What Is Some Girls About?
The premise of Some Girls in 269 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the quiet chill of a Quebec‑City Christmas break, Michael—a weary college student—makes the long trip to reunite with his girlfriend Gabriella, who has abruptly left school. The promise of a cozy holiday together feels like a brief oasis after months of exams and restless airport lounges, and the snow‑dusted streets set a romantic, if slightly frosty, backdrop for what should be a simple homecoming.
The D’Arc household, however, is anything but ordinary. Mrs. D’Arc, a devoutly religious matriarch, presides over a home humming with ritual and devotion, while her husband, Mr. D’Arc, roams the house in a towel, insisting that clothing stifles his scholarly musings on Pascal. Their two daughters, Irenka and Simone, are strikingly attractive and effortlessly charismatic, their flirtatious banter filling the rooms with a lively, almost mischievous energy. Adding a layer of tender melancholy, the family’s frail grandmother—referred to simply as Granny—battles dementia, her moments of clarity and confusion weaving subtle threads of nostalgia through the household.
Caught between the lingering affection for Gabriella and the magnetic pull of her sisters and eccentric relatives, Michael finds himself navigating a maze of warm hospitality, awkward customs, and shifting emotions. The holiday atmosphere mixes light‑hearted humor with an undercurrent of vulnerability, as each family member’s quirks reveal deeper layers of love, longing, and the strange ways memory clings to the present.
The film settles into a tone that balances whimsical absurdity with quiet introspection, inviting viewers to linger in the glow of flickering fireplaces, the hush of snowfall, and the uneasy yet fascinating chemistry that blooms when an outsider steps into a family’s tightly knit, idiosyncratic world.
What Happens in Some Girls?
The complete story of Some Girls, from the first scene to the last, in 928 words (about 4 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Michael travels to Quebec City, Canada, for Christmas at the request of his college girlfriend Gabriella, who left school in the middle of the semester. He arrives tired and tense after hours of waiting at the airport, but Gabriella’s arrival brings a quick smile to his face and a mild defense of why they sometimes don’t answer their phones. The reunion is sweet at first, and Michael is eager to rekindle what they once had, brushing aside his impatience in favor of the chance to be with her again.
At the house, Gabriella introduces him to a family that feels almost like a living, breathing vignettes of ritual and eccentricity. Her Mr. D’Arc wears only a towel and spends much of his time nude, insisting that he cannot write while dressed because he is composing a treatise on Blaise Pascal. The atmosphere is a blend of humor and discomfort, a quiet counterpoint to the noise of two lively sisters, Irenka and Simone, whose energy and flirtatious charm light up the room. The two are as captivating as they are teasing, especially with Michael, who tries to join in the oddball customs and conversations, hoping to belong.
The family is anchored by Mrs. D’Arc, a fiercely religious and quietly influential mother, and by Father Walter, a Catholic priest who is a close friend and guest in their home. His presence underscores a moral and spiritual tension that permeates the household, even as the house buzzes with warmth and awkwardness. Michael’s effort to fit in is met with both hospitality and a series of small, disarming challenges, as he discovers that this Christmas will not be a simple homecoming.
Among the chaos, he also meets the family’s frail matriarch, Granny Granny, whose dementia casts a shadow over the gathering. Granny’ s dementia, a key thread in the story, is juxtaposed with moments of sharp clarity and memory, giving the family a bittersweet aura. The grandmother’s illness is a heavy weight for Gabi, the reason behind her leaving college, and her relationship with Michael becomes strained as the truth about Granny’s condition drifts to the surface.
As the days unfold, Gabi’s feelings wobble in a way that is both tantalizing and painful for Michael. He tries to express sympathy to Gabi’s mother, a gaffe that lands awkwardly and signals a turning point in their relationship. It’s clear that Gabi’s feelings toward him are not fixed; at first she tells him she doesn’t love him anymore, and his attempt to sway her is earnest but increasingly fraught. The dynamic with Irenka and Simone takes a charged turn, with both sisters playing into a kind of gentle seduction, all while Gabi’s complicity lingers in the air. The family’s mood teeters between affection and fragility, with Gabi’s wavering heart driving the emotional tempo.
Meanwhile, Granny’s presence becomes a bridge between the living and a past that feels almost unreal. The elderly woman, who sometimes acts as if Michael is her long-dead husband, escapes her care facility in a bid to find the life she once shared with him. The chase to locate Granny pulls the group to the estate they once cherished together, a place steeped in memory and the chill of winter. Michael, Nick, and the sisters search the snow-enshrouded grounds, but Michael becomes separated in the woods and falls into a hidden hole, where the world seems suddenly intimate and frightening at the same time. It is there that Granny appears, offering him a hand and guiding him back toward warmth and safety.
Back at the house, Michael tends to Granny, stoking a fire and helping her out of wet clothes while she speaks to him as if he were her husband. The bond that forms between them is unexpected and moving, a quiet counterpoint to the turmoil in his relationship with Gabi. Granny’s presence casts a spell of tenderness over the scene, illuminating a different kind of love that transcends the usual boundaries of time and memory.
