Five 2011

Comedy

Drama

Runtime

87 mins

Language

English

Directed by

Patty Jenkins

Made by

Echo Films

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Five Plot Summary

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Five is a groundbreaking anthology that stitches together five intimate short films to examine how breast cancer reshapes lives, relationships, and self-perception, blending humor and drama as characters chase strength, comfort, and breakthroughs on the path to a cure.

CHARLOTTE

On the night in July 1969 when man first walks on the moon, a young Pearl [Ava Acres] is more concerned about why her family won’t let her see her mother, Charlotte [Ginnifer Goodwin], who lies in her bedroom dying from breast cancer. This moment plants Pearl’s lifelong resolve to help others facing the disease, a calling that will echo through the other stories and lead her to open an oncology clinic that quietly threads through the film. The segment’s ensemble cast weaves in supporting faces like [Jeanne Tripplehorn], [Josh Holloway], [Annie Potts], [Jennifer Morrison], and [Bob Newhart], adding warmth, humor, and emotional resonance to the intimate battlefield of illness and love.

CHEYANNE

Directed by Penelope Spheeris, this chapter follows Cheyanne [Lyndsy Fonseca], a sexy young stripper who, with her newlywed husband Tommy [Taylor Kinney], tries to redefine who they are as individuals and as a couple when a breast cancer diagnosis challenges their world. The prognosis pushes them toward hard choices and shifts in identity, and the couple’s journey illustrates how illness can redraw lines around passion, independence, and partnership, all set against a backdrop of vivid personal stakes.

LILI

Directed by Alicia Keys, Lili [Rosario Dawson] is a fiercely independent, career-driven woman who turns to her sister [Tracee Ellis Ross] to help tell their hard-nosed mother [Jenifer Lewis] about a breast cancer diagnosis. As past hurts surface, the family learns to rebuild trust and lean on one another, discovering that kinship can be a powerful medicine in itself. The story also introduces a male perspective with [Jeffrey Tambor] portraying a patient navigating treatment, adding another layer to the shared experience of this disease.

MIA

Directed by Jennifer Aniston, Mia [Patricia Clarkson] is a survivor whose two-year odyssey from diagnosis unfolds with both poignancy and humor. She releases attachments to material possessions, stages a lively mock funeral while still alive, and then enters into a hopeful second marriage to Mitch [Tony Shalhoub], the new love of her life. The chapter shines a light on resilience, the tension between humor and sorrow, and the way friendships—embodied by Mia’s friend Rocky [Kathy Najimy]—help sustain a person through the darkest days.

PEARL

Directed by Patty Jenkins, Pearl [Jeanne Tripplehorn] grows from childhood into a renowned oncologist who unexpectedly finds herself in the patient’s chair when breast cancer strikes. Her journey illuminates the empathy she carries from her own parents’ experiences on that fateful night in 1969 and culminates in a heartfelt vow to tell her young daughter that everything will be okay. The segment widens its emotional net by drawing in a stellar lineup including Patricia Clarkson, Tony Shalhoub, Jeffrey Tambor, Bob Newhart, Rosario Dawson, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Jenifer Lewis, whose stories of care, courage, and community echo the film’s overarching message of hope, connection, and the enduring human spirit.

Five Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Five (2011) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Moon night sparks Pearl's mission

On the night in July 1969 when man first walks on the moon, Pearl sneaks in to see her mother Charlotte who lies dying from breast cancer. The moment stirs a deep ache and curiosity about suffering and care. That night seeds a lifelong commitment to helping others afflicted by the disease and sets Pearl on a path toward medical service.

July 1969 night Charlotte's bedroom, family home

Charlotte's battle and goodbye

Charlotte battles terminal breast cancer and remains in bed as her illness progresses. Pearl's longing to connect with her mother and to understand the disease grows, shaping her empathy for patients. The farewell scene marks a turning point in Pearl's view of illness and care.

