What Is Darling About?
The premise of Darling in 254 words, with nothing given away. The full story and the ending follow below.
In a sprawling New York City home filled with creaking floors, shadowed hallways, and an air of faded grandeur, Babli—whom Madame calls “Darling”—begins a new chapter as the property’s caretaker. Madame’s departure leaves Babli with more than a job: an old house whose troubled reputation invites curiosity, plus a growing sense that the building holds memories better left undisturbed. The setting lends the story a hazy, storybook atmosphere, balancing domestic unease with the dry absurdity of a dark comedy.
Babli’s appetite for romance quickly turns her new surroundings into a source of confusion. Three eager men enter her orbit, each convinced that she shares his feelings and is ready to reciprocate. What begins as a search for connection becomes an intricate comedy of misplaced signals, mistaken attention, and conflicting expectations. Their eager advances create an awkward, increasingly chaotic dynamic, with Babli caught between desires she may not fully understand and attentions that seem designed to pull her in several directions at once.
As the romantic mix-up gathers momentum, the house’s strange atmosphere makes every coincidence feel charged. Strange noises, unsettling associations, and Babli’s own fragile state blur the line between a farce built on misunderstandings and something stranger taking shape beneath it. The humor remains rooted in social discomfort and characters seeing precisely what they want to see, while the mood grows increasingly tense. This collision of eager longing, domestic isolation, and psychological unease places Babli at the center of a peculiar world where affection, perception, and reality are all capable of misleading her.
What Happens in Darling?
The complete story of Darling, from the first scene to the last, in 327 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
The story unfolds over six distinct chapters centered around a woman named Darling, who is hired as the new caretaker of an aged New York City residence. Upon her arrival, her employer, Madame, issues a chilling warning: the previous caretaker committed suicide by jumping from the balcony. While exploring the home, Darling becomes obsessed with an inverted cross necklace found in a dresser and discovers a locked door at the end of a hallway, which Madame strictly forbids her from opening.
As Darling’s mental state begins to unravel, she experiences vivid hallucinatory visions and discovers a Latin proverb scrawled into a wooden panel on the balcony:
“Abyssus abyssum invocat”
This phrase, meaning “Deep calls to deep,” suggests a descent into madness or a cycle of hell. After meeting a man who returned her lost necklace, Darling invites him back to the house. During their conversation, the man mentions local rumors that the home was once used to conjure the devil. In a sudden burst of violence, Darling stabs the man to death, claiming she is avenging herself against a man named Henry Sullivan for something that happened “that night.”
The horror intensifies as Darling suffocates the man and hides his body in the tub. In a disturbing twist, the man’s identification card initially reads “Henry Sullivan,” but later changes to “James Abbott.” Meanwhile, Madame discovers that Darling’s professional reference, a Dr. Abbott, never actually employed her.
When Madame demands she leave, Darling asks if the locked room was indeed the site of the devil conjuring, ominously stating, “I think I’ll become one of your ghost stories now.” After breaking into the room and witnessing something horrific, Darling destroys her clothes and dons the cross necklace. As police officers arrive to investigate, Darling climbs to the roof and jumps, completing a tragic cycle. In a final post-credits scene, the cycle begins anew as Madame hires a new young caretaker, repeating the exact same warnings she gave to Darling.
Darling Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “Darling Becomes the New Caretaker” to “The Cycle Begins Again”. 15 events name a place, across 7 locations.
- 1
Darling Becomes the New Caretaker
Madame leaves Darling alone as the new caretaker of an old home in New York City. Before departing, Madame warns Darling that the previous caretaker threw herself off the balcony. This ominous warning sets a dark tone for Darling's stay in the troubled house.
Where:Old home, New York City
- 2
The Inverted Cross Necklace
While exploring the house, Darling discovers an inverted cross necklace hidden in a dresser drawer. She becomes deeply fascinated by the mysterious object, which appears to exert a strange and growing pull on her psyche.
Where:Old home, New York City
- 3
The Locked Door
Darling finds a locked door at the end of a hallway, a forbidden presence within the house. When she inquires about it, Madame forbids her from opening it during a phone call. The refusal only deepens the mystery surrounding the home.
