How About You ... 2008
Directed by
Anthony Byrne
Made by
Strand Releasing
How About You ... Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for How About You ... (2008). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Ellie Harris travels to her sister Kate’s residential home, Woodlane, in search of a job. She quickly befriends a resident named Alice and begins spending more time with her, which makes it harder for her to keep up with her duties. Kate grows frustrated as Ellie neglects parts of her responsibilities, and the two clash over Ellie’s growing closeness to the residents. After several talks with Alice, Ellie decides to try to ease her pain by taking her down to the river and giving her marijuana, a choice she makes against the nurse’s orders. The very next day, Ellie learns that Alice has died, casting a shadow over the holiday season and testing Ellie’s resolve.
Kate receives news that their mother has had a stroke and decides to be with her, leaving Ellie to stay behind with the four residents who remain at Woodlane over Christmas. Ellie is asked to keep the group company because she and their mother do not get along, and the four residents—Georgia Platts, a former actress and singer; Heather and Hazel Nightingale, sisters who moved in after years of caring for their mother; and Donald Vanston, a recovering alcoholic who loves playing piano and used to be a judge—are a lively, sometimes meddlesome bunch. They embody a crowd that feels entitled to their routines because they pay to live there, often challenging Ellie’s authority and testing the boundaries of decency and care.
As the days unfold, Ellie learns more about each resident’s past and personality. Donald requests his breakfast in his room at 6:00 a.m. instead of the dining room at 8:00, and when his order is wrong, Ellie insists that he can have breakfast in the dining room like everyone else. He shares that the music he plays at night is his late wife’s favorite song, and he opens up about regretting not sobering up before she died, revealing a tender, vulnerable side beneath his prickly exterior.
The quiet rhythms of life at Woodlane are complicated by secrecy and longing. Heather demands that Ellie hand over any letters addressed to her sister to spare Hazel distress, but Kate never told Ellie about this arrangement. A letter arrives for Hazel, and when Ellie delivers it to Hazel, she discovers sketches and paintings that reveal Hazel’s true artistic talent. Hazel’s sister, Heather, is revealed to have been writing under Hazel’s name to shield Hazel from a painful past, including Hazel’s son Simon, whom she was forced to give up for adoption and who has been trying to find her. When Heather confesses her deception, Hazel forgives her, and the two resolve to meet Simon together in the new year, strengthening their bond.
Georgia keeps Ellie busy with martini requests and frequent trips to the local pub to entertain patrons. She confides that after her husband’s death she tried to return to the theatre, but the world had changed, and she ended up at Woodlane because she hates being alone. She candidly admits that “abusing everyone is part of the fun,” a line that underscores her performative bravado and the unsteady line between charm and manipulation.
A festive spirit takes root as Ellie arranges a Christmas dinner for the residents. They venture out to buy decorations and food, with Hazel expressing her fear of going outside the property, and Georgia proudly displaying Hazel’s paintings. Back at Woodlane, Heather demonstrates her pool skills, and the group returns to the home singing carols. The dinner brings them closer, and a sense of family begins to replace the earlier friction.
The next day, Mr. Evans from the Department of Health arrives, shocked to learn that Kate left the residents alone. The residents collectively insist that they want to stay and that they are a family. Donald even asks to stay for dinner, and Mr. Evans leaves, only to return later, admitting that he was upset because his wife left him and deciding to stay for the meal.
When Kate returns, she finds that the household has shifted into a new routine: Heather tends a garden, Hazel paints outside, and Donald and Georgia hand out tea to a group of boys raking the lawn. Ellie reveals that she intends to leave Woodlane to spend time with their mother, choosing to step back from the day-to-day responsibilities for a while. In the closing moments, Donald and Georgia are seen dancing outside, singing “How About You?”—a hopeful, lingering note that the residents have found a way to care for one another amid their eccentricities and shared history.
How About You ... Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of How About You ... (2008) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Ellie arrives at Woodlane
Ellie Harris travels to the Woodlane residential home to seek employment as a carer. She meets residents and begins to settle into her new role. Her first interactions set the tone for a challenging but hopeful placement.
Ellie befriends Alice and starts neglecting duties
Ellie quickly befriends Alice, one of the residents, and starts spending more time talking with her. The friendship leads Ellie to neglect parts of her job and ignore some of the residents' expectations. Kate, Ellie's sister, grows annoyed as Ellie's focus shifts away from her formal responsibilities.
Ellie takes Alice to the river against orders
Against orders, Ellie takes Alice to the river to ease her pain and gives her marijuana. The action is a serious breach of care protocol and places both women at risk. The moment foreshadows the fragility of the care being provided.