Charlotte's bedroom

Pearl vows to help others with breast cancer

Witnessing her mother's suffering, Pearl pledges to make a difference for women facing breast cancer. She imagines a future where treatment, comfort, and hope are accessible. This vow quietly guides the arc of her life and the clinic she later builds.

Late 1960s Childhood home

Cheyanne receives a breast cancer diagnosis

Cheyanne, a sexy young stripper, is diagnosed with breast cancer, bringing fear and uncertainty into her newlywed life with Tommy. The story follows her struggle to redefine herself amid grim prognosis and societal expectations.

Cheyanne's treatment and mastectomy

Faced with a severe prognosis, Cheyanne undergoes aggressive treatment that results in the removal of both breasts. The procedure reshapes her identity, finances, and sense of self-worth. Her journey tests her relationship with Tommy and her resilience.

Lili learns her mother has breast cancer

Lili, a fiercely independent career woman, helps tell their hard-nosed mother that she has breast cancer. The moment forces the family to confront fear and reevaluate their bonds. Through the crisis, Lili and her sister become each other's strongest allies.

Family home

Family rally around the mother

Lili's mother and sister navigate past issues as they rally to support her through diagnosis and treatment. Jeffrey Tambor's male patient offers a different perspective on care. The family learns that love and teamwork can help weather the storm.

Mia's diagnosis and a two-year journey

Mia faces a breast cancer diagnosis and enters a challenging two-year journey filled with medical, emotional, and social upheaval. She experiences both hopeful and heartbreaking moments as she fights the disease. The arc shows the highs and lows of survivorship.

Mia's life pivots: possessions shed and a mock funeral

During her treatment, Mia gradually gives away her worldly possessions and even stages a mock funeral while still alive, a stark way to wrestle with mortality. The events reveal her evolving perspective on life, love, and legacy. Eventually she enters into a second marriage to Mitch, the new love of her life.

Pearl becomes an oncologist and treats others

In the overarching arc of Five, Pearl fulfills her childhood vow by becoming an oncologist who treats the women featured in the stories. She channels empathy, science, and humor to support patients through breast cancer's various stages.

Pearl, now a doctor, confronts her own diagnosis

Later, Pearl herself faces a breast cancer diagnosis and a personal test of strength. She learns to lean on resilience, medical breakthroughs, and the power of community as she fights for her own life.

Pearl tells her daughter everything will be OK

As she navigates treatment, Pearl finds the courage to tell her young daughter that everything will be OK. The message reflects the film's hopeful, intergenerational arc and ties back to Charlotte's night in 1969. It reinforces the idea that love and care can endure across generations.

Five Characters

Explore all characters from Five (2011). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Pearl (Ava Acres)

A young Pearl is confronted with her mother's illness and is inspired to help others with breast cancer. Her experiences later spark a lifelong mission to open an oncology clinic and support other women facing diagnosis.

🎗️ Cancer awareness 💪 Determined 🏥 Healer

Charlotte (Ginnifer Goodwin)

A loving mother whose battle with breast cancer shapes her daughter's sense of purpose. Her death in the Charlotte segment motivates Pearl to pursue care for others and catalyzes the later stories.

💖 Family 🩺 Illness 🕊️ Tragedy

Cheyanne (Lyndsy Fonseca)

A young stripper whose life and identity are tested by a breast cancer diagnosis. Her relationship with her husband Tommy endures as she faces an aggressive treatment and the possibility of losing what she defines herself by.

💃 Strip club 💪 Resilience ❤️ Relationships

Lili (Rosario Dawson)

A fiercely independent woman who enlists family support to tell her mother about cancer. The arc centers on mother-daughter bonds and the allies who stand by her during a difficult diagnosis.

👩‍👧 Family 🤝 Support 🧭 Growth

Mia (Patricia Clarkson)

A cancer survivor whose two-year journey includes giving away possessions, staging a mock funeral, and remarrying to Mitch, illustrating humor and hardship in survivorship.

🎗️ Survivor 💍 Relationships 😂 Humor

Mitch (Tony Shalhoub)

A supportive partner who becomes Mia's husband, offering companionship and steadiness through the emotional peaks and lows of treatment and recovery.

❤️ Supportive partner 💞 Love 👥 Companionship

Rocky (Kathy Najimy)

Mia's friend who shares in the journey, offering friendship and practical support as Mia navigates diagnosis and life changes.

🤝 Friendship 💪 Support 🧭 Guidance

Tommy (Taylor Kinney)

Cheyanne's husband whose relationship with Cheyanne is tested by cancer and changing identities.

💑 Marriage 💪 Resilience ❤️ Love

Pearl at age 7 (Ava Acres)

The young Pearl who witnesses her mother's illness and begins forming the compassionate impulse that leads to a future of helping others.

🧒 Childhood 🎀 Dreams 🎗️ Inspiration

Five Settings

Learn where and when Five (2011) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

1969; early 21st century

Charlotte's segment is set in 1969, on the night man first walks on the moon. The other stories unfold in more contemporary times, depicting modern cancer treatment, survivorship, and personal reinvention as the characters navigate diagnosis and healing.

Location

Charlotte's bedroom, family home, Oncology clinic, Strip club, Mia's home, Hospitals/medical centers

The film unfolds across a tapestry of settings: a family bedroom where a mother battles breast cancer, a future oncology clinic that Pearl builds, and scenes in a strip club and various homes or medical environments. It moves between intimate domestic spaces and clinical or public settings that reflect the different stages of diagnosis and care.

🎭 Drama 🏥 Medical 🏠 Family 🎗️ Cancer awareness

Five Themes

Discover the main themes in Five (2011). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

💫

Hope

Across the five stories, hope drives people to endure frightening diagnoses, seek support, and pursue brighter futures. The characters balance humor and sorrow while clinging to the possibility of breakthroughs and relief. The film uses intimate moments to show that hope can grow from resilience and community.

👪

Family

Family bonds shape how each character faces breast cancer, from mothers and daughters to partners and friends. The stories explore responsibility, sacrifice, and mutual care as illness reshapes relationships. These bonds provide the emotional throughline that ties each segment together.

🎗️

Survivorship

The film follows journeys from diagnosis to resilience, highlighting personal growth, community support, and the drive to find cures. It frames survivorship as a process that includes loss, adaptation, and renewed purpose. Through humor and honesty, Five portrays cancer as a catalyst for identity and life choices.

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Five Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Five (2011). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In an intimate, genre‑blending tapestry, Five weaves together five short films that explore how breast cancer ripples through everyday lives. Set against a backdrop that balances heartfelt humor with quiet drama, the anthology invites viewers into a world where medical realities intersect with personal milestones, family dynamics, and the search for resilience. Each segment shares a common thread—a focus on the emotional landscape of diagnosis—while offering distinct visual styles under the guidance of directors ranging from Demi Moore to Patty Jenkins.

The opening story follows a young girl named Pearl as she slips away from a summer night in July 1969, driven by the urgent need to see her mother, Charlotte, who lies in a bedroom confronting an advanced illness. Their brief, tender encounter seeds a lifelong devotion in Pearl to help others facing the same battle, a devotion that later shapes her role as the compassionate founder of an oncology clinic. The clinic becomes an unseen hub that subtly links the lives of the women whose journeys unfold throughout the film.

From there, the narrative expands to introduce Cheyanne, a vivacious performer whose marriage is tested by the sudden arrival of a diagnosis; Lili, a fiercely independent professional who must rally her sister and mother around a hidden health crisis; and Mia, a survivor whose two‑year odyssey brings humor, loss, and unexpected love into sharp relief. Finally, adult Pearl steps into the patient’s seat, confronting the very disease she once vowed to fight. Together, these characters navigate the shifting terrain of fear, hope, and identity, offering a mosaic of perspectives that underscore the universal quest for strength and understanding without revealing the specific outcomes of their individual stories.