Significant Other 2022

A mysterious red object crashes into a forest, where a deer is suddenly ensnared by a tentacle. In the heart of their six-year relationship, Ruth (Maika Monroe) and Harry (Jake Lacy), an unmarried couple, embark on a camping adventure. Their trek leads them to a picturesque overlook adorned with shimmering water, where Harry seizes the moment to propose marriage. However, Ruth, plagued by anxiety, panics and declines, citing their earlier discussions about avoiding marriage. This disagreement injects a strain into their relationship, creating an awkward tension that lingers.

The following day, as they meander through the woods, they stumble upon a deer enveloped in a strange black substance, which Harry assumes is due to some illness. Ruth’s curiosity drives her into a cave where she discovers a blue puddle. Emerging from the cave, she reveals to Harry that she has had a change of heart and wants him to propose once more. Yet, when they reach the scenic overlook again, the atmosphere takes a dark turn as Ruth unexpectedly pushes him off the cliff, leading him to a fatal fall onto the rocks below.

In her wandering through the forest afterward, Ruth encounters another couple who try to help her understand the disconnect she feels. Soon, a disguised alien version of Harry emerges, killing the couple. It’s unveiled that the blue puddle led Ruth to witness Harry’s dead body encased in a cocoon, making her realize he has been replaced by a malignant impostor. The alien, burdened by the love Harry had for Ruth, struggles with this unfamiliar emotion and finds itself unable to harm her.

Taking Ruth to a beach, the alien shows her its spacecraft, urging her to escape the impending Earth invasion by joining it on another planet. In a desperate attempt for freedom, Ruth stabs the alien and lures it into the water, attracting a shark that allows her to escape. However, the alien manages to slay the shark and pursues her, eventually overpowering and cocooning her as well. It then absorbs her personality, mimicking her appearance but finding itself troubled by her anxieties.

As the authentic Ruth breaks free from the cocoon, she confronts the creature, shattering its head with a rock. In her flight, the alien’s head begins to regenerate, indicating it’s far from finished. Ruth navigates her way back to her vehicle, and as she drives away, the alien ominously communicates with her through the car radio, while red objects begin to rain down from the sky, heralding the larger alien invasion that is yet to come.