only solace is redesigning vintage clothing, which her mother Emily sells online.

    Where
    Tara's home
  2. A string of murders linked to Tara's dresses

    Several townspeople are found murdered, and the police are quick to suspect Tara. All of the victims had issues with her, and the killer was seen wearing one of Tara's dresses. The pattern convinces Tara that the curse is spreading through her life.

    Where
    The town
  3. Tara seeks answers from Aunt Diane

    To seek answers, Tara visits her aunt Diane, who is institutionalized for the murder of her infant child. Diane claims that Emily experienced the same curse, implying that Emily may be the killer. These revelations deepen Tara's fear and confusion.

    Where
    Mental institution
  4. Visit to Borden House

    With her boyfriend Carl, Tara visits the Borden House. There she learns that Lizzie Borden was an excellent seamstress, fueling speculation that the dresses could trigger the curse. The visit leaves Tara with more questions than answers.

    Where
    Borden House
  5. Suzy sent to fetch the dresses

    Tara sends Suzy to fetch some of Tara's dresses from her house. The girl does not return or respond, heightening Tara's fear that the curse is real. Carl stays close as they worry about Suzy's safety.

    Where
    Tara's house
  6. Return home and shocking family revelations

    Tara and Carl travel to Tara's home after Suzy's disappearance and mounting tension. There they learn that Aunt Diane has escaped from the mental institution. They also learn that Tara's mother Emily is the true killer and that Emily had killed Diane's baby, believing it to be the product of incest between Diane and their father.

    Where
    Tara's home
  7. Emily's twisted alignment with Lizzie

    Emily sympathizes with Lizzie Borden, convinced Lizzie killed her parents because of her mother's suspected infidelity. This mindset strengthens her commitment to the haunting family myth.

    Where
    Tara's home
  8. Emily's violent break with Tara

    In a psychotic rage, Emily turns on Tara. Tara's brother Caleb calls for help, setting in motion the police response.

    Where
    Tara's home
  9. Police intervention ends the immediate threat

    The police arrive and shoot Emily before she can finish Tara. The immediate danger subsides, but the sense of a lingering curse remains.

    Where
    Tara's home
  10. Caleb's role and the ongoing curse

    Caleb had already alerted authorities, signaling that the curse's reach extends beyond Tara. The film closes with one of Tara's brothers speaking to the spirit of Lizzie Borden, implying the curse will claim more victims.

    Where
    Tara's home
  11. Lizzie Borden's seamstress legacy explored

    Tara learns that Lizzie Borden was a master seamstress, a detail that reinforces the theory that the dresses act as psychic triggers for murderous impulses.

    Where
    Borden House
  12. Motive hint: family history and incest rumor

    The backstory links the mother's alleged infidelity and the father's role to a chain of violence, deepening the sense that Lizzie's legend lives on through Emily and the family curse.

    Where
    Tara's home

Last updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:55

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Timeline questions answered

The Inhabitant Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Inhabitant (2022): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why is Tara's mother Emily the actual killer?

Emily is revealed to be the true killer when Tara returns home. Emily had been experiencing the same curse as her daughter, suffering from nightmares, murderous impulses, and visions of Lizzie Borden urging her to kill. She killed the townspeople while wearing Tara's dresses, framing her daughter. Additionally, Emily had killed her sister Diane's infant child years earlier, believing it was the product of incest between Diane and their father.

Foreshadowing: Diane mentioned during Tara's visit that Emily experienced the same curse, hinting that Emily was the killer all along.

  • emily killer
  • tara mother
  • curse
  • lizzie borden
  • murderer
Q2

How does the family curse work?

The curse started with ancestor Lizzie Borden and passes through generations of the family. Those affected experience nightmares, murderous impulses, and visions of Lizzie Borden urging them to commit murder. The curse appears to be triggered by the vintage dresses sewn by Lizzie, who was an excellent seamstress. When someone wears or handles these dresses, they become susceptible to Lizzie's influence.

Foreshadowing: Tara's nightmares and violent visions begin early in the film, showing the curse's effect on her before she understands its source.

  • curse
  • lizzie borden
  • dresses
  • nightmares
  • visions
  • family legacy
Q3

Why did Emily kill Diane's infant child?

Emily killed her sister Diane's baby because she believed the child was the product of incest between Diane and their father. This act occurred years before the film's events and was a major factor in Diane's subsequent mental breakdown and institutionalization. The murder was one of Emily's first violent acts committed under the influence of the curse.

Foreshadowing: Diane hints at this tragedy when she tells Tara that Emily experienced the same curse, but the full truth only emerges later.

  • emily
  • diane
  • baby
  • murder
  • incest
  • curse
Q4

What happened to Suzy after she went to fetch the dresses?

Suzy never returned or responded to Tara's calls after being sent to fetch the vintage dresses. While the film doesn't explicitly show her fate, the implication is that she became another victim of the curse, likely harmed by Emily who was already committing murders while wearing those same dresses.

Foreshadowing: Tara's growing fear about Suzy's disappearance reinforces the deadly nature of the curse spreading through the dresses.

  • suzy
  • disappearance
  • dresses
  • curse
  • murder
Q5

Why did the police suspect Tara instead of her mother?

The police suspected Tara because all the murder victims had issues with her, and witnesses saw the killer wearing one of Tara's distinctive vintage dresses. Since Tara's mother sold the dresses online, Emily had access to them and deliberately framed her daughter by wearing the dresses during the killings. The police had no reason to suspect the mother of a teenage girl.

Foreshadowing: Early in the film, the murders begin after Tara's nightmares start, making her appear connected to the crimes.

  • police
  • suspect
  • tara
  • arrest
  • dresses
  • framed
Q6

Why does Emily sympathize with Lizzie Borden?

Emily believes Lizzie Borden killed her parents because of her mother's suspected infidelity, viewing Lizzie's actions as justified revenge. This twisted logic stems from Emily's own psychosis and the curse's influence. Emily sees herself as continuing Lizzie's legacy of eliminating those who betray family trust which explains why she murdered, townspeople she deemed unworthy.

Foreshadowing: This connection is hinted at when Emily talks about family loyalty and the curse's origins.

  • emily
  • lizzie borden
  • sympathy
  • revenge
  • infidelity
  • motivation
Q7

Is the curse still active at the end of the film?

Yes, the curse remains active at the end. Although Emily is killed by police before she can harm Tara, the film concludes with one of Tara's brothers speaking to the spirit of Lizzie Borden. This implies he has become the next victim of the family curse, continuing the cycle of violence that began with Lizzie Borden herself.

Foreshadowing: The opening scenes establish the curse as generational, and Tara's own struggles with violent impulses foreshadow its continuation.

  • ending
  • curse
  • brother
  • lizzie borden
  • spirit
  • cycle
Q8

How do the dresses trigger the curse?

The vintage dresses sewn by Lizzie Borden act as psychic triggers for the curse. Since Lizzie was an expert seamstress, her emotional energy became embedded in the clothing she created. When descendants handle or wear these dresses, they become susceptible to Lizzie's influence, experiencing visions and murderous impulses. Tara realizes this connection after visiting Borden House and learning about Lizzie's seamstress skills.

Foreshadowing: Tara notices the correlation between the dresses and the murders after learning about Lizzie's tailoring work.

  • dresses
  • curse
  • trigger
  • lizzie borden
  • seamstress
  • vintage clothing
Q9

Why was Aunt Diane institutionalized?

Aunt Diane was institutionalized for the murder of her own infant child. However, Diane claims she was not solely responsible, asserting that Emily also experienced the curse and was the true instigator of the violence. Diane escaped from the mental institution during the events of the film, adding to the mounting danger Tara faces.

Foreshadowing: Diane's institutionalized status is revealed early, but her escape and the truth about the baby murder come later.

  • aunt diane
  • institution
  • murder
  • baby
  • mental hospital
  • escape

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Inhabitant, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about family curses and inherited evil like The Inhabitant

Characters grappling with a sinister bloodline and their own unraveling sanity. If you were unsettled by the generational horror in The Inhabitant, you'll find more chilling stories here. These films explore the terror of a cursed bloodline, where protagonists must uncover dark family secrets while fighting to retain their own sanity amidst supernatural threats.

  • unsettling
  • atmospheric
  • paranoid
  • nightmarish
  • oppressive
  • sinister
  • Tone: dark, bleak, paranoid
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread follow a protagonist, often a young adult, who uncovers a horrific truth about their family's past. The plot methodically reveals clues, blending real-world threats with psychological torment, as the character's reality becomes uncertain. The journey is a slow, steady unraveling towards a confrontation with a legacy they are doomed to inherit.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared focus on the terror of inheritance—the fear that one's fate is sealed by blood. They create a specific kind of dread that is both intimate and epic, blending psychological horror with supernatural elements and a consistently dark, heavy atmosphere.

Atmospheric slow burn horror movies with ambiguous endings like The Inhabitant

Stories where unease builds steadily to a chilling, unresolved conclusion. Fans of The Inhabitant's steady, nightmarish build-up will enjoy these similarly paced films. This list features mood-driven horror and thrillers that rely on an oppressive atmosphere and psychological tension, often ending on an ambiguous note that leaves a lasting sense of unease.

  • atmospheric
  • slow burn
  • unsettling
  • oppressive
  • nightmarish
  • paranoid
  • Tone: dark, tense, paranoid
  • Pacing: slow burn, steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread unfold at a measured pace, layering unsettling imagery and subtle clues to create a profound sense of paranoia. The focus is on the gradual erosion of the protagonist's reality. The climax may resolve the immediate threat, but the conclusion often suggests the horror is cyclical or internal, ensuring the fear persists.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their commitment to a specific vibe: a steady, atmospheric build of tension. They share a dark tone, high emotional weight, and an ambiguous ending feel, creating a cohesive experience for viewers seeking a slow, immersive, and deeply unsettling kind of horror.

Every angle

The Inhabitant (2022) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Inhabitant 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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