We Might As Well Be Dead 2023

In a tranquil sanctuary surrounded by a lush, fenced forest, the inhabitants of a high-rise residential building enjoy a harmonious existence, filled with joyful communal celebrations and shared experiences. Among them is Anna Wilczyńska, a Polish woman who acts as the community’s gatekeeper, broadcasting important announcements and weather updates through the public address system.

However, the peace of this idyllic setting shatters when Gerti’s cherished dog goes mysteriously missing. The disappearance sets off a chain reaction of events that threatens to unravel their utopia. Anna’s teenage daughter, Iris Anna Wilczyńska, begins to believe that her ill fortune has summoned a malevolent presence, attributing the missing dog to the cursed Evil Eye. In her desperation, Iris locks herself in the bathroom, convinced that her seclusion will protect others from any misfortune that might befall them. This self-imposed isolation only deepens her fears, as she is plagued by night terrors and further withdraws from the world around her.

Amidst Anna’s efforts to calm her daughter and monitor a suspicious couple, she inadvertently becomes the target of paranoia, misidentified as a burglar and voyeur, thereby igniting fear throughout the complex. Meanwhile, despite Gerti’s claims of discovering another dead animal that he insists is his missing dog, anxiety permeates the community, replacing their usual tranquility with suspicion and distrust.

As tensions rise, some residents start doubting Anna’s ability to maintain their safety, spurred by Gerti’s incessant rumors that the true culprit may be lurking among them. This culminates in the establishment of a neighborhood watch, which prescribes a new vetting process for all residents, a development that fills Anna with trepidation.

In a frantic attempt to regain control, Anna devises a plan to frame Wolfram Mantel, an aspiring poet who peddles his work in the elevator during the day. When this deceit is uncovered, he becomes the scapegoat, ultimately forced out of the building by the vigilant residents. However, Anna’s fleeting sense of safety is again compromised, as the scrutiny of all residents continues.

The climax arrives when a fierce argument between Anna and Iris escalates into a loud altercation, resulting in their eviction from the complex. As they exit, they meet the Richards family, a familiar presence from earlier in their lives, once denied entry into the sanctuary, setting the scene for unforeseen developments in their intertwined fates.