Alice dies the following day
The next day, Alice dies, leaving Ellie shaken and wondering about the consequences of her choices. The death exposes the consequences of bending rules, and questions about Ellie’s judgment begin to surface. Kate's trust in Ellie may be shaken.
Kate learns of mother's stroke and Ellie stays with four residents
Kate receives news that their mother has had a stroke and decides to go to her side. She asks Ellie to remain at Woodlane to cover the four long-term residents over the Christmas period. Ellie agrees, setting up a Christmas-focused dynamic with the ensemble.
Donald requests breakfast in his room; Ellie asserts dining-room routine
Donald Vanston requests breakfast in his room at 6 o'clock rather than the dining room. Ellie confronts him and insists that meals be eaten with everyone in the dining room at the usual time of 8. The disagreement highlights the friction between a resident’s habits and the care home's routines.
Donald shares about his late wife and sobriety
Donald reveals that the nightly music is his late wife's favorite song, and that he regrets not sobering up before she died. He expresses loneliness and a longing for better memories. The moment deepens Ellie's understanding of the residents’ histories.
Heather blocks Hazel's letters and Hazel's art is revealed
Heather demands that any letters addressed to her sister be kept from Hazel to avoid upsetting her. Ellie receives a letter for Hazel from the postman and discovers sketches and paintings in Hazel's room, revealing that Hazel is a talented artist. Hazel confronts Ellie in a tense moment that foreshadows further secrets.
Hazel's art and Heather's deception revealed
Hazel's talent as an artist is confirmed through the paintings and sketches Ellie finds. Heather reveals that she has been writing as Hazel to locate her son Simon, who she was forced to give up for adoption. Hazel and Heather decide to meet Simon together in the new year, choosing to face the past as a family.
Georgia's backstory and return to theatre
Georgia Platts talks about her late husband and how she returned to theatre after his death. She admits that life changed since she was young and that returning to Woodlane is a way to avoid being alone. She jokes that abusing everyone is 'part of the fun,' highlighting her brassy, provocative nature.
Ellie plans a Christmas dinner and art display
Ellie plans a Christmas dinner with all four residents, and they venture out to buy decorations and food. They visit the pub for a drink and the group shares Hazel's paintings on the wall. The night reinforces budding camaraderie as the residents prepare to celebrate together.
Carols, dinner, and growing rapport
Back at Woodlane, Heather demonstrates a talent at playing pool as the group sings carols on the way home. The residents share a warm dinner together, and their earlier tensions begin to ease as they enjoy each other’s company. Ellie begins to see a potential for lasting camaraderie among the residents.
Health inspector visit and the residents' bond solidifies
The next day Mr. Evans from the Department of Health arrives and is shocked that Kate would leave residents unattended. The residents insist they are a family and want to stay together, challenging the system. Donald invites Evans to stay for dinner, and he relents after hearing about the residents' bond.
Ellie decides to leave Woodlane to be with their mother
After witnessing the evolving dynamics, Ellie tells Kate that she plans to leave Woodlane to spend time with their mother. Meanwhile, Heather continues gardening, Hazel paints outside, and Donald and Georgia hand out tea to boys raking the lawn. The residents’ independence has grown, even as Ellie’s own path diverges.
Closing moment: dancing and singing
In a final scene, Donald and Georgia are seen dancing outside Woodlane, singing How About You?. The holiday atmosphere reinforces the newfound camaraderie among the residents and Ellie. The film closes on a note of warmth and acceptance within the unlikely family.
How About You ... Characters
Explore all characters from How About You ... (2008). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Ellie Harris
Ellie is a hopeful, well-meaning caregiver who arrives at Woodlane seeking a fresh start. She struggles at first with the residents’ independence and the rules, but quickly forms a bond with Alice. Her willingness to bend rules for compassion shows both her strength and its consequences. By the end, she grows in balancing duty with empathy and decides to spend time with her family after the holiday.
Kate Harris
Kate is Ellie’s sister, protective and practical. She arranges for Ellie to stay with the residents during the Christmas period while she tends to their mother. She is concerned with safety and protocol but supports Ellie’s desire to connect with the residents. Her conflicting duties highlight the responsibilities of family and professional care.
Alice
Alice is a resident who forms a close bond with Ellie. Her pain and fragility drive Ellie to act with urgency, even if it means bending orders. The river trip and relief she seeks underscore the vulnerability of residents. Her subsequent death becomes a pivotal moment for Ellie’s understanding of consequence and care.
