Up There

Martin addresses the camera to explain he died in a traffic accident and is now dead. He clarifies that the dead are not ghosts and cannot walk through walls or move objects. The scene establishes the rules of the afterlife and Martin's uneasy curiosity about what comes next.

Two carers arrive to guide him into the waiting zone called the re-start centre. He begins to learn that this place governs the afterlife rather than judging souls. The introduction sets up his new existence among other newly dead.

Within the re-start centre, Martin attends group counselling sessions where positive thoughts are encouraged. He pretends to accept the program, masking his unease with a practiced smile. He befriends another newly dead, and together they are assigned as carers at a hospital to guide the living dead.

Martin hopes the new role will earn him credit to move 'up there' to a nicer zone. However, only his colleague is promoted, leaving him stuck in the same routine. The setback deepens his frustration with the afterlife system.

Martin is paired with a new co-worker, Rash, and they begin to encounter difficult newly-dead clients, including a criminal with a hard-to-pronounce name who runs away. Rash is talkative and enthusiastic, often clashing with Martin's more cautious approach. The dynamic hints at tensions to come.

They set off to find the runaway and eventually reach a seaside town. The pursuit reveals the odd geography of the afterlife and introduces more characters from the living world. The mood shifts from clinical to adventurous as they leave the centre behind.

Martin meets Liz in a library and discovers he can read a book or newspaper alongside a living person if they turn the pages together. She hides when another dead man appears, hinting at a complicated past. Liz reveals she was a suicide, adding a layer of mystery to her presence.

They spot the runaway but realize his real identity is Chick, not Wozcek, and that his father lives in town as a 'starer'—a dead who does nothing but stare. Chick's send-off is printed in the paper for the next morning, prompting Rash to want to stay so Chick can say goodbye, while Martin wants to leave to make his assessment. Liz suggests there might be a route out of town, such as a boat, rather than taking the last bus at 11.

Later, Liz rows with the dead man who has been stalking her, and she apologizes to Martin for dragging him into danger. The boat trip becomes a fragile space for connection between the living and the dead. Their shared moment hints at possibilities beyond the town.

In an all-night garage, Martin sees Rash tailing a couple and decides they should follow because Mandy has a court appearance early. Liz joins them, and they awkwardly watch the couple have sex in the car. The scene blends uncomfortable humor with the afterlife’s odd social rules.

At Chick's mother's house, Chick explains that his death was a mistake. He recounts Rash being chased by a group of lads, while two youths mock Chick, escalating Martin's temper until he accuses Chick of killing Rash. The confrontation deepens the mystery around responsibility for Rash's death.

Liz arrives and Martin invites her to return to the centre with him, but she refuses and leaves town with her ex who she killed. This moment marks Liz's final break with the group and her ongoing ties to the living world.

Martin and Chick meet Rash in the city; Rash doesn't initially realize who Chick is, but he spots the two younger lads and suddenly recognizes Chick. The car starts and Rash turns, leaving Chick behind as the trio's dynamic shifts once more.

Back in the city, Martin brings Chick in for processing and attends his own assessment, learning that Rash's brother has recovered. Rash has become a full 'starrer' and the living world feels farther away as Martin contemplates letting go. In the final moment, Rash wakes up to speak with Chick and accepts Chick's death, insisting it was a bigger, sturdier car that killed him.