The season’s end brings hardship and sorrow as Granny’s health declines again on the return journey, and Nick makes a valiant but ultimately insufficient effort to reach a hospital in time. Granny dies, a moment that interrupts the holiday’s merriment with a solemn farewell. After the funeral, Michael shares a secret with Irenka during a fleeting moment of intimacy, and then he ventures alone to Granny’s grave. There, a mysterious young woman appears, and Michael confesses that he deeply loved Granny. Later, he recognizes the young woman from a photograph as Granny in her youth, a revelation that hints at something supernatural or at least something beyond what he can fully understand. The encounter alters his perception of the world and its endings.
Upon returning home, Gabriella and her family vanish from Michael’s life as she decides not to return to college. The Christmas trip ends not with a resolved romance but with a broader, more enigmatic sense of loss and memory. Michael leaves the province with a new kind of quiet sorrow and a heart that has learned to hold two loves: the living Gabriella and the memory of Granny, whose influence lingers in every quiet moment of winter and in the chill of the snow-dusted estate.
This tale weaves humor, longing, and a touch of the supernatural into a reflective look at love, memory, and the stubbornness of family bonds. It invites readers to consider how the past can resurface in surprising ways and how the people we encounter may carry within them a piece of a story that never truly ends.
Some Girls Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Michael arrives in Quebec City for Christmas” to “Return home; Gabi's life moves on”. 13 events name a place, across 13 locations.
- 1
Michael arrives in Quebec City for Christmas
Michael travels to Quebec City at Gabriella's request to spend Christmas with her family. He endures a long wait at the airport before Gabriella finally arrives to pick him up. She explains that sometimes they just don't answer their phones, and Michael tries to hide his frustration, choosing to be happy to see her.
When:Christmas Eve Where:Quebec City airport
- 2
First meeting with the eccentric Gabi family
At the house, Michael meets Gabi's odd family: a father who spends most of his time nude except for a towel, a quiet religious mother, and Father Walter the priest. He also meets the sisters Irenka and Simone and the handyman Nick. Michael attempts to fit in with their unusual habits, feeling both intrigued and overwhelmed.
Where:Gabi's family house
- 3
Granny's illness and Gabi's departure from college
The family matriarch Granny is ill, a situation that partly explains why Gabi left college. Michael tries to join in the family rituals, but he quickly realizes the dynamics are more complicated than he expected. The atmosphere is tense as the illness shadows every interaction.
Where:Care facility / family home
- 4
Michael's breach of etiquette: condolence to Gabi's mother
When a moment allows, Michael expresses his condolences to Gabi's mother, a gaffe that the family deems unforgivable. The moment reveals the fragility of the household and the delicate line between sympathy and intrusion. The fallout colors his attempts to connect with Gabi.
Where:Gabi's family home
- 5
Gabi reveals she no longer loves Michael
In a private moment, Gabi tells Michael that she no longer loves him. He clings to hope, trying to change her mind, but her feelings remain elusive and fickle. The revelation marks the beginning of a shifting, turbulent relationship.
Where:Gabi's room / family home
- 6
Irenka and Simone tease Michael; Gabi's complicity
Irenka and Simone flirt with Michael, testing the limits of the fragile romance and pulling him into games. Gabi appears to participate, adding a layer of ambiguity to her feelings. The romantic tension intensifies as Michael navigates the sisters' advances.
Where:House
- 7
Granny's dementia causes escape to the old country estate
Granny, living in a care facility, acts as if Michael is her late husband and tries to find him. She escapes and heads to the countryside estate they once shared after their marriage. Michael, Nick, and the sisters hurry to the estate to find her before she freezes in the cold.
Where:Care facility to country estate
- 8
Michael gets lost in the woods and Granny saves him
While searching for Granny, Michael becomes lost in the woods and falls into a hole. He hears footsteps and discovers Granny, who helps him out and escorts him back to the house. Inside, he lights a fire and helps Granny out of her wet clothes, beginning an unexpected bond between them.
Where:Woods near the estate
- 9
Bond between Michael and Granny
Granny heals and shares stories with Michael, treating him with a tenderness that contrasts with the chaos around them. They form an unusual emotional connection that softens the hard edges of the family turmoil. The moment deepens Michael's feelings and complicates the already tangled relationships.
Where:Country estate
- 10
Granny falls ill again and dies
On the return trip, Granny falls ill and dies, despite Nick's valiant attempt to reach a hospital in time. The family grieves as the tragedy shifts the dynamic around Gabi. Michael processes the loss and the strange bond he formed with Granny.
Where:On the way back from the estate
Show the other 3 events of Some Girls Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Funeral and a moment with Irenka
After Granny's funeral, Michael shares a late-night moment with Irenka, leading to a private tryst that reveals the undercurrents of desire within the family circle. The event unsettles the already fragile balance between Michael and Gabi's circle. Secrets begin to surface and complicate loyalties.
Where:Funeral venue / estate
- 12
Granny's youth and the supernatural hint at fate
Michael visits Granny's grave and encounters a mysterious young woman who resembles Granny in her youth. He confesses that he deeply loved Granny and senses a supernatural possibility in their meeting. The scene blurs the line between memory, love, and the afterlife.
Where:Graveyard near Granny's grave
- 13
Return home; Gabi's life moves on
Returning home, Michael and the family drift apart, and he never sees Gabi or her family again. Gabi has decided not to return to college, choosing a different path. The Christmas visit ends with an unsettled silence and unresolved feelings.
Where:Home
Who Are the Main Characters in Some Girls?
9 characters, among them Michael (Patrick Dempsey), Gabriella (Jennifer Connelly) and Granