Gang of Four 1989

Four women share a suburban estate and pursue acting classes

Four women—Anna, Claude, Joyce, and Cécile—live together on a small estate outside Paris and attend acting classes in the city. The dynamic is intimate and insular, with the group building their days around class schedules and the guidance of their demanding instructor. The setup establishes the claustrophobic world that will drive many conflicts later in the story.

Cécile moves out; Lucia arrives to replace her

Cécile leaves the estate to be with her boyfriend, prompting Lucia to move in as a new resident. Her departure raises eyebrows and concern among the others, but life at the estate and in the acting classes continues as before. The shift tightens the group’s internal loyalties and tensions.

Constance runs a cult-like acting school in a derelict theater

Constance leads a small, restrictive acting program that demands total devotion and pays little heed to conventional livelihoods. The class atmosphere is cultish, with members living Bohemian lives while remaining isolated from the outside world. Rehearsals focus on scenes rather than full plays, under Constance’s relentless, often destructive criticism.

An enigmatic man starts appearing and stirring trouble

Joyce first encounters a peculiar man who provides his number, and Anna later meets him at an art gallery. He claims to be a former business partner of Cécile's boyfriend and hints at their involvement in fraudulent activity. His vague assertions and uncanny knowledge of the women's routines unsettle the group as the mystery surrounding him deepens.

The key falls from Anna's chimney; Lucia seizes it

Thomas explains that a key fell down Anna's chimney one night and was secretly taken by Lucia. The object is framed as a potential damning piece of evidence, implying a larger conspiracy that could target a judge. The question of the key’s whereabouts becomes a central thread pulling characters toward danger.

Anna and Joyce test Thomas in a lounge meet-up

Anna and Joyce arrange a meeting with Thomas at a lounge to test the veracity of his claims and gauge his true motives. He begins to spin a story about a terror plot and an arsenal in the estate, but the women play along to observe him and avoid a direct confrontation. He escapes the scene before anyone can challenge him visibly.

Thomas reveals his true identity and purpose

Thomas discloses that he is a policeman investigating Cécile's boyfriend and that the key could unlock damning evidence about a judge. He argues that cooperation could help secure the boyfriend’s release, sowing doubt and mistrust among the women. He then remains at the estate for several days, escalating tension.

Claude’s romance, manipulation, and the hunt for the key

Claude's unrequited love complicates her life, while Thomas pretends to be an illicit art dealer to get closer to her. He has sex with Claude in an attempt to locate the key, blurring lines between manipulation and desire and deepening the group’s fragility.

Cécile’s boyfriend is arrested, then goes on the run

A news broadcast reveals that Cécile's boyfriend has been arrested on murder charges, though the case may be politically motivated. He later escapes custody, turning the already volatile situation inside the estate on its head and further fraying the group’s loyalties.

Constance’s fate looms as the theater’s future darkens

Even as Cécile continues to attend class, her performance quality suffers and rumors swirl about Constance’s possible complicity in criminal activities. It is implied that Constance is arrested by plainclothes officers, leading to the theater’s disbandment and a collapse of the structure that sustained the group.

The key remains hidden; Lucia’s deception continues

Lucia maintains that she tossed the key into the Seine, but Thomas suspects the key is still somewhere in the house. The uncertainty about the key’s location heightens paranoia and drives the group to scrutinize one another more intensely.

Five days pass; a struggle culminates in the key’s exposure

After five days of Thomas living in the estate, Lucia attempts to poison him. He outsmarts her by refusing the drink and, in the ensuing struggle, the key either falls from Lucia or is otherwise revealed, bringing the pursuit of the key to a crucial moment.

A childlike mock trial exposes bottled-up tensions

Anna, Claude, Joyce, and Lucia stage an infantile mock trial for Cécile's boyfriend, a performative umbrage that mimics sensational courtroom drama. The exercise underscores their reliance on performance to process trauma and their hunger for validation, even as it exposes their fragility.

The group reunites at Constance's theater to rehearse

The former students reconvene at Constance’s theater to rehearse a play, marking the first time they have collaborated in years. Despite their talent, they struggle to complete even a single scene, and they confront the lingering absence of Constance’s relentless critique that held their performances together.