Life’s an Itch 2012
Directed by
Kevin Alan Kent
Made by
Life’s an Itch Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Life’s an Itch (2012). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Roger, Rossi Morreale, a thirty-something father of two, stands at a crossroads where creativity, career, and love all feel up for renegotiation. In the seventh year of his marriage, his wife Jen Wright, Andrea Bogart, their two kids, and Roger’s mother-in-law head to Hawaii for a vacation, leaving him behind to steady the ship and chase a deadline: finishing the score for his big-break movie by week’s end. The day begins with a chaotic wake-up call from his kids, including Alex Wright, Dartanian Sloan, and Sedona, as Jen arranges something surprising—a birthday cake for their son Alex—before dropping the bomb that her old yoga teacher will stay in the guest cottage for a week.
Enter Gillian Gracin, Ali Cobrin, the yoga instructor who is anything but ordinary. Gillian arrives with a calm confidence and an easygoing openness that unsettles Roger from the start. She moves with a natural grace during her backyard yoga routine, and her nurturing, guru-like presence complicates Roger’s already fragile focus. Gillian’s allure is not just physical; it’s the combination of her free spirit and the sense that she’s inviting Roger to rethink what he truly wants, even as he tries to resist the pull.
The film unfolds over seven days, each one shaping the tension between two thrown-together lives. As the days pass, trust and shared experience between Roger and Gillian intensify, and the situation becomes a delicate balancing act between marital loyalty and personal longing. The neighborhood’s inquisitive heart—embodied by Ann Marie, who keeps crossing their path on walks with her little dog—adds a layer of social scrutiny that keeps Roger’s every move in check. Yet the humor and sensuality of Gillian’s chakra tutorial—one of the film’s more memorable moments—keep the mood buoyant even as the stakes rise.
With each passing day, Roger’s inner life begins to fray. He questions the viability of his marriage, the road to his artistic achievement, and the choices that brought him to this moment of vulnerability. By the seventh day, the strain has become almost unbearable, and the movie carefully tracks his attempt to hold on to what matters most while facing a personal truth he had long avoided. The night before his family returns, Gillian finds Roger in a deeply fragile state and responds in a way that feels inevitable but charged with consequence. The morning after arrives with a sudden jolt: the whole family returns a full 12 hours earlier than expected, only to stumble upon Roger asleep on the couch next to Gillian.
The film closes with a lingering question rather than a definitive answer: will Roger finish the music and salvage his marriage, or will the week’s unsettling revelations redefine his life forever? In its balance of comedy, candor, and quiet dramatic momentum, the story invites viewers to reflect on what it means to pursue art, love, and honesty when those worlds collide under the same roof.
Life’s an Itch Timeline
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Family departs to Hawaii; Roger stays behind to finish his score
Jen, their two kids and Roger's mother-in-law leave for a Hawaii vacation, leaving Roger to fend for himself and finish the big break movie score. The deadline looms as he stays behind amid an empty home and mounting pressure. He steels himself to work while anxious thoughts about life and marriage linger in the background.
Alex’s impromptu birthday moment
Jen arranges an impromptu birthday cake for Alex and the family gathers for a quick celebration. Roger forces a polite smile, privately battling nerves about his career and his distant marriage. The cheerful moment underscores the domestic strain pressing on him.
Gillian, Jen’s yoga teacher, arrives to stay
Gillian arrives to stay in the guest cottage for a week, bringing an open, alluring presence into Roger’s home. He is wary and unsettled, trying to keep his focus on work. The encounter plants the seed of a dangerous attraction that will complicate everything.
Gillian’s presence disrupts Roger’s focus
Roger can barely concentrate as Gillian practices yoga in the backyard and moves around the house with ease. Her natural magnetism and ease with her own body stir feelings he tries to suppress. The tension between his duty and desire begins to grow.
Yoga session intensifies the attraction
A backyard yoga session turns increasingly intimate as Roger’s attention wanders toward Gillian. He fights to maintain professionalism, but the line between teacher and temptress blurs. The scene marks a turning point in their evolving dynamic.
Chakra tutorial described as a sensuous high point
Gillian leads a chakra tutorial that the film calls one of the most sensuous scenes, framed with cinematic innuendo. Roger watches with a mix of fascination and guilt, drawn deeper into the moment. The encounter solidifies the problematic connection between them.
Ann Marie probes Roger during dog walks
Ann Marie, the neighborhood curiosity, questions Roger about his situation during walks with her dog. Her nosy commentary adds social pressure and makes Roger self-conscious about appearances. The public scrutiny heightens his sense that his life is unraveling.
Tension escalates; Roger’s life begins to fall apart
Over the days, Roger’s world seems to crack: his wife’s absence on vacation, his career deadline, and his growing fixation on Gillian collide. The trust with Jen erodes while his personal compass points toward a reckless choice. The domestic comedy shifts toward a brittle, uneasy drama.
Gillian recognizes Roger’s fragility and offers healing
On a evening when Roger is most exposed, Gillian senses his vulnerability and decides to heal him immediately. Their exchange deepens the emotional bond and leaves him at a crossroads about his life and marriage. The moment confirms that she intends to influence, not ignore, his pain.
