What Is Nothing About?
The premise of Nothing in 317 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a cramped, dimly lit apartment tucked away in an anonymous city, two longtime friends navigate the ordinary pressures of modern adulthood. Andrew is a travel‑agent who has never felt comfortable beyond his front door, his agoraphobia turning the world outside into a distant, intimidating blur. Across the thin wall, Dave endures the grind of an office job that seems to crush his spirit, his days marked by petty humiliations and a yearning for something beyond the monotonous routine. Their bond, forged over countless evenings of shared meals and sardonic jokes, is both a refuge and a source of gentle friction, each trying to compensate for the other’s shortcomings while masking their own insecurities.
One unremarkable morning, the familiar hum of the city fades away, leaving the duo staring at an impossible sight: the entire world beyond their building has dissolved into an endless, featureless white void. The void stretches in every direction, a silent, pristine expanse that seems to swallow sound and sense alike. The apartment remains, a solitary island of clutter and memory, now surrounded by an alien horizon that offers no landmarks, no direction, and no escape. The sudden shift transforms the familiar into the uncanny, turning their modest home into the last known point of reference in an otherwise blank universe.
The film settles into a tone that balances eerie surrealism with a dry, introspective humor, inviting viewers to contemplate the weight of personal anxieties when stripped of the usual distractions of everyday life. As the friends stare into the boundless whiteness, the story hints at a quiet contest of wills and perspectives, each character’s inner world pressing against the stark external emptiness. Their relationship, already layered with affection and rivalry, becomes the lens through which the audience experiences a meditation on fear, control, and the strange possibility that what once felt limiting might now be the very thing that holds them together.
What Happens in Nothing?
The complete story of Nothing, from the first scene to the last, in 681 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 2 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
A man named Dave (played by David Hewlett) is fired from his job after his girlfriend frames him for embezzlement. Meanwhile, his friend and housemate Andrew (played by Andrew Miller), an agoraphobic travel agent, is falsely accused of attempted child molestation, and the two find that their house is doomed to be demolished by the end of the day. With the threat of removal looming, they retreat indoors and wait as police, city officials, and outraged neighbors close in around them.
When they open the front door, they discover a surreal, world-without-a-world beyond their home: a vast white void stretches in every direction, utterly featureless and quiet. The surrounding emptiness sits on a flat, springy surface, and the two men set out to explore, leaving objects behind as a makeshift breadcrumb trail to guide a possible return. They trek across this unfamiliar plane, but after they exhaust the items they can leave behind, they lose track of their path and somehow wander back to the house.
Back inside, they confront a strange new reality: the house itself is running low on food. Andrew notices the room around him, and then, almost playfully, the clock on the wall vanishes. Soon after, the stack of overdue bills disappears as well. It becomes clear that the outside world and even ordinary objects have started to vanish because they are objects of their hate — the act of concentrating their hate on things makes those things disappear. In a surprising turn, Dave discovers that he can “hate away” his own hunger, effectively erasing his need for food.
Yet a deeper conflict brews as Dave questions why Andrew’s remaining phobias persist when nothing else seems to fear. Andrew finally reveals a painful past: years of abuse and torment by his parents. With Dave’s encouragement, Andrew works through those memories, recounting each traumatic event and then, with his hatred directed at the memories themselves, gradually dispels the fear that has ruled him. By the time he finishes, Andrew emerges more confident and less defined by his former fears, but the change unsettles their friendship and stirs tension between them.
The rift intensifies until they can no longer share the same space, and they settle the question of who gets the house with a competition: a match of their favorite fighting game. Dave loses and is banished to the empty void outside, accompanied only by his belongings. The atmosphere grows tense as Dave tries to reach out to Andrew, even performing the national anthem for his self-made nation, whose borders are drawn by the line of his possessions — but he finds no receptive audience.
