What Is All The Days Before Tomorrow About?
The premise of All The Days Before Tomorrow in 314 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the quiet hours of a Los Angeles night, a sudden phone call shatters the stillness for Wes, a man whose routine has been quietly shaped by a long‑standing friendship. On the other end is Alison, a figure from his past who is about to depart for Tokyo, and the two agree to share one final evening together. Their plan is not a romance rekindled but a gentle return to the intimacy that has always defined their bond, setting the tone for a night that feels both ordinary and extraordinary.
The film unfolds through a tapestry of moments that drift between the present, fragmented memories, and a stark, monochrome dreamscape. In the waking world, the city’s soft glow and the occasional snowfall create a backdrop that feels both intimate and expansive. Interspersed with these scenes are flashbacks that hint at sun‑bleached deserts, distant hotel curtains, and other shared experiences, suggesting that time in this story is less a line and more a layered texture. A guardian‑like presence appears in the dream sequences, offering quiet, metaphysical commentary that nudges Wes to contemplate the nature of longing and connection without ever dictating a clear answer.
Moodily poetic, the film balances warmth and melancholy, using muted color palettes and lingering close‑ups to emphasize the quiet ache of moments slipping away. The interactions between the two protagonists are marked by an unspoken understanding that steadies the narrative, while the ethereal advisor provides a faint, otherworldly counterpoint that elevates their personal reflections into something more universal. The result is a meditative portrait of friendship that feels both rooted in everyday reality and brushed with a subtle, dream‑like sheen.
Through its careful blend of present‑day quietude, nostalgic vignettes, and contemplative dream logic, the story invites viewers to sit with the paradox of holding on and letting go, suggesting that some connections persist beyond the strict limits of time and place.
What Happens in All The Days Before Tomorrow?
The complete story of All The Days Before Tomorrow, from the first scene to the last, in 1,149 words (about 5 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 8 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
The film follows Wes on a non-linear journey through four settings: the present day, a dreamworld belonging to Wes’s mind, and two memory-filled chapters that illuminate the deep, purely platonic bond with Alison. Crafted in a memoir-like frame, the movie refuses a straight timeline and instead dissolves time into a series of textured vignettes. Across these scenes, the film invites you into a quiet ache—the sense that time has slipped away but the core connection remains stubbornly intact. You feel how Alison is navigating loneliness and distance as she pursues a life with her partner in Tokyo, while Wes holds on to the strongest memories they shared. In one opening image, Alison watches the gleam of light on window drapes, a mirroring echo of hotel curtains from a Utah-desert road trip she once took with Wes, signaling that memory and present moment are inseparably braided from the very start.
Interwoven with the present and the memories are monochrome dream sequences. In these visions, a third ethereal figure—an apparent guardian angel or physician—appears to guide Wes. The conversations that unfold with this figure push him to confront questions about meaning, time, and the peculiar, cosmic ties that seem to bind his life to Alison’s. The dream world is stark and luminous, a counterpoint to the warmth and gravity of the human scenes, and it helps to frame Wes’s longing as something larger than the everyday. The presence of this guardian-like adviser becomes a steady through-line, casting the film’s questions about existence, memory, and connection in a slightly otherworldly light.
The present-day narrative begins with a winter phone call that changes the stakes. Alison, Alexandra Holden herself, reaches out to Wes, almost midnight in a world that feels cold and unspoken between them. She is about to leave Los Angeles to join her boyfriend, Kai, in Tokyo. The two decide to spend the night together at Wes’s apartment, not to rekindle romance, but to re-anchor the deep, long-standing bond they share. What follows is a night of intimate, non-sexual closeness: long conversations about their lives, quiet moments like painting each other’s fingernails, a trip to the store for watermelon, and finally sharing a bed as friends who know each other’s cores all too well. It’s a sequence of honesty and vulnerability that refuses to pretend a romance is possible, yet refuses to sever what they’ve built together.
The film then drifts into memories of the summers that shaped their connection. A couple of summers before, when Kai was away at a conference, Wes and Alison found a natural ease together—the kind of ease born from long friendship and mutual trust. They remember dancing at a bar, sharing laughter, and cruising along a road trip through the Utah desert, a time of quiet beauty and uncomplicated joy. In those memories, they stay in separate hotel beds, the intimacy of companionship more significant than any romance. Alison, in these recollections, expresses a sincere happiness and a wish to keep their relationship as it has become, even as she reiterates her commitment to Kai back home. She phones Kai to reaffirm their love, which complicates Wes’s feelings and tests the boundaries of what their bond means. The emotional pivot comes as they share a drunken moment during a game of strip poker; a kiss happens, brief and charged, followed by sudden guilt on both sides. The moment dissolves before it can become more than it is, and the next morning Alison makes a choice to return home alone, signaling the limits of their close, non-romantic connection.
