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Things Heard & Seen 2021

Seeking a fresh start, Catherine Clare leaves 1980s Manhattan with her husband George and young daughter Franny, relocating to a historic farmhouse in the Hudson Valley. Hoping for a tranquil life, Catherine soon finds herself increasingly disturbed by unsettling events and the house's mysterious past. As she grapples with the isolation of rural living and hidden truths about her marriage, Catherine’s growing sense of dread leads her to question everything she thought she knew.

Seeking a fresh start, Catherine Clare leaves 1980s Manhattan with her husband George and young daughter Franny, relocating to a historic farmhouse in the Hudson Valley. Hoping for a tranquil life, Catherine soon finds herself increasingly disturbed by unsettling events and the house's mysterious past. As she grapples with the isolation of rural living and hidden truths about her marriage, Catherine’s growing sense of dread leads her to question everything she thought she knew.

Does Things Heard & Seen have end credit scenes?

No!

Things Heard & Seen does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of Things Heard & Seen

Explore the complete cast of Things Heard & Seen, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for Things Heard & Seen

See how Things Heard & Seen is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where Things Heard & Seen stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Echo Score

The Movie Echo Score

56

The film elicits a mixed response with commendable performances and visual craft but is undermined by a sluggish narrative and predictable developments. Reviewers noted the striking autumnal cinematography and nuanced ensemble acting, particularly praising the lead portrayal, while also pointing to an inconsistent directorial approach and limited scares. The pacing and derivative plotting were frequently described as omissions that dilute engagement. Ultimately, it offers sporadic moments of intrigue yet remains uneven in its overall impact.

The Movie Echo Score Breakdown for Things Heard & Seen

75
Echo Score

Art & Craft

In terms of art and craft, the film showcases striking visual composition and thoughtfully executed production design, particularly in its autumnal settings and shadow-rich lighting. The editing features artful cuts that momentarily heighten tension, though the directorial choices sometimes feel conventional and impede narrative momentum. Overall, the visual elements display competence but lack consistent dynamism.

70
Echo Score

Character & Emotion

When it comes to character and emotion, the ensemble delivers compelling work anchored by a nuanced lead performance that captures emotional vulnerability. The central relationship conveys genuine tension, yet several supporting roles receive limited depth, resulting in uneven resonance. Though moments of authentic interaction stand out, the characterizations overall stop short of fully engaging the viewer emotionally.

45
Echo Score

Story & Flow

When examining story and flow, the narrative is often described as slow-moving and predictably structured, with derivative elements that echo familiar titles. Critics and viewers alike cited a plodding pace that undermines suspense and limited originality in its plot twists. Though the underlying marriage drama offers thematic intent, the coherence and engagement suffer from uneven storytelling.

60
Echo Score

Sensory Experience

In sensory experience, the film delivers a subdued soundscape and an atmospheric score that underscore its eerie intentions, with the seance sequence notably effective. The visual style remains cohesive through consistent color palettes and striking location shots. However, jump scares are scarce and sound design seldom maximizes tension, resulting in limited sensory impact.

30
Echo Score

Rewatch Factor

Regarding rewatch factor, the film struggles to offer lasting appeal, with several reviewers describing the experience as forgettable and unrewarding on subsequent viewings. The mostly predictable storyline and uneven pacing diminish motivations to revisit the material. While the central performance provides moments of interest, the overall lack of novelty and tension limits its replay value.

Metacritic

49

Metascore

4.6

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

38%

TOMATOMETER

review

23%

User Score

IMDb

5.3 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

57

%

User Score

Letterboxd

2.4

From 52 fan ratings

Take the Ultimate Things Heard & Seen Movie Quiz

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Things Heard & Seen Quiz: Test your knowledge on the chilling plot and characters of 'Things Heard & Seen'.

What decade does the film 'Things Heard & Seen' take place in?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Things Heard & Seen

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Read the complete plot summary of Things Heard & Seen, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


In 1980, art restorer Catherine Claire finds herself navigating life’s challenges in Manhattan alongside her husband, George Claire, and their daughter, Franny. When George secures a teaching position in art history at a college, the family relocates to an expansive farmhouse in upstate New York. Struggling with her battle against bulimia, Catherine feels increasingly isolated in their new surroundings.

It’s there that she discovers an old Bible containing a detailed family tree of the previous owners, the Smits, with several names ominously tagged as “Damned.” Haunted by the feeling that a spirit resides in the house, she sees peculiar lights guiding her to a vintage ring that she decides to wear. Franny, sensing unusual presences, experiences visions of a female spirit and asks to sleep with her parents for comfort.

To ease the household demands, Catherine hires brothers Eddie and Cole Vayle as handyman and babysitter, inadvertently allowing Justine Sokolov, a colleague of George, into her life. Meanwhile, George begins a flirtation with Eddie’s cousin, Willis.

During a visit from Floyd DeBeers, the head of the art history department, he recognizes a spirit’s presence but reassures Catherine of its benign nature, suggesting they hold a séance. At a party they host, shocking revelations about the farmhouse emerge—specifically that the previous inhabitants met a tragic end in a murder-suicide and that Catherine’s antique ring is tied to their mother, Ella.

Tensions rise when Catherine confronts George with the unsettling history of the house. When George leaves for a trip to see his parents, Catherine and Floyd conduct a séance that brings Ella’s ghost into their midst. The situation escalates as Floyd warns Catherine of another, potentially dangerous spiritual presence in the house just as she uncovers George’s infidelity with Willis.

On a school outing, Justine overhears troubling conversations casting doubt on George’s qualifications for his teaching role. Further betrayal comes to light when Catherine learns that the artwork George had claimed as his own was the work of his deceased cousin, eroding her trust. In retaliation, Catherine starts an affair with Eddie, spiraling her into deeper conflicts.

Things take a dark turn when George, desperate to cover up the escalating chaos, murders Catherine in cold blood, presenting it as a sudden tragedy when Cole comes by to babysit Franny. Although the police suspect foul play in George’s demeanor, they lack sufficient evidence to arrest him.

As Catherine’s spirit joins forces with Ella’s, they awaken Justine, compelling her to reveal the horrific truth of George’s actions to the authorities. Trying to escape arrest, George embarks on a frantic flight on his cousin’s boat, but as a fierce storm rises, his vessel meets a fiery demise—mirroring a foreboding painting that had been projected in his class. The cross depicted in the artwork is notably inverted, suggesting George’s ultimate damnation for his heinous deeds.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for Things Heard & Seen

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Things Heard & Seen starring Amanda Seyfried | Official Trailer | Netflix

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


ghosthusband wife relationshiphaunted houseseancehusband murders his wifeseeing a ghostred barnreference to the iran hostage crisisreference to jimmy carteraxef wordwet clothesold photographsmall town collegecollege professorcheating husbandmarital problemimpostorname callingbased on novelhousemarriagesinisterdarknesshomecoupleampersand in titlemanhattan new york citymasturbating in a showercaught masturbatingwife walks in on husband masturbatingyear 1980year 1979yard workpondlittle girlredheaded boyreference to emanuel swedenborgreference to george innesssmoking marijuanachopping woodsmall townsmall town lifereference to adidasjoggerhorse stablewildflowerpokiesreference to louis armstrongplaying piano

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