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Plot Summary

We Are Still Here (2015) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2015 · 84 min · English
JustWatch #5,306 63
Directed by
Ted Geoghegan

Following a devastating loss, a couple, Paul and Anne, hopes to find peace in a charming New England town. They soon discover their new home harbors a sinister secret—a family of vengeful spirits with a taste for the living. As they struggle to cope with their grief, Paul and Anne must confront these dark forces, which threaten to consume them and even draw the spirit of their deceased son into a terrifying, endless torment.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like We Are Still Here
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch We Are Still Here (2015)

Where can you watch We Are Still Here? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Bloodstream and Shudder: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in We Are Still Here: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of We Are Still Here (2015) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

In 1979, a grieving couple, Anne (Barbara Crampton) and Paul Sacchetti (Andrew Sensenig), decides to relocate to a serene abode in rural New England after the devastating loss of their son, Bobby, in a car accident. The move is intended as a form of therapy for Anne, who has plunged into deep despair following the tragedy. However, upon their arrival, Anne begins to insist that Bobby is still present in their new home. Their enigmatic neighbor, Cat McCabe (Connie Neer), urges them to abandon the house, hinting at its dark past.

The residence, a former funeral home constructed in the 1800s by the Dagmar family, holds a sinister reputation; the family was allegedly expelled from the village after locals uncovered their malevolent scheme of selling corpses and interring empty coffins. Despite the ominous warnings, Anne invites her friends, May (Lisa Marie) and Jacob Lewis (Larry Fessenden), both spiritualists, in hopes that they could aid in connecting with Bobby and unraveling the strange events that have begun to unfold within the house.

Shortly after the Lewises arrive, they decide to dine out. At this time, their son Harry (Michael Patrick) makes an unexpected entrance with his girlfriend, Daniella (Kelsea Dakota). Tragedy strikes when Harry is violently slain by a malevolent apparition on the basement stairs, leaving Daniella in shock as she witnesses the horrific event. In a panic, she escapes the house only to meet her own demise a short distance away.

As the evening progresses, tension escalates when Cat's husband, Dave (Monte Markham), arrives at the restaurant, committing murder before discussing the haunted Dagmar home with the bartender. It is revealed that the house must consume fresh souls every 30 years; if it fails to do so, the underlying evil threatens to unleash destruction upon the town.

Encouraged by the unfolding chaos, Jacob persuades a hesitant Paul to participate in a séance. This spiritual encounter leads to Jacob becoming possessed by the vengeful spirit of Lassander Dagmar (Guy Gane III), who reveals the horrifying truth: the Dagmars were not banished but instead met a sacrificial end at the hands of the villagers to appease the malevolence lurking beneath their home. In a fit of rage, Jacob, under possession, takes his own life. As May attempts to flee, she is intercepted and killed by Dave, who has rallied the townsmen with the intention of appeasing the dark force that demands sacrifice.

Amidst the turmoil, the Sacchettis hear their son Bobby’s voice compelling them to flee. They make a desperate dash upstairs as the townsmen begin to storm the house. The spirits of the Dagmar family are unleashed, enacting savage vengeance upon the intruding townspeople. The bloodshed continues until only Dave, Paul, and Anne remain.

As Dave attempts to fulfill his deadly intent, he is thwarted by Lassander's spirit, which brings about his demise. In the aftermath of the chaos and carnage, Paul and Anne are left to contemplate the mess around them. With the Dagmar spirits feeling a sense of closure, they depart the premises. Yet, Anne, still under the belief that her son lingers within the house's walls, is drawn into the cellar. Paul, trailing her, peers into the shadowy depths, manages a slight smile, and utters the poignant words, > "Hey Bobby."

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 11:13

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Plot questions answered

We Are Still Here Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about We Are Still Here (2015): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does the house need fresh souls every 30 years?

The Dagmar house sits on top of a malevolent force that requires a blood sacrifice every 30 years to be contained. If the house fails to consume fresh souls, the underlying evil will break free and destroy the entire town. This is why Dave explains to the bartender that the house "must eat" - it's a cycle of appeasement that keeps the broader community safe.

  • dagmar house
  • 30 years
  • sacrifice
  • souls
  • evil force
  • appease
Q2

Why does Anne think her son Bobby is still in the house?

Anne is suffering from severe grief and depression following Bobby's death in a car accident. Her mind has fractured under the weight of this loss, causing her to convince herself that Bobby's spirit resides in the new home. This belief is partly genuine spiritual sensitivity and partly psychological denial - she desperately needs to believe her son is not truly gone.

Foreshadowing: Anne's insistence that Bobby is present begins immediately upon arrival, even before any supernatural activity occurs.

  • anne
  • bobby
  • grief
  • son
  • spirit
  • depression
  • hallucination
Q3

What really happened to the Dagmar family?

The villagers did not simply banish the Dagmars for their crimes of selling corpses and burying empty coffins. Under Jacob's possession, Lassander reveals the horrifying truth: the villagers actually sacrificed the entire Dagmar family - men, women, and children - to appease the evil force beneath the house. They were burned alive as part of the ritual to keep the darkness contained.

Foreshadowing: Cat hints that the house has a dark history but only partially explains the Dagmar family's fate.

  • dagmar family
  • villagers
  • sacrificed
  • burned
  • lassander
  • possessed
Q4

Why does Dave kill people and lead the townsmen to attack the house?

Dave is aware of the 30-year sacrifice cycle and believes the townspeople must appease the house by providing victims. After killing at the restaurant, he returns with a group of townsmen intending to sacrifice Paul and Anne to satisfy the house's hunger. Dave is not simply a madman - he genuinely believes this sacrifice will protect the town from the unleashed evil.

Foreshadowing: Dave's conversation with the bartender reveals he understands the house's requirements and feels compelled to fulfill them.

  • dave
  • townsmen
  • sacrifice
  • kill
  • appease
  • cycle
Q5

Why does Jacob kill himself during the séance?

When Jacob attempts to communicate with the spirits, he becomes possessed by Lassander Dagmar's vengeful spirit. Under this possession, Jacob experiences the rage and despair of a man who was burned alive along with his family. In a fit of supernatural rage, he takes his own life. The possession amplifies his emotions to the point of self-destruction.

Foreshadowing: Jacob's insistence on performing the séance despite warnings creates the conditions for his possession.

  • jacob
  • séance
  • possessed
  • lassander
  • suicide
  • possession
Q6

Why do the Dagmar spirits attack the townspeople instead of the couple?

The Dagmar spirits have been wronged by the townspeople, not by Paul and Anne. The villagers burned the entire Dagmar family alive to appease the evil beneath the house. When the townspeople invade the home, the spirits recognize them as their true executioners and unleash vengeance upon them. The couple becomes collateral damage initially, but Lassander ultimately protects them because they were not part of the original betrayal.

Foreshadowing: Jacob reveals that the villagers sacrificed the Dagmars, establishing the revenge motive.

  • dagmar spirits
  • townspeople
  • revenge
  • attack
  • villagers
  • lassander
Q7

What happens to Harry and Daniella at the house?

Harry, the son of May and Jacob Lewis, arrives unexpectedly with his girlfriend Daniella while the adults are out. Harry is viciously attacked and killed by a malevolent spirit on the basement stairs. Daniella witnesses the murder, flees in panic, and is killed shortly afterward outside the house - either by the same spirit or by the escalating supernatural chaos surrounding the property.

Foreshadowing: The dark energy intensifies after the Lewises arrive, signaling that worse events are coming.

  • harry
  • daniella
  • killed
  • basement
  • attack
  • spirits
Q8

Is Bobby really in the house at the end, or is Anne delusional?

The ending is deliberately ambiguous. Anne, still gripped by grief and denial, believes Bobby's spirit is calling her to the cellar. Paul follows and says "Hey Bobby," suggesting either he also believes or is humorously indulging his wife's delusion. The film leaves unclear whether Bobby's spirit genuinely exists, whether Anne's grief has manifested in a shared delusion, or whether some supernatural trickery is at work.