Days pass, and Dave returns to Andrew’s dwelling, hopeful and heavier with anger he once carried toward his friend. To his surprise, Andrew has moved past his anger, having embraced the changes within himself. Yet Andrew shows no willingness to hate away Dave’s grievances, content with the present dynamics. The exchange escalates as Dave continues to push, attempting to erase Andrew’s possessions, and Andrew counters by erasing Dave’s belongings. The conflict spirals until everything, including the house, begins to vanish.
In a frantic push of emotion, Dave leaves, only to trip as his feet start to disappear; Andrew’s hatred is consuming them both. To defend himself, Andrew retaliates by removing Dave’s legs, and the struggle advances until only their disembodied heads remain. Refusing to surrender, the two interlock, bounce toward each other, and repeatedly headbutt in a desperate last stand. Exhausted and emotionally spent, they finally reconcile, choosing to rejoin as friends and resume their exploration of the white void. They reflect on how their bodies, once seen as barriers, may have been holding them back all along.
In the quiet aftermath, an older, still-disembodied version of Dave and Andrew drift to sleep. A sudden popping sound kicks off a loud clamor of voices and approaching noise that grows ever louder. The two heads awaken to the whoosh of activity drawing near, and with a final scream, the film leaves their fate unresolved but charged with a renewed sense of connection and possibility.
Nothing Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Dave is fired and framed; house under threat” to “Older heads awaken to approaching voices”. 13 events name a place, across 7 locations.
- 1
Dave is fired and framed; house under threat
Dave is fired from his job after his girlfriend frames him for embezzlement. At the same time, Andrew is falsely accused of attempted child molestation. With the house scheduled for demolition by the end of the day, the two men hide inside, as police, city officials, and outraged neighbors encircle the home.
Where:Dave and Andrew's house
- 2
The world vanishes into a white void
They step outside to find the outside world replaced by a featureless white void. The nothingness beneath is flat, featureless, and springy. They resolve to explore the new landscape together.
Where:Outside their house
- 3
First exploration and trail making
They begin to explore the empty plane, leaving objects behind to serve as a trail back. The white void offers no landmarks or guidance, testing their sense of direction. The act of scattering items marks their initial attempt to find a way back home.
Where:The white void
- 4
Trail runs dry; they lose their way and return home
Having run out of markers, they lose the trail and wander aimlessly, eventually returning to their house. The vast, blank plane makes it hard to retrace steps or judge distance. Back inside, a strange quiet settles over the home.
Where:Home inside the white void
- 5
Food shortage and the realization of hate's power
Back inside, Andrew realizes the house has no food left to eat. He glances around and sees the clock and overdue bills vanish as objects of hate, demonstrating that hatred can erase things from reality. They realize that hate directed at objects can erase both belongings and the world beyond.
Where:House
- 6
Dave erases his hunger through hate
Dave concentrates his hatred and, effectively, hates away his need for food. The surreal power of hate is demonstrated as hunger disappears, though the reason remains unsettling. His action foreshadows how other emotions might reshape their surroundings.
Where:House
- 7
Andrew reveals his past abuse; confronts his phobias
Andrew reveals that he was abused and tormented by his parents as a child. Dave urges him to confront the memories, and Andrew hates away the memories of each traumatic event. As the memories vanish, Andrew's phobias fade and he becomes more confident, altering their dynamic.
Where:House
- 8
Friendship under strain leads to a split over the house
Friction grows as Andrew's newfound confidence shifts the balance. They decide they can no longer share the house and agree to settle ownership with a match of their favorite fighting game. The loser is exiled to the nothingness with their possessions.
Where:House / nothingness
- 9
Dave loses the match and is exiled
Dave loses the fighting game and is exiled to the nothingness with his possessions. The parting marks the end of their shared life in the house, and Dave heads into the empty world alone.
Where:The white void
- 10
Reconciliation attempt and a gesture of peace
Days after the separation, Dave visits Andrew's house in a happier mood, hoping to mend their friendship after hating away his anger toward Andrew. He even performs the national anthem for his self-created nation as a gesture of goodwill. But Andrew remains distant, refusing to hate away his lingering anger toward Dave.
When:Days later Where:White void
Show the other 3 events of Nothing Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Escalation and the erasure of possessions
Despite Dave's attempts at reconciliation, their anger erupts again and they begin hating away each other's possessions. Andrew retaliates by erasing one of Dave's possessions, and the conflict spirals until nothing, not even the house, remains.
Where:White void
- 12
Destruction leaves only disembodied heads
In the final conflict, the two lose their bodies and are reduced to disembodied heads. They headbutt each other until exhaustion, then stop and decide to explore the nothingness anew as heads. The bond between them tests the limits of their connection but endures in a new form.
Where:White void
- 13
Older heads awaken to approaching voices
Later, older Dave and Andrew—still disembodied heads—are awakened by a popping sound, followed by a loud clamor of voices getting closer. As the noise grows, they scream in anticipation of what is to come.
When:Later Where:White void
Who Are the Main Characters in Nothing?
2 characters, among them Dave (David Hewlett) and Andrew (Andrew Miller): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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Dave (David Hewlett)
Played by David Hewlett
Dave is a practical, loyal friend who navigates the nothing with a stubborn optimism. He uses humor, persistence, and a willingness to endure scarcity to keep their bond afloat. His arc centers on balancing anger and care, and on finding resilience when the world they know dissolves around them.
- 🤝 Loyal
- 🧭 Pragmatic
- ⚡ Impulsive
- A(
Andrew (Andrew Miller)
Played by Andrew Miller
Andrew is an agoraphobic travel agent who is falsely accused and forced to hide in the house as the outside world vanishes. His journey involves confronting childhood trauma, shedding phobias, and redefining his sense of self and his relationship with Dave. His growth causes friction before a tentative reconciliation.
- 🧠 Introspective
- 🗝️ Traumatic past
- 🌀 Transforming
Where and When Is Nothing Set?
Nothing is set in Dave's house and The Nothing (white void outside). Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Dave's house, The Nothing (white void outside)
A cramped, ordinary house serves as the last bastion of civilization for Dave and Andrew as the world around them collapses. When the outside disappears, the house becomes a fragile island in a featureless white expanse known as the Nothing. The void is flat, springy, and quiet, occupied only by the two friends and their belongings.
- 🏠 Domestic setting
- 🌌 Surreal environment
What Are the Themes of Nothing?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Isolation, Anger and Conflict and Trauma and Memory.
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01
Isolation
Trapped in a shrinking world, Dave and Andrew must navigate not just the physical emptiness but the emotional distance that grows between them. The nothingness isolates them from society, forcing them to confront dependence, fear, and the fragility of their friendship. The setting strips away distractions, making every action a test of will and connection. Survival hinges on finding meaning within the void.
-
02
Anger and Conflict
Hate and frustration become catalysts that erase objects and even pieces of themselves, revealing how anger shapes reality. The two men use their grievances to justify harm, escalating from petty bickering to destructive confrontations. The void amplifies these emotions, turning their domestic space into a battleground. Only after a brutal clash do they face the consequences of their resentment and seek a fragile reconciliation.
-
03
Trauma and Memory
Andrew's confessed childhood abuse surfaces as a defining trauma that shapes his initial phobias and reactions. Through storytelling and the act of 'hating away' his memories, he discovers agency over his fears. Dave's persistence and empathy push Andrew toward transformation, while the cost is personal estrangement. Ultimately, confronting past wounds reframes their identities and test their friendship.
What Kind of Film Is Nothing?
Tense in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Ambiguous
A steadily intense and claustrophobic journey into a surreal void, where two friends confront their deepest traumas and hatred, leading to an abstract and emotionally charged conflict that dissolves their physical reality.
- claustrophobic
- surreal
- anxious
- absurdist
- melancholic
- intense
- friendship
- psychological trauma
- surreal reality
- existential crisis
Content notes: child abuse, psychological trauma, body horror.
Quiz
How well do you remember Nothing? Test yourself on the story.
