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Things I Know to Be True (2017) movie poster

Timeline

Things I Know to Be True (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 118 mins · English
Directed by
Scott Graham, Geordie Brookman
Starring
Ewan Stewart, Imogen Stubbs, Matthew Barker, Kirsty Oswald, Richard Mylan, Natalie Casey

A family grapples with shifting dynamics and unspoken truths as their adult children return home. Bob and Fran, the parents, have dedicated their lives to raising their four children, and now anticipate a time of relaxation. However, the changing seasons bring unexpected revelations that challenge their understanding of each other and their place within the family. The story explores the complexities of marriage and the struggle to forge individual identities separate from parental expectations, blending humor and heartfelt moments with striking physicality.

On this page (4)
  1. 1 Events in order (11)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

11 events in order · contains spoilers

Things I Know to Be True Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Things I Know to Be True (2017) 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. Rosie's Berlin encounter and theft during her gap year

    During her European gap year, Rosie meets a man named Emmanuel in Berlin. He steals most of her valuables and disappears when she wakes during the night, leaving her stranded abroad. The incident forces Rosie to cut her travels short and return to Australia.

    When
    gap year
    Where
    Berlin
  2. Rosie returns to Australia and is greeted by the Price family

    Rosie returns to Adelaide and is greeted by the Price family. The reunion surfaces underlying tensions and hints at the different paths each family member will pursue. The moment anchors the play’s exploration of loyalty and reconciliation.

    When
    shortly after Berlin incident
    Where
    Adelaide, Australia
  3. Pip leaves husband and kids to start anew in Vancouver

    Pip decides to leave her husband and their two children to begin a new life in Vancouver. Fran disapproves upon learning of Pip's cheating, revealing the strain within the family. The decision widens the rift and foreshadows later reconciliations.

    When
    soon after Rosie's return
    Where
    Adelaide, Australia
  4. Pip moves to Vancouver and writes a reconciliatory letter to Fran

    Moving to Vancouver, Pip writes a letter to Fran that begins to bridge the emotional gap between them. The message acknowledges an abusive childhood and signals a cautious, tentative reconciliation. The exchange adds depth to the family history.

    When
    after the move
    Where
    Vancouver, Canada
  5. Mia comes out as transgender and plans hormone therapy in Sydney

    Mia, previously referred to as Mark, comes out as transgender and announces plans to move to Sydney for hormone therapy. The revelation shocks the family, with Fran especially displeased. This marks a major shift in Mia's identity and the family dynamic.

    When
    later
    Where
    Sydney (plans to move there)
  6. Fran preserves a get-out fund and dreams of a trip with Bob

    Fran reveals she has saved about 250,000 as a get-out fund for her relationship with Bob. She admits she once thought of running away, but stayed for the sake of their children. She says she now saves the money to treat themselves, and she asks Bob where he'd most like to go; he answers Kruger National Park, but they never go.

    When
    unspecified
    Where
    Adelaide, Australia
  7. Ben's money origin is revealed alongside the car

    Bob discovers a European car parked outside and questions Ben about where the money came from. Ben claims he earned it by working hard. Later he reveals that he had been skimming funds to pay for drugs and the flashy car.

    When
    mid to late in the play
    Where
    Adelaide, Australia
  8. Fran's car crash and death

    It is revealed that Fran has been involved in a car crash and is pronounced dead on arrival. Her death arrives amid a cascade of secrets and family strain. The loss triggers a reckoning for the remaining Price family.

    When
    late in the play
  9. Mia's transition progresses; last scene where Mia presents as male

    This moment shows Mia's last appearance presenting as male; she will present as a woman in later scenes. The change marks a significant point in Mia's transition and how the family responds to it. The scene highlights the personal transformation at the center of the play.

    When
    toward the end of the play
  10. Fran forgives Ben and discusses taking Bob to South Africa

    Before she dies, Fran forgives Ben and discusses taking Bob to South Africa. Her gesture points toward reconciliation despite earlier betrayals. The conversation frames the emotional fallout as the family faces Fran's impending death.

    When
    late in the play, before Fran's death
    Where
    Home
  11. The family returns to Adelaide for Fran's funeral

    The children return to Adelaide to meet Bob and Rosie for Fran's funeral. They confront the consequences of the family's secrets and seek some sense of closure. The funeral marks the end of Fran's story and a pivot for the remaining Price family.

    When
    after Fran's death
    Where
    Adelaide, Australia

Last updated: October 01, 2025 at 13:05

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Timeline questions answered

Things I Know to Be True Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Things I Know to Be True (2017): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Rosie return home early from her gap year?

Rosie returns home early because she was robbed in Berlin. During a fling with a man named Emmanuel, he stole most of her valuables and disappeared while she was sleeping, leaving her stranded abroad with no money or belongings.

  • rosie price
  • berlin
  • emmanuel
  • gap year
  • theft
  • robbery
Q2

Why does Pip leave her husband and children?

Pip leaves her husband and two children to start a new life in Vancouver. The play suggests she was seeking freedom from a difficult marriage and a childhood marked by instability, which she later acknowledges in a reconciliatory letter to Fran.

  • pip price
  • vancouver
  • divorce
  • leaving family
  • new life
Q3

What does Pip's letter to Fran reveal?

Pip's letter reveals that she had an abusive childhood and acknowledges the strained relationship with her mother. The letter marks a tentative step toward reconciliation between Pip and Fran, bringing long-buried family pain into the open.

  • pip letter
  • abusive childhood
  • reconciliation
  • fran price
Q4

Why does Mia plan to move to Sydney?

Mia, formerly known as Mark, comes out as transgender and plans to move to Sydney to undergo hormone therapy. This represents a major turning point in her identity and forces the family to confront questions about gender and acceptance.

  • mia price
  • mark price
  • transgender
  • hormone therapy
  • sydney
  • transition
Q5

What is Fran's "get-out fund" and why does she have it?

Fran has saved approximately $250,000 as a "get-out fund" for her 30-year marriage to Bob. She admits she once considered running away herself but stayed for the children. The money later becomes earmarked for a dream trip to Kruger National Park that they never take.

  • fran price
  • get-out fund
  • bob price
  • marriage
  • savings
  • Kruger National Park
Q6

Where did Ben get the money for his car?

Ben claims he earned the money for his European car through hard work, but the truth later emerges: he was skimming funds to pay for drugs and the flashy vehicle. This revelation exposes Ben's dangerous appetite for money and risk.

  • ben price
  • car
  • skimming
  • drugs
  • money
  • theft
Q7

How does Fran die in the story?

Fran dies in a car crash. She is pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, and her death comes suddenly amid the family's ongoing revelations and tensions. She dies without fully reconciling with Mia, connecting with Pip in person, or forgiving Ben.

  • fran price
  • death
  • car crash
  • accident
  • funeral
Q8

What unresolved issues remain after Fran's death?

Fran dies with several relationships left unresolved: she never fully reconciles with Mia regarding her transition, never meets Pip in person after her move to Vancouver, and never gets to take the trip to South Africa with Bob that they both dreamed about.

  • fran price
  • unresolved
  • reconciliation
  • funeral
  • family
Q9

Why is Fran upset about Mia's transition?

Fran struggles with accepting Mia's transition to female, reflecting her fear of losing a child to a future she hadn't anticipated. Her displeasure represents the broader challenge many parents face when reconciling their understanding of a child's identity with their own expectations.

  • fran price
  • mia transition
  • acceptance
  • transgender
  • parent reaction
Q10

Why don't Bob and Fran ever go to Kruger National Park?

Bob and Fran never take their trip to Kruger National Park because Fran dies suddenly in a car crash before they can go. The dream trip represents their hope for renewal and escape, making its non-realization a poignant symbol of lost opportunities.

  • kruger national park
  • south africa
  • trip
  • bob price
  • fran price
  • dream

Movie threads

More Movies Like Things I Know to Be True, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Things I Know to Be True tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Intimate family dramas with heavy emotional revelations like in Things I Know to Be True

Stories where family secrets and identity crises surface at home. If you liked the raw, emotional exploration of family in Things I Know to Be True, you'll find similar movies here. These dramas delve into the complex relationships between parents and children, featuring themes of identity, grief, and the secrets that define a family. They share a heartfelt, somber, and reflective mood.

  • melancholic
  • intimate
  • heartfelt
  • somber
  • reflective
  • dramatic
  • Tone: bittersweet, melancholic
  • Pacing: slow, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically unfolds within the familiar setting of a family home, often triggered by a reunion or a crisis. It follows multiple perspectives as long-held secrets and personal struggles are revealed, challenging the family's foundation. The journey is one of confrontation, understanding, and often, mournful acceptance of change and loss.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a core focus on domestic life as a source of profound drama. They prioritize character depth over plot, feature ensemble casts, and deliver a powerful emotional impact through their exploration of universal themes like love, disappointment, and the difficult pursuit of individuality within a family.

Bittersweet melancholic stories of grief and resilience like in Things I Know to Be True

Hopeful journeys that are paved with profound loss and sadness. For viewers seeking movies like Things I Know to Be True that explore grief with a bittersweet and melancholic tone. These films often involve a tragic event that forces characters to confront their relationships and find a way forward, blending heavy emotional weight with a patient, reflective pacing and a ultimately sad but resilient ending.

  • melancholic
  • somber
  • heartfelt
  • hopeful
  • poignant
  • reflective
  • Tone: bittersweet, melancholic, hopeful
  • Pacing: slow, patient
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative is typically built around a central, tragic loss that acts as a catalyst. The story then follows the aftermath, examining how characters process their grief, grapple with regrets, and slowly, often painfully, learn to live with their new reality. The focus is on the emotional journey rather than a solution, leading to an ending that is somber yet suggests the possibility of continued life.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their specific emotional blend: a high sadness score tempered not by happiness, but by a bittersweet, hopeful undertone. They share a slow, contemplative pace that allows the audience to sit with the characters' pain, and they prioritize emotional authenticity over dramatic resolution, creating a deeply resonant and cathartic viewing experience.

Every angle

Things I Know to Be True (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Things I Know to Be True 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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