Donald Vanston
Donald is a recovering alcoholic and former judge who fills his nights with piano and sharp routines. He insists on a 6am breakfast in his room and resists perceived slights, revealing a crusty exterior. He shares memories of his late wife and the song he plays for her, hinting at regret and unspoken grief beneath his composure.
Heather Nightingale
Heather is one of the Nightingale sisters who masks her insecurity behind a strong, controlling demeanor. She uses deception to shield Hazel, posing as Hazel when communicating with their past to protect her sister. Her fear of losing Hazel drives a quiet, protective, and ultimately reconciliatory path.
Hazel Nightingale
Hazel is the other Nightingale sister, a talented artist who prefers to be left undisturbed. She is wary of stepping outside but possesses a rich inner world expressed through paintings. Her bond with Heather and her hidden history with her son Simon adds depth to the sisters’ dynamic and highlights resilience through art.
Georgia Platts
Georgia is a former actress and singer who embodies living in the moment. She seeks attention and social connection, often entertaining the residents and visiting the pub. After her husband’s death, she returns to a form of performance, finding solace in companionship and the sense that ‘part of the fun’ is reclaiming life together at Woodlane.
Simon
Simon is Hazel’s son, whom she had to give up for adoption. He represents a missing piece of Hazel’s past and becomes the object of Heather’s clandestine efforts to connect him back to Hazel. His planned reunion with Hazel anchors the emotional arc around memory and reconciliation.
Mr. Evans
Mr. Evans is a Department of Health inspector who visits Woodlane to assess how the home operates. He is initially shocked by residents staying over Christmas and the casual family atmosphere, but he gradually engages with the residents during the Christmas dinner, revealing the tension between regulation and genuine care.
How About You ... Settings
Learn where and when How About You ... (2008) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Location
Woodlane Residential Home
Woodlane is a residential home for elderly residents where the story unfolds. The facility becomes a close-knit environment shaped by staff interactions, routine care, and the residents’ strong personalities. The Christmas period brings decorations, shared meals, and a sense of family formed within these walls.
How About You ... Themes
Discover the main themes in How About You ... (2008). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
🎄
Holiday Spirit
The Christmas setting acts as a catalyst for connection among residents and staff. Festive moments reveal vulnerability, generosity, and the desire to belong. Through carols, decorations, and a shared meal, characters bridge gaps and soften long-held tensions.
🤝
Family & Community
The film emphasizes chosen family within Woodlane: Ellie and the residents form a makeshift, supportive kinship. The bonds forged across generations help characters heal old wounds and rethink boundaries. Even distant relatives reappear through acts of care and solidarity.
⚖️
Duty vs Compassion
Ellie faces the pull between professional duties and genuine empathy. Her choices—to bend rules for a resident and to stay with the group—highlight the tension between policy and personal conscience. The narrative explores how compassion can both help and complicate caregiving.
🎨
Art & Memory
Art and music reveal inner lives and forgotten histories. Hazel’s paintings and Georgia’s theatre past surface as powerful memories that keep residents connected to who they were. These expressions help others understand pain, longing, and resilience.
How About You ... Spoiler-Free Summary
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In the festive bustle of a small English town, Ellie Harris arrives at Woodlane, a residential home owned by her sister Kate, hoping for a fresh start and a chance to prove herself. The house, perched amid twinkling lights and holiday decorations, serves as a sanctuary for a handful of colorful retirees whose lives have settled into comfortable, if occasionally mischievous, routines. From the moment Ellie steps through the doors, the atmosphere hums with a blend of gentle comedy and heartfelt warmth, setting the stage for a Christmas season unlike any other.
The residents of Woodlane each bring their own brand of charm to the communal table. Georgia Platts, a former actress and singer, still carries the sparkle of the stage, sprinkling the halls with witty banter and an appetite for martinis. The inseparable sisters Heather and Hazel Nightingale share a quiet bond, their lives interwoven with memories of caring for their mother and a quiet artistic talent that hints at deeper layers. Meanwhile, Donald Vanston, a retired judge with a penchant for piano keys, exudes a gruff exterior that softens when he speaks of music and bygone love.
Ellie’s own personality—bright, impulsive, and driven by a deep desire to connect—collides with the residents’ well‑established habits, creating moments of gentle friction and unexpected camaraderie. As the holiday lights glow brighter, the home becomes a micro‑cosm where humor, nostalgia, and the occasional clash of wills mingle, inviting both staff and residents to rediscover the joy of companionship. The film balances witty dialogue with a tender, almost nostalgic tone, promising a story where the ordinary rhythms of a care home become the backdrop for a delightful, heart‑warming celebration of life and love during the most magical time of the year.
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