Where:Old home, New York City
- 4
The Mysterious Stranger
While grocery shopping, Darling unknowingly drops the cross necklace on the street. A man returns it to her, and it is implied that she recognizes him from her past. This chance encounter becomes a pivotal turning point in her unraveling.
Where:City street, New York City
- 5
Following the Man
After experiencing a panic attack, Darling follows the man and discovers where he lives. Her stalking behavior is an early sign of her deteriorating mental state and the obsession taking hold of her.
Where:New York City
- 6
Hallucinations and the Latin Proverb
Darling begins experiencing disturbing hallucinatory visions. Noises in the home lead her out to the balcony, where she finds the Latin proverb 'Abyssus abyssum invocat' scrawled into a wood panel. It translates to 'Deep calls to deep,' or 'one misstep leads to another,' an ominous prophecy of her descent.
Where:Balcony of the old home
- 7
Drinks at THRILLS!!
Darling follows the man to a local lounge called THRILLS!!, where the two share drinks together. The encounter seems friendly, and Darling invites him back to her house. The invitation sets the stage for tragedy.
Where:THRILLS!! lounge
- 8
Tale of a Haunted House — and Murder
At the house, the man mentions that it is said to be haunted and rumored to be a place where someone once tried conjuring the devil. Mid-conversation, Darling suddenly stabs him to death, raving that she is taking revenge on a man named Henry Sullivan for what he did to her 'that night.'
Where:Old home, New York City
- 9
The Body in the Tub
Darling tapes a bag over the man's head and suffocates him, then places his body in the tub. That night she sleeps clutching the cross necklace to her chest, reciting 'Abyssus abyssum invocat.' She dreams of the dead man attacking her in her bed.
When:Night Where:Old home, New York City
- 10
The Identity Twist
Darling finds a card on the body identifying the man as Henry Sullivan. After sawing off his head and limbs and packing them into a bag, she checks the ID again — only to see that the name now reads James Abbott. The shifting identity blurs the line between her revenge and her madness.
Where:Old home, New York City
Show the other 5 events of Darling Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Madame's Ominous Phone Call
Madame calls after discovering that Darling's reference, Dr. Abbott, was never actually her employer. Darling calmly replies that the doctor says she's 'all right now,' prompting a worried Madame to implore her to leave the home. When Darling asks if the locked room was the site of the devil conjuring from local tales, Madame doesn't answer, and Darling chillingly declares, 'I think I'll become one of your ghost stories now.'
Where:Old home, New York City
- 12
Opening the Locked Door
Darling breaks down the locked door upstairs and is horrified by what she sees, though the contents of the room are never shown to the audience. Deeply shaken, she paces the hallway in a trance-like state, transformed by the revelation.
Where:Upstairs locked room, old home
- 13
A Grim Transformation
Darling cuts up all of her clothes and dons the inverted cross necklace. This ritualistic act marks her complete surrender to the darkness of the house and her total descent into madness.
Where:Old home, New York City
- 14
The Final Jump
A woman arrives at the house with two police officers, presumably having been alerted by Madame via telephone. Entering with a spare key, they discover the bag holding the body parts. Hearing them, Darling climbs up to the roof and jumps off, her visions now coming full circle as she mirrors the previous caretaker's death.
Where:Roof of the old home
- 15
The Cycle Begins Again
In the post-credits scene, Madame hires another young woman as the home's new caretaker. She recites the exact same lines she spoke to Darling upon their first meeting, including the warning about the previous caretaker. The sinister cycle is implied to repeat endlessly.
Where:Old home, New York City
Who Are the Main Characters in Darling?
3 characters, among them Darling, Madame and Henry Sullivan / James Abbott: who each one is and the part they play in the story.
- D
Darling
Darling is a complex character whose fragile mental state unravels throughout the film. She begins as an unsuspecting caretaker but quickly becomes consumed by the dark energy of her surroundings. Her obsessive nature leads her to react violently, reflecting a deep inner conflict and a desire for revenge against perceived betrayals. Throughout, she transforms from innocent to a tragic figure caught in a cycle of horror.
- 👩👧 Caretaker
- 🖤 Obsession
- ⚰️ Tragic
- M
Madame
Madame serves as the enigmatic employer with a hidden knowledge of the house's dark past. Her chilling warnings to Darling set the tone for the unfolding horror, positioning her as a gatekeeper of secrets. Her character embodies authority but also implies complicity in the cycle of violence, as she perpetuates the cycle by hiring new caretakers.
- 👵 Authority
- 🌀 Mystery
- 🏰 Caretaker
- HS
Henry Sullivan / James Abbott
A pivotal character whose role highlights the theme of identity and betrayal. His relationship with Darling quickly turns fatal, showcasing her descent into madness. The duality of his names serves to underscore the confusion and chaos that envelop Darling, emphasizing the fluidity of her reality and the weight of her actions.
- 👨⚕️ Victim
- ⚔️ Conflict
- 💔 Betrayal
Where and When Is Darling Set?
Darling is set in New York City. Here is why the place matters to the story.
When
The movie does not specify a particular historical period, focusing instead on a modern-day narrative that resonates with contemporary psychological themes. Its setting in a present-day New York City lends a relatable context to the unfolding horror, allowing audiences to engage with the protagonist's struggles in a recognizable environment.
Where
New York City
New York City is a bustling metropolis known for its iconic skyline and rich history. The aged residence where the story unfolds evokes a sense of mystery and the supernatural, contrasting the vibrant life of the city with the darkness lurking within its walls. As the setting for psychological horror, the home amplifies themes of obsession and madness.
- 🏙️ Cityscape
- 🏰 Historic
What Are the Themes of Darling?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Madness, Secret and Betrayal.
-
01
Madness
The theme of madness is central to Darling's journey, as her mental state deteriorates under the weight of the home's dark history and her own guilt. The descent into hallucinations reflects a struggle with identity and reality, highlighting how isolation and obsession can lead to tragic outcomes. This theme is exacerbated by supernatural suggestions and the unsettling history of the residence.
-
02
Secret
Secrets play a pivotal role in the narrative, driving Darling's obsession with the locked door and the hidden truths of the past. The mysterious warnings from Madame and the enigmatic history of the home create an atmosphere of tension and foreboding. This theme reveals how unspoken truths can haunt individuals and lead to destructive consequences.
-
03
Betrayal
Betrayal weaves through Darling's relationships, manifesting in her violent actions against the man she invites into her life. The revelation of her false professional reference represents a betrayal of trust that deepens her sense of isolation. The cycle of betrayal extends to the repeated hiring of new caretakers, indicating a perpetual pattern of destruction.
How Does Darling End?
The last act of Darling and what it means, in 262 words. The ending lands as bleak. Big spoilers: read the plot summary first if you have not seen it.
The final act, in full
In the climax of Darlings, Badru finds herself pushed to the edge after enduring relentless abuse from her husband, Hamza. When she ties him up in her house with the intent to harm him, her mother Shamshu and a few others arrive, witnessing her anger and desperation. As Hamza is tied up and pleading with her, Badru is torn between her urge for revenge and her moral dilemma. She considers killing him but ultimately decides not to go through with it. Instead, she helps him escape, loosening his noose and telling him to leave her alone forever. This moment is symbolic of her reclaiming her power and breaking free from the cycle of abuse that has haunted her. Tragedy strikes when Hamza is hit by a train after she releases him, cementing his death as an apparent suicide.
It is revealed that Shamshu had a history of violence herself, having killed her husband in self-defense due to his abusive behavior. She expresses relief that Badru did not go through with murder, as she fears guilt would have destroyed her. The film concludes with Badru finally free from her oppressive marriage, having taken control of her life and chosen a path of independence. While the story highlights the brutal reality of domestic abuse, it also underscores the importance of breaking the cycle and finding strength to move on. Ultimately, Darlings suggests that the real escape from abuse involves not just revenge, but gaining the courage to leave and start anew. The ending leaves viewers contemplating the possibilities of liberation and healing after trauma.
What Kind of Film Is Darling?
Dark in tone, with variable pacing and a complex story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Variable
- Story
- Complex
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A relentlessly ominous psychological horror that turns caretaker duties into a surreal descent into paranoia, murder, occult dread, and tragic repetition.
- ominous
- unsettling
- psychological
- surreal
- paranoic
- nightmarish
- psychological deterioration
- occult horror
- identity instability
- haunted house
Content notes: suicide, homicide, suffocation, body concealment, hallucinations, occult imagery.
Quiz
How well do you remember Darling? Test yourself on the story.
