Choose Me 1984
Directed by
Alan Rudolph
Made by
Island Alive
Choose Me Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Choose Me (1984). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Mickey, Keith Carradine, a man released from a mental hospital where his stories are dismissed as lies, returns to Los Angeles in search of someone named Eve. He finds himself drawn to a bar titled Eve, now owned by a former call girl also named Eve, who bought the place after the previous owner killed herself “over some guy.” The new Eve is wary of commitment, convinced she has ruined too many marriages to ever settle down with one man. That very night, she rebuffs Mickey’s advance and gives in to a different kind of intimacy with a bartender, all while carefully avoiding Zack, the wealthy married lover who keeps surfacing in her life.
Dr. Nancy Love, Geneviève Bujold, a French radio talk show host famed for dispensing relationship advice, appears as a contrasting voice of reason and romance. She answers Eve’s ad for a roommate and soon moves into Eve’s house, keeping her own identity hidden while quietly guiding Eve through the airwaves. On the bar’s periphery, Zack’s wife Pearl, Rae Dawn Chong, begins to haunt the place, hoping to trap him in the act of infidelity.
Mickey returns the next night because a bus fare home to Las Vegas is beyond his reach. Pearl proposes a shortcut to money by slipping him into a high-stakes card game, and the gamble pays off, inflaming Zack’s temper as he loses big and confronts Mickey. Zack warns him off, then heads to Eve’s side, only to be sent away as Eve declares the affair over. The tension between pursuit and retreat intensifies as Mickey, exhausted and hopeful, crashes at Pearl’s apartment and starts to photograph her as she sleeps. When Zack bursts in, he attacks Mickey, pulls a gun, retrieves the evening’s winnings, and slaps Pearl, wrongly assuming a sexual tryst has occurred.
That night, Mickey calls Eve’s house, and Nancy answers, inviting him to crash there. Inside, Nancy lets him in, he bathes and eats, and his suitcase of memorabilia—proof of the tales he has told—draws her into curiosity. The two share a night together, and he at last asks Nancy to marry him and accompany him to Las Vegas. Nancy, however, urges him to leave only as she heads off to work. Eve, meanwhile, tunes into Nancy’s show to listen, torn between her growing attraction to Mickey and the dread of repeating past mistakes. Nancy’s post-coital exhilaration pushes her to urge Eve to surrender to her feelings.
When Mickey shows up at Eve’s bar seeking entry into her life, Eve seems ready to open the door, but Zack appears and again assaults Mickey. Eve slips away, retreating to her own home, where Nancy confronts her with the truth behind Mickey’s stories and travels. A provocative proposal emerges: could they “share” Mickey’s affections? Devastated, Eve tells Nancy that she can have him, then hurriedly runs out.
Mickey pursues Eve to reclaim his suitcase, only to be ambushed again by Zack. In a brutal scramble, Mickey prevails, recovering the money and the suitcase, and he hurries toward a ride to the bus station. A rooftop encounter atop Eve’s bar changes everything: Eve stands with a gun and threatens to shoot herself unless Mickey does the same. He agrees to pretend to pull the trigger, but in truth he has begun carrying a loaded gun after the previous confrontation with Zack. The moment becomes a fragile vow rather than a final act of violence.
With emotions laid bare, Mickey and Eve decide to leave their old lives behind and board a bus toward Las Vegas as a couple. A fellow passenger asks if they are headed toward gambling, and Eve answers with a quiet certainty that they are, in fact, about to be married.
In the end, the film tracks a delicate journey through memory, deception, longing, and fear, where two people navigate a labyrinth of intimate entanglements with a shared desire for stability and a future they can call their own. The story unfolds at the edge of truth, where stories may be as much a shield as a bridge, and where love presses against the boundaries of trust and risk.
Choose Me Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Choose Me (1984) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Mickey leaves the mental hospital for Los Angeles
Mickey is released from a mental hospital where his stories are dismissed as lies. He travels to Los Angeles in search of Eve, hoping to reconnect with her despite the disbelief surrounding his past. The move sets the stage for a fragile pursuit of truth and affection. His departure marks the first step in the network of relationships that unfolds.
Mickey arrives at Eve Bar and meets the new owner Eve
Mickey arrives at a bar named Eve, only to discover the new owner is Eve herself, a former call girl. The bar becomes the focal point for his pursuit of her. Eve's guarded demeanor hints at a complicated past and a wary heart.
Eve rejects Mickey and has a one-night encounter elsewhere
That same night, Eve rebuffs Mickey's advances and has sex with a bartender while continuing to avoid her married lover Zack. The encounter underscores Eve's reluctance to commit and her entangled romantic life. Zack's presence remains a looming threat that colors every choice.
Nancy Love moves in and begins counseling Eve
Dr. Nancy Love, a French radio talk-show host, dispenses relationship advice and answers Eve's roommate ad from behind a concealed identity. She moves into Eve's house and begins counseling Eve through her radio show. The arrangement adds secrecy and manipulation to the evolving relationships.
Pearl starts haunting the bar
Pearl, Zack's wife, begins haunting the Eve bar, hoping to catch Zack with Eve. Her vigilance foreshadows the jealousy and danger that will thread through the plot. The presence of Pearl increases the stakes for all players at the bar.
Mickey returns for money; Pearl arranges a big card game
The next night, Mickey returns because he cannot afford a bus ticket home. Pearl talks with him and suggests a high-stakes card game that could win him enough money. Her mentorship pulls him deeper into a web of risk and intrigue.
Mickey kisses Pearl; Pearl gives Eve's contact
Mickey kisses Pearl and asks her to marry him. Pearl calls him crazy but hands over Eve's address and phone number, setting up their later encounter. The gesture ties Eve more closely to Pearl and the larger confrontation to come.
Mickey wins the card game; Zack confronts and Eve ends the affair
At the game, Mickey wins big, provoking Zack's anger. Zack warns Mickey not to return, then goes to meet Eve. Eve, disillusioned, tells Zack that their affair is over and sends him away.
Mickey crashes at Pearl's; Zack attacks; Mickey escapes
Mickey crashes at Pearl's apartment to sleep, and begins taking pictures as she sleeps. Zack arrives, brandishes a gun, and forces the money back, slapping Pearl in the process as Mickey flees. The tension between all parties escalates into violence.
Mickey seeks Eve; Nancy hosts him and they connect
Mickey calls Eve's house, and Nancy answers, inviting him to crash at the house. He baths and eats, then discovers memorabilia proving his stories. They sleep together, and he asks Nancy to marry him and accompany him to Las Vegas, but Nancy tells him to leave before she goes to work.
Eve considers her feelings; calls Nancy's show
Eve calls into Nancy's radio show, torn between attraction to Mickey and fear of repeating a mistake. Nancy promotes an impulsive surrender, nudging Eve toward giving in to her feelings. The exchange heightens Eve's conflict and commitment risk.
Zack confronts Mickey; Nancy proposes sharing Mickey; Eve agrees
When Mickey goes to the bar seeking Eve, Zack appears and assaults him again. Eve flees, and back at Eve's home Nancy confronts her, proposing that they should 'share' Mickey's affections. Devastated, Eve tells Nancy she can have him before rushing out.
Mickey returns to recover his belongings; Zack attacks; Mickey prevails
Mickey returns to Eve's house to retrieve his suitcase. Zack finds him and assaults him once more, but Mickey prevails and recovers the money and the suitcase. The bout intensifies their entanglements as they push toward a decisive moment.
Rooftop standoff and confession of loaded gun
On the bar's roof, Eve threatens to kill herself unless Mickey does the same; they both pull guns and vow to die if the other doesn't comply. They break down and embrace in a cry-filled moment. Eve reveals her gun is not loaded while Mickey initially claims his is empty, though he has begun carrying a loaded gun since the previous fight.
Mickey and Eve depart for Las Vegas as a couple
Mickey and Eve take a bus together toward Las Vegas, stepping into a future as a couple. A fellow passenger asks if they are gambling, and Eve reveals that they are about to get married. The journey marks a fragile but hopeful turning point toward a shared life.
Choose Me Characters
Explore all characters from Choose Me (1984). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Mickey (Keith Carradine)
An ex-patient whose implausible stories blur reality, Mickey is a restless wanderer who uses poetry, photography, and a soldier past to frame his world. Fresh out of a mental hospital, he travels to Los Angeles to find Eve, drawn by longing and a need to reshape his past. He is both charming and volatile, capable of tenderness and insistence that reality align with his tales. His mounting determination drives the romance and conflict through the film.
Eve (Geneviève Bujold)
Former call girl turned bar owner, Eve bought the Eve Bar after the previous owner killed herself 'over some guy.' She keeps relationships at arm's length, refusing to commit to any one man because she fears wrecking more marriages. She embodies independence and guarded sensuality, navigating romance and business with cool nerves. Her choices set off a chain of confrontations and vulnerability that drive others' actions.
Zack Antoine (Patrick Bauchau)
Wealthy, married, and unfaithful, Zack is volatile and confrontational; he pursues his affair with Eve while using money and status to intimidate others. He lashes out when challenged, assaulting Mickey and trying to control the situation at the bar. His actions expose the fragility of fragile loyalties in a world of luxury and secrecy. His obsession with Eve escalates the conflict driving the plot.
Pearl Antoine (Rae Dawn Chong)
Zack's wife, Pearl glides through the bar's nights with a keen sense of social dynamics. She haunts the bar, luring secrets from the players and later helps Mickey in a high-stakes card game to recover money. Street-smart and provocative, she uses her position to navigate the shadows of love, money, and power.
Dr. Nancy Love
French radio talk show host who dispenses relationship advice on-air while struggling to sustain a stable relationship herself. She conceals her identity when moving into Eve's house and becomes a confidant for Eve's decisions. She engages in sexual relations with Mickey and later proposes a shared pursuit of his affections, complicating the love triangle with calculated manipulation.
Choose Me Settings
Learn where and when Choose Me (1984) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Location
Los Angeles, Eve Bar
Set primarily in Los Angeles, the film centers around the Eve Bar, a nightspot that becomes a magnet for romance and intrigue. The Eve Bar sits at the heart of the city’s nightlife, hosting whispered conversations, deals, and the clash of desire. The city’s neon glow and shadowy interiors create an atmosphere of glamour and danger as characters chase love, truth, and deception.
Choose Me Themes
Discover the main themes in Choose Me (1984). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Love Triangle
Love drives the core conflict as Mickey, Eve, and Nancy navigate their desires and boundaries. The film shows how attraction can blur truth, drawing people into a tangled web of promises and betrayals. The love triangle exposes vulnerabilities, insecurities, and the fear of repeating past mistakes. Each character negotiates control and sacrifice in pursuit of affection.
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Identity
Characters perform identities as stories become their currency. Mickey's tall tales blur lines between truth and fiction, while Eve's guarded past shapes her choices. Nancy navigates dual lives as radio host and confidant, manipulating the truth to influence others. The film suggests identity is fluid, and reality is often edited to fit desire.
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Power
Control toggles among lovers, friends, and rivals as each tries to steer outcomes. Zack uses wealth to exert pressure, while Nancy uses information to shape Eve's decisions. Mickey asserts his own agency with a dangerous new resolve, suggesting control can become possession. The climax reveals how the desire for control collides with vulnerability and trust, forcing a choice about shared life.
Choose Me Spoiler-Free Summary
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In the restless hours after the city’s lights dim, a modest bar called Eve becomes a quiet sanctuary for those who feel most alive after dark. The neon glow and the low murmur of late‑night conversations give the place an intimate, almost conspiratorial atmosphere, where strangers drift together and the ordinary is tinged with a hint of mystery. It is a world that feels both familiar and slightly off‑kilter, a backdrop that encourages confession and conceals longing beneath the hum of cheap whiskey and dimmed bulbs.
Mickey arrives fresh from a mental hospital, his mind a collage of stories that others have dismissed as fabrications. He wanders the streets of Los Angeles seeking a woman named Eve, and the bar’s name pulls him in like a magnet. Restless yet hopeful, his presence adds a fragile edge to the nocturnal rhythm, hinting at deeper questions of identity and trust that he carries like a suitcase of memories.
Eve herself is the bar’s proprietor, a former call girl who bought the establishment after a tragedy scarred its former owner. Though she runs the nightly haven with a practiced ease, she is haunted by a series of broken romances and a lingering skepticism that love might always slip through her fingers. Her guarded demeanor masks a yearning for connection, and the bar becomes both her shield and her possible bridge to something steadier.
Dr. Nancy Love is a French‑accented radio talk‑show host whose relationship advice reaches listeners far beyond the studio. When she answers an ad for a roommate and moves into Eve’s house, she brings a voice of reason, romance, and quiet observation to the night‑owl trio. Her calm, almost clinical curiosity about the people around her offers a counterpoint to the bar’s raw emotional undercurrents, suggesting that even the most cynical hearts might find a moment of honesty under the spell of twilight.
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