The last night of the week; emotional peak
The final night sees Roger confronted with his deepest questions about love, duty, and desire. He is fragile and exposed, while Gillian maintains a patient, healing stance that may or may not lead to reconciliation. The scene leaves his future in doubt.
Family returns early; Roger sleeps on the couch with Gillian
The family returns 12 hours earlier than expected and catches Roger sleeping on the couch with Gillian. The surprise confrontation forces him to face the consequences of his actions. Jen’s reaction and the kids’ perspectives set the stage for whatever comes next.
Uncertain ending: will Roger finish the score and repair his life?
With the family back, Roger’s future remains unresolved as the film leaves open whether he can complete his music and repair his marriage. The question lingers about whether responsibility or desire will win in the end. The finale emphasizes choice and consequence more than a tidy closure.
Life’s an Itch Characters
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Roger Wright (Rossi Morreale)
A thirty-something father of two who is under pressure to finish his movie score while navigating a marriage in jeopardy during a Hawaiian family vacation. His flirtation with Gillian exposes his vulnerability and tests his commitments. Over seven days, Roger wrestles with desire, responsibility, and the meaning of his life.
Gillian Gracin (Ali Cobrin)
An enchanting, open-minded yoga instructor who arrives as a guest and becomes the focal point of Roger’s distraction. She embodies allure and nurturing energy, deliberately stirring a boundary-pushing dynamic. Her presence destabilizes Roger’s sense of loyalty and triggers a confrontation with his own desires.
Jen Wright (Andrea Bogart)
Roger’s wife, organizer of the Hawaii trip and mother to their two kids. She embodies warmth and practical support, but the arrangement with Gillian introduces tension and tests the couple’s trust. Her response to Roger’s predicament shapes the film’s emotional core.
Audrey Wright (Kathleen Quinlan)
Roger’s mother-in-law who joins the vacation. She represents the family matriarch’s presence and a voice of traditional expectations during a week of upheaval. Her observations add a layer of social scrutiny to Roger’s choices.
Alex Wright (Dartanian Sloan)
Roger’s 7-year-old son who wakes the household and puts pressure on the family dynamics. His presence is the catalyst for early-day chaos and a reminder of Roger’s responsibilities as a father. His innocence contrasts with the adult drama unfolding around him.
Life’s an Itch Settings
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Location
Hawaii
Life’s Itch unfolds on the Hawaiian islands during a family vacation. The vacation home and surrounding island provide a backdrop for Roger’s creative deadline and the intimate tension with Gillian. The setting juxtaposes sunny paradise with private turmoil, amplifying the stakes of Roger’s dilemma.
Life’s an Itch Themes
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Temptation
Gillian's arrival sparks a surge of desire in Roger, challenging his commitment and exposing cracks in his marriage. The Hawaiian setting loosens boundaries and blurs lines between curiosity and danger. The film uses humor and innuendo to heighten the sense of risk. By the end, Roger faces a choice between pursuit of excitement and responsibility.
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Marital Strain
With a deadline looming and family dynamics shifting, Roger's trust erodes. Jen's decision to host Gillian reveals a complicated partnership; The story shows how secrecy and temptation strain a seven-year marriage.
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Creative Pressure
Roger struggles to complete his big break movie score under a tight deadline while dealing with real-life drama. The pressure of deadlines magnifies his vulnerability and influences his decisions. The vacation setting intensifies the pull between art and life.
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Self-Discovery
Each day deepens Roger's self-doubt about life, love, and priorities. He confronts what he wants versus what he owes to his family. The seven-day arc culminates in a moment of vulnerability that forces him to reckon with his future.
Life’s an Itch Spoiler-Free Summary
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In a suburban home that feels both familiar and confining, a thirty‑something father of two finds himself at a crossroads. Roger is caught between the ordinary rhythm of daily parenting and a restless yearning for creative fulfillment, his career as a film composer looming over a looming deadline. The ordinary calm of his marriage to Jen begins to feel like a backdrop for a deeper, unsettled introspection, as he silently questions the choices that have defined his life for the past seven years.
The quiet is disrupted when Jen arranges for her longtime yoga instructor to stay in the guest cottage while the family jets off to a Hawaiian getaway. The instructor, Gillian, arrives with an unassuming charm that quickly proves to be anything but predictable. Her presence turns the backyard into an impromptu studio of stretched limbs and whispered philosophy, injecting a sensual, almost meditative energy into the house. As Roger tries to focus on his looming score, the sight of Gillian moving through poses becomes a constant, tantalizing distraction that threatens to unmoor his already shaky sense of self.
Around them, the neighborhood buzzes with its own quirks—a curious neighbor who walks her white dog and asks endless questions, a meddling mother‑in‑law, and the inevitable chaos of two energetic children, Alex and Sedona. The film balances witty humor with a warm, almost tactile atmosphere, inviting the audience to feel the subtle push‑pull between duty and desire, stability and spontaneity. As the week unfolds, the house becomes a microcosm where the ordinary collides with the extraordinary, leaving Roger to navigate a delicate dance between his responsibilities, his creative passions, and the unexpected allure of an open‑minded guest who seems to awaken more than just his curiosity.
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