Throughout these layered timelines, the film continuously returns to the tension between memory and present life. The dream sequences, always in stark monochrome, offer Wes a language to understand his own longing and the nature of the bonds that persist beyond conventional time. The guardian-figure conversations serve as a metaphysical mirror, helping him recognize that some relationships survive not by rewriting reality, but by persevering in memory and shared experience. In these moments, the film suggests that to hold onto a cherished connection is not to possess it, but to allow it to nourish the person who remains.
Among the film’s many scenes there is a Christmas party that feels almost out of sync with the rest of the timelines. This single, atypical moment stands apart from the present-day and the memory-driven sequences, and it punctuates the film with a note of ambiguity. The tone and placement of this scene hint at a larger mosaic of people and moments that have shaped Wes and Alison, even when they seem to be dancing along a path that belongs to their own fragile, timeless bond.
As the story moves toward its close, the memories, the dream logic, and the waking life begin to converge in a gentle, hopeful alignment. The recollection of good moments re-fires a sense of closeness between Wes and Alison, and the film leans into the idea that their connection has endured because it exists on a plane where time does not strictly matter. The current morning in Los Angeles arrives with a soft snowfall, an improbable luxury that delays flights and grants them a rare extension of time together. In that suspended moment, Alison wakes to a city dusted with snow, and the two of them find that they can linger just a little longer in the warmth of their shared history and the fragile possibility of what lies ahead.
Character notes and performances ground the film in a human reality. Wes, played by Joey Kern, navigates the tension between memory and life as it unfolds around him, while Alison, brought to life by Alexandra Holden, embodies a blend of happiness, restraint, and the quiet fear of losing what has become essential. The world’s texture—whether through the light of a Utah-desert road trip, the quiet intimacy of late-night talks, or the stark presence of dream sequences with a mentor-like figure—adds depth to their story without sensationalizing or simplifying it. The supporting figures—El Doctor as a perceptive guardian in the dream world, Hidetoshi Imura as the Tokyo Chef, Yutaka Takeuchi as Kai, Luis Chávez as the Supermarket Cashier, Darcy Halsey as the Christmas Party Woman, and Montré Burton as the Christmas Party Man—thread through the narrative with restraint, ensuring the focus stays on the central relationship and its memory-anchored journey.
Ultimately, the film presents a nuanced portrait of friendship that borders on the metaphysical. It asks how much of life is defined by the present tense and how much by the echoes of what we have shared with someone else. By weaving together present-day Los Angeles, Utah-desert road-trip memories, and ethereal dream sequences, it crafts a mosaic in which time is flexible but longing remains steadfast. The result is a long, absorbing meditation on connection, memory, and the quiet power of staying connected to a person who has shaped your life in ways that never truly fade.
All The Days Before Tomorrow Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Opening image and braided time” to “Final resonance: time is flexible, connection remains”. 10 events name a place, across 8 locations.
- 1
Opening image and braided time
Alison watches the gleam of light on the window drapes, a mirror of a past Utah road-trip moment that signals memory and present are braided from the very start. The film uses this opening image to suggest that time will unfold as a mosaic of scenes rather than a straight line. The sense of longing and connection established here threads through all the subsequent vignettes.
- 2
Winter phone call anchors present-day
Alison calls Wes late at night, almost midnight, in present-day Los Angeles. They decide to spend the night together not to rekindle romance but to re-anchor the deep, long-standing bond they share. Their time together includes long conversations, painting each other’s fingernails, a trip to the store for watermelon, and finally sharing a bed as close friends who know each other's cores.
When:Night (almost midnight) Where:Wes's apartment, Los Angeles
- 3
Night of intimate non-romantic closeness
The night deepens with honest conversations about their lives, fears, and quiet longing. They reveal vulnerabilities and boundaries, acknowledging the impossibility of romance while honoring the strength of their connection. The tenderness of their closeness becomes a central throughline in the present-day timeline.
