Rumor Has It... 2005
Made by
Warner Bros. Pictures
Rumor Has It... Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Rumor Has It... (2005). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
In 1997, Sarah Huttinger, Jennifer Aniston, a writer for The New York Times who specializes in obituaries and wedding announcements, returns to her hometown of Pasadena, California, for her younger sister Annie’s wedding, accompanied by her fiancé, Jeff Daly. While sharing nerves about commitment with her grandmother, Katharine Richelieu Shirley MacLaine, Sarah reveals that she’s unsure about saying “I do.” Katharine lets slip a secret about her late daughter Jocelyn, Sarah’s mother, who reportedly ran off to Cabo San Lucas a week before her own wedding.
Sarah then visits Jocelyn’s best friend, Aunt Mitsy, who fills in more history: Jocelyn spent time with their prep school classmate Beau Burroughs Mark Ruffalo the week before her wedding to Sarah’s father Earl. Mitsy also notes that Beau was friends with Charles Webb, the author of The Graduate, adding a literary echo to the family story. Jeff reminds Sarah that her parents were married just short of nine months before her birth, which makes her wonder if Beau could be her biological father. The taint of doubt grows as she privately accuses Katharine of being the inspiration for Mrs. Robinson, the guarded seductress in The Graduate who helped texture her mother’s choices.
After the wedding, Sarah travels to San Francisco to confront Beau, who has become a wealthy Silicon Valley Internet visionary. Beau acknowledges sleeping with both Jocelyn and Katharine, but insists he could not be the father because he is sterile after a blunt testicular trauma suffered in a high school soccer accident. They share drinks, and the next morning Sarah awakens in Beau’s Half Moon Bay home—the third generation in her family to sleep with Beau.
Despite lingering guilt, Beau convinces Sarah to be his date at a charity ball, where she meets his son Blake. Beau explains that his wife had wanted a biological child and therefore used artificial insemination with a sperm donor. Mollified, Sarah kisses Beau, but is soon discovered by Jeff, who has traveled to California to find her after she disappeared. An argument erupts, and Jeff leaves for New York City.
Back in Pasadena, Katharine explodes with anger when she learns that Beau has slept with her granddaughter. The two women then learn Annie suffered an anxiety attack while flying to her honeymoon and wants to talk to Sarah. In a candid conversation, Sarah reveals the interwoven history of three generations of Richelieu/Huttinger women with Beau, and she reassures Annie that she is truly in love with her husband Scott, which helps her realize she is ready to marry Jeff.
A crucial layer of the family mystery is revealed: Earl, Sarah’s father, was the one who accidentally caused Beau’s injury years earlier. This news makes Beau wary around Earl, though Katharine takes pleasure in the revelation. Earl admits he always knew about Jocelyn and Beau’s affair; Jocelyn had returned to him because she loved him and wanted a life with him, and on the night she came back, Sarah was conceived. This timing helps to explain the close proximity of the wedding dates and Sarah’s own birth.
With clarity and a renewed sense of commitment, Sarah decides to win Jeff back. She returns to New York and lays her feelings bare, and the couple reconciles on the condition that, if they ever have a daughter, she will not be allowed anywhere near Beau. The story concludes with the wedding of Sarah and Jeff, closing a circle of family intrigue with a promise of possibility for the future.
Rumor Has It... Timeline
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Sarah returns to Pasadena for Annie's wedding
In 1997, Sarah Huttinger travels back to her hometown of Pasadena with her fiancé Jeff Daly for her younger sister Annie's wedding. She confides to her grandmother Katharine that she is uncertain about marriage, foreshadowing the emotional tensions to come. The family dynamics begin to surface as the ceremony approaches.
Katharine reveals Jocelyn ran off to Cabo San Lucas before her wedding
Katharine lets slip that Sarah's mother Jocelyn ran away to Cabo San Lucas a week before her own wedding to Earl. The revelation hints at a pattern of impulsive choices within the family and unsettles Sarah. The disclosure raises questions about Beau Burroughs and the past.
Aunt Mitsy confirms Jocelyn spent time with Beau Burroughs; mentions Charles Webb
Aunt Mitsy confirms Jocelyn spent the week before her wedding with Beau Burroughs. She notes that Beau was also friends with Charles Webb, the author of The Graduate, linking Beau to the wider literary world. Sarah starts piecing together Beau's role in her family's past.
Jeff notes the wedding timing of Sarah's parents
Jeff points out that Sarah's parents were married just under nine months before her birth, a clue that makes Sarah wonder if Beau could be her biological father. The idea unsettles her as she considers the possible paternity mystery. The timeline of past marriages becomes a recurring preoccupation.
Sarah accuses Katharine of being the inspiration for Mrs. Robinson
Sarah confronts her grandmother, arguing that Katharine was the inspiration for Mrs. Robinson, the older seductress from The Graduate who seduced a younger man. The accusation underscores the film's themes of family repetition and desire. Katharine's reaction reveals painful underlying tensions.
Sarah travels to San Francisco to meet Beau Burroughs
After the wedding, Sarah flies to San Francisco where Beau, now a wealthy Silicon Valley figure, is giving a speech. Beau admits to sleeping with her mother and grandmother. He also claims he cannot be her father because he is sterile from a high school injury. They share drinks and a charged, complicated encounter.
The morning after the meeting in Half Moon Bay
The night ends with Sarah spending the night at Beau's Half Moon Bay home. The next morning she feels guilt and reluctance, but Beau urges her to keep seeing him. This marks the third generation of the family involved with Beau.