Foreshadowing: Anne's conviction that Bobby is present has been building throughout the film, making the final scene a culmination of her psychological state.

  • bobby
  • ending
  • ambiguous
  • cellar
  • delusion
  • spirit
  • anne
  • paul
Q9

Why does Cat warn the couple while her husband Dave attacks them?

Cat and Dave appear to be estranged or have conflicting perspectives on the house's dark history. Cat genuinely warns Anne and Paul about the Dagmar house's sinister past, likely knowing the danger it poses. Dave, however, has accepted the necessity of the 30-year sacrifice and believes the couple must be offered up to protect the town. Their marriage seems fractured by these opposing viewpoints on morality and sacrifice.

Foreshadowing: Cat and Dave are introduced separately, with Cat warning the couple while Dave's violent actions come later.

  • cat
  • dave
  • husband
  • wife
  • warning
  • attack
  • sacrifice
Q10

Why does Lassander's spirit save Paul and Anne from Dave?

Lassander protects Paul and Anne because they are innocent of the Dagmar family's murder. While Dave and the townspeople are the descendants of those who burned the Dagmars alive, Paul and Anne are merely grieving outsiders who moved into the house unknowingly. The spirits' vengeance is directed specifically at the executioners, not at random victims.

Foreshadowing: The revelation that the villagers sacrificed the Dagmar family establishes who deserves the spirits' wrath.

  • lassander
  • save
  • paul
  • anne
  • spirits
  • innocent
  • protect
Q11

Why do the townspeople storm the house with weapons?

The townspeople, led by Dave, believe they must perform the 30-year ritual sacrifice to appease the house's evil. They storm the house intent on killing Paul and Anne as offerings, believing this will prevent the malevolent force beneath from destroying the entire town. Their attack is framed as a twisted act of community protection.

Foreshadowing: Dave's earlier conversation about the house needing to "eat" establishes the town's understanding of the ritual.

  • townspeople
  • storm
  • attack
  • sacrifice
  • dave
  • weapons
  • ritual

Movie threads

More Movies Like We Are Still Here, by Mood & Story

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

Grief-stricken horror movies like We Are Still Here

Haunted house stories where personal tragedy amplifies the supernatural dread. Explore movies like We Are Still Here where personal tragedy and supernatural terror collide. If you enjoyed the way grief intensified the haunting, this thread gathers similar horror stories where emotional devastation fuels the horror, creating a uniquely heavy and impactful viewing experience.

  • grieving
  • haunting
  • melancholic
  • oppressive
  • dreadful
  • brutal
  • Tone: dark, melancholic, heavy
  • Pacing: steady, building relentlessly
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories typically begin with a devastating personal loss, often the death of a child or family member. The characters' attempts to cope or start anew are interrupted by a supernatural presence. The horror is intrinsically linked to their grief, making the external threat feel like a manifestation of their internal pain, leading to a brutal confrontation.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here because they share the core concept of using deep, character-driven grief as a catalyst for horror. This creates a specific, emotionally resonant experience where the scares are not just about survival but about confronting and being consumed by sorrow.

Sinister small town secret movies like We Are Still Here

Isolated communities harboring dark, sacrificial pacts with malevolent forces. Discover movies similar to We Are Still Here that explore the horror of small towns with dark secrets. If you liked the twist where the townspeople are complicit in a supernatural curse, this thread features stories about isolated communities bound by sacrificial pacts and hidden evil.

  • sinister
  • oppressive
  • claustrophobic
  • brutal
  • paranoid
  • dreadful
  • Tone: dark, sinister, bleak
  • Pacing: steady, with escalating reveals
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves protagonists moving to or visiting an isolated town, only to discover that the friendly facade masks a dark tradition. The community is often bound together by a secret pact, be it with a demon, a ghost, or an ancient entity, requiring periodic sacrifices to maintain a fragile peace. The horror escalates as the protagonists become the next targets.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared setting and plot mechanism: the malevolent small town. The similarity lies in the dual threat of both supernatural forces and the murderous, secret-keeping locals, creating a claustrophobic and paranoid atmosphere where trust is impossible.

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We Are Still Here (2015) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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