When:Night Where:Wes's apartment
- 4
Summer memory: Utah road trip and bar dance
In a summer memory, away from Kai's conference, Wes and Alison share a natural ease—dancing at a bar, cruising a Utah desert road, and sleeping in separate hotel beds. The memories show a friendship that feels like found family, not a romance, even as the bond deepens. Alison phones Kai to reaffirm love, painting the line between devotion and desire.
When:Summer (prior) Where:Utah desert road trip
- 5
Phone call to Kai and reaffirmation of love
A memory moment shows Alison phoning Kai to reaffirm their love, a gesture that complicates Wes's feelings and highlights the boundaries of their bond. The act underscores the tension between memory and present commitments. It marks a pivotal point in how their relationship is navigated within the memory narrative.
When:Summer (prior) Where:Utah memory setting
- 6
Drunken strip poker moment and kiss
During the summer memory, a drunken moment during a strip poker game leads to a brief kiss, charged with possibility and immediate mutual guilt. They let it dissolve before it becomes romance, recognizing the limits of their bond in the face of Kai's presence. The next morning, Alison chooses to return home alone, signaling the boundaries that keep their relationship non-romantic.
When:Night (summer) Where:Hotel room during memory
- 7
Guardian figure enters dream world
Monochrome dream sequences bring a guardian-like figure into Wes's psyche, a guide who helps him navigate questions about meaning, time, and the cosmic ties to Alison. The dream world feels stark and luminous, contrasting with the warmth of waking moments. This through-line adds a metaphysical layer to Wes's longing.
Where:Dream world
- 8
Guardian figure conversations deepen questions
The guardian interactions in the dream world push Wes to reflect on existence and how memory sustains connection beyond present life. The conversations serve as a mirror for his own fears and hopes, making time feel elastic. The guardian's presence frames the narrative as a meditation on memory rather than a strictly linear plot.
Where:Dream world
- 9
Christmas party scene amid the mosaic
A Christmas party scene interrupts the otherwise steady rhythm, introducing ambiguity and a broader circle of people who have shaped Wes and Alison. The moment feels out of sync with the other timelines, yet it adds texture to the mosaic of their shared history. It hints at the many small moments that form a lasting bond.
When:Christmas season Where:Christmas party setting
- 10
Convergence of timelines toward waking life
As the film moves toward convergence, memory and dream timelines begin to align with waking life. The recollected good moments rekindle a sense of closeness between Wes and Alison, suggesting their connection endures across time. The film leans toward a hopeful, uncertain future rather than a neat resolution.
When:Morning Where:Los Angeles
Show the other 3 events of All The Days Before Tomorrow Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Snowy morning extension of time
The present-day morning in Los Angeles arrives with snowfall, delaying flights and granting them a rare extension of time together. They linger in the warmth of their shared history, choosing to savor the possibility of what lies ahead rather than rush into change. The scene reinforces time as malleable and connection as stubbornly enduring.
When:Morning (snow) Where:Los Angeles
- 12
Enduring bond beyond possession
The film closes by underscoring that their friendship persists as something metaphysical: not possession, but nourishment through memory. Wes grapples with the idea that some bonds survive because they help the person remain intact. The final mood is quiet and hopeful.
- 13
Final resonance: time is flexible, connection remains
Throughout, the dream and memory sequences illuminate meaning, time, and the cosmic ties between lives. The story resists a single timeline, instead celebrating the layered texture of reminiscence and present-day life. The ultimate message is that connection can endure beyond conventional time.
Who Are the Main Characters in All The Days Before Tomorrow?
8 characters, among them Wes (Joey Kern), Alison (Alexandra Holden) and El Doctor (Richard Roundtree): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- W(
Wes (Joey Kern)
Played by Joey Kern
Wes navigates the tension between memory and the present, seeking continuity in a bond that resists a conventional romance. He relies on quiet conversations, shared silence, and recollections of road trips to anchor his identity. A guardian-like figure in Wes’s dream world frames his search for meaning and time.
- 🧠 Memory
- 🌀 Longing
- 👫 Friendship
-
Alison (Alexandra Holden)
Played by Alexandra Holden
Alison faces loneliness as she prepares to join Kai in Tokyo, while preserving a deeply rooted platonic bond with Wes. She balances commitment to her partner with a desire to hold onto a lasting connection. The memory fragments reveal her happiness in companionship without romance and her fear of its loss.
- 🤝 Friendship
- 💔 Distance
- 🧭 Time
-
El Doctor (Richard Roundtree)
Played by Richard Roundtree
El Doctor appears as a perceptive guardian in the monochrome dream world, guiding Wes toward questions of meaning, time, and what binds people together. He acts as a mentor who reframes events as part of a larger, metaphysical journey. His presence anchors the film’s exploration of existence beyond ordinary life.
- 🧭 Dream guide
- 🧠 Mentor
- 🌌 Guardian
- K(
Kai (Yutaka Takeuchi)
Played by Yutaka Takeuchi
Kai is Alison’s partner in Tokyo, representing the life Alison is aspiring toward. His distance underscores the tension between closeness and commitment, testing the endurance of Wes and Alison’s bond. He anchors the present life against the pull of memory.
- 🤝 Partner
- 💔 Distance
- 🗼 City
- TC
Tokyo Chef (Hidetoshi Imura)
Played by Hidetoshi Imura
The Tokyo Chef appears in dream or memory sequences as a guiding figure, refracting Wes’s search for meaning through a calm, precise presence. He contributes to the film’s spare, luminous tone and its contemplative mood.
- 🧭 Dream figure
- 🧠 Mentor
- SC
Supermarket Cashier (Luis Chávez)
Played by Luis Chávez
The Cashier appears in everyday-life memory moments, anchoring the sense that ordinary interactions sustain connection. He helps to ground the memory fragments in tangible, shared experiences.
- 🛒 Everyday life
- 🧭 Memory
- CP
Christmas Party Woman (Darcy Halsey)
Played by Darcy Halsey
A Christmas party sequence adds an ambiguous note to the mosaic of moments that shape Wes and Alison. The scene contributes to the film’s sense of time as layered and memory-driven.
- 🎄 Party scene
- 🌀 Memory
- CP
Christmas Party Man (Montré Burton)
Played by Montré Burton
Another figure from the Christmas party sequence, his presence deepens the mosaic of shared moments across timelines. He helps to build the film’s contemplative atmosphere.
- 🎄 Party scene
- 🌀 Memory
Where and When Is All The Days Before Tomorrow Set?
All The Days Before Tomorrow is set in Los Angeles, Utah desert, Tokyo and Wes's dream world (Present day). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Present day
The film uses a non-linear mosaic of vignettes rather than a single timeline. It moves between contemporary Los Angeles, a Utah road trip, and monochrome dream sequences that refract memory and meaning. Winters, summers, and a final snowy morning braid the moments together, suggesting time's persistence beyond clocks. The result is a sense of time that lingers as connection endures.
Where
Los Angeles, Utah desert, Tokyo, Wes's dream world
In present-day Los Angeles, a winter night phone call anchors the story in real life. The film recalls a Utah desert road trip, captured in warm, memory-infused sequences. Tokyo appears as Alison plans to join her partner, Kai, and distance becomes a central tension. A stark monochrome dream world serves as Wes's otherworldly refuge, contrasting with the warmth of the human scenes.
- 🏙️ City
- 🏜️ Desert
- 🗼 Tokyo
- 🌙 Dream world
What Are the Themes of All The Days Before Tomorrow?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Memory, Connection and Time & Distance.
-
01
Memory
Memory is treated as a living texture that informs present feelings and choices. The film stitches together past summers, road trips, and late-night talks into a non-linear tapestry. Wes and Alison's memories anchor their bond even as life diverges. Dream sequences reframe memory as a lens that shapes reality rather than merely recalling it.
-
02
Connection
Even without romance, the film centers on a deep, enduring bond that sustains both characters. Through long conversations, shared silences, and small gestures, their link persists across distance. Alison’s move to Tokyo and Wes’s longing test the boundaries of what it means to stay connected. Memory and present moments exist to support this connection.
-
03
Time & Distance
Time unfolds non-linearly, not as a straight sequence but as a mosaic of moments. Geographic and emotional distance test the bond while revealing its resilience. Winter imagery, including a snowy Los Angeles morning, slows the moment and delays the future. The film argues that true connection can outlive clocks and calendars.
What Kind of Film Is All The Days Before Tomorrow?
Bittersweet in tone, with slow pacing and a complex story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Slow
- Story
- Complex
- Intensity
- Low
- Ending
- Happy
A quiet, contemplative film that drifts through memories and dreams to explore the bittersweet ache of a deep connection that transcends time and romance.
- melancholic
- dreamlike
- introspective
- nostalgic
- gentle
- aching
- platonic friendship
- memory
- long-distance relationships
- non-linear narrative
Quiz
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