Beau invites Sarah to a charity ball; reveals son Blake
Beau asks Sarah to be his date at a charity ball, and she meets his son Blake there. Beau explains that his wife wanted a biological child and was artificially inseminated with a donor. The revelation deepens Sarah's conflict about Beau and the family legacy.
Jeff returns to California and catches Sarah with Beau
Sarah kisses Beau at the event and is caught by Jeff, who has traveled from NYC to find her. An argument ensues and Jeff leaves for New York, leaving Sarah to face the consequences of her pact with Beau. The fallout pushes her to reevaluate her engagement to Jeff.
Sarah confides in Katharine and confronts the family fallout
Dejected, Sarah returns to Katharine, who reacts with anger over the Beau affair. Annie has already had an anxiety attack while flying to her honeymoon and wants to talk to Sarah. Sarah explains the intergenerational pattern, then reassures Annie that she truly loves Jeff.
Earl reveals he knew about the affair; Sarah's conception explained
Earl reveals he always knew about Jocelyn and Beau's affair. He explains that Jocelyn returned to him because she loved him, and that Sarah was conceived on the night she returned. This clarifies the unusual timing between Sarah's birth and the previous marriages.
Sarah goes to New York to win Jeff back; they reconcile and plan a future
Determined to salvage their relationship, Sarah returns to New York to tell Jeff how she feels. They reconcile on the condition that if they ever have a daughter, she will not be allowed anywhere near Beau. The story concludes with Sarah and Jeff's wedding.
Rumor Has It... Characters
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Sarah Huttinger (Jennifer Aniston)
A writer for obituaries and wedding announcements who returns to her hometown for her sister's wedding. She is introspective and conflicted about marriage, and she becomes entangled in Beau's past while seeking her own future with Jeff. Her journey blends romance with a search for family truth and personal commitment.
Beau Burroughs (Mark Ruffalo)
A wealthy Silicon Valley Internet wunderkind whose charm masks a history of affairs across generations. He admits sleeping with Jocelyn and Katharine and later connects with Sarah, making him a pivotal catalyst for the family drama. His sterility and past trauma influence his relationships and the way he navigates intimacy.
Katharine Richelieu (Shirley MacLaine)
Sarah's formidable grandmother, a matriarch with sharp opinions who is central to the family secrets. She becomes emotionally torn when she learns Beau has slept with her granddaughter. Her reactions reveal the weight of tradition and the complexity of love across generations.
Earl Huttinger (Kevin Costner)
Sarah's father, a man who quietly holds knowledge about the affair between Jocelyn and Beau. He reveals long-hidden truths and the events that shaped Sarah's conception. His role acts as a catalyst for revelations and the return to family harmony.
Rumor Has It... Settings
Learn where and when Rumor Has It... (2005) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
1997
Set in the late 1990s, during the early days of the dot-com era in California. The era shapes the wealth and social circles of the characters, especially in the Silicon Valley milieu. The timeline centers on a wedding season that exposes long-held family secrets and questions of paternity.
Location
Pasadena, California, Half Moon Bay, California, San Francisco Bay Area, California, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, New York, New York
The film unfolds across Pasadena, a wealthy California suburb with a strong sense of family tradition. It also moves through the San Francisco Bay Area and Half Moon Bay, reflecting a coastal, tech-influenced environment. Cabo San Lucas is shown as a backdrop to a past romance, while New York serves as the setting for key wedding and reconciliation moments.
Rumor Has It... Themes
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Family
The narrative centers on generations of women connected by Beau, revealing how family history, secrets, and loyalties shape choices. Bonds are tested by inherited anxieties, social expectations, and the pressure to maintain a perfect family image. The drama unfolds through intimate confrontations that redefine belonging.
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Betrayal
Romantic entanglements fracture trust across generations: Jocelyn's past with Beau, Katharine's relationship with him, and Sarah's affair. The emotional betrayals drive guilt and conflict, yet push characters toward honesty and reconciliation. The fallout tests relationships and vows.
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Identity
Sarah grapples with questions of paternity and lineage as three generations connect to Beau. The search for self is intertwined with secrets about family truth. The revelations force characters to redefine who they are and who they can become.
Rumor Has It... Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of Rumor Has It... (2005). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the sun‑drenched streets of Pasadena, Sarah Huttinger returns home with her fiancé, Jeff Daly, to celebrate her younger sister’s wedding. A writer of obituaries and wedding announcements for a major newspaper, Sarah spends her days surrounded by the polished optimism of ceremonies while quietly questioning whether she is ready to sign her own. The bustle of family, old friends, and the nostalgic charm of her hometown set a warm, slightly wistful backdrop that feels both intimate and universally relatable.
The gathering brings Sarah face‑to‑face with her enigmatic grandmother, Katharine Richelieu, whose silver‑tongued stories hint at hidden chapters in the family’s past. Subtle glances and off‑hand remarks about a long‑ago love affair sow a seed of doubt that begins to ripple through Sarah’s sense of self. The tone balances gentle humor with an undercurrent of curiosity, as each conversation layers the present celebration with whispers of history that have never fully been spoken aloud.
Compelled by the newfound mystery, Sarah embarks on a personal quest to untangle the threads of her lineage. Her search leads her toward a reclusive figure from the past, a man whose presence seems oddly intertwined with the family’s legacy. As she peels back the layers of memory and rumor, the film settles into a thoughtful, romantic‑dramedy rhythm—one that explores how the stories we inherit shape the choices we make, and how love can both illuminate and complicate the path to understanding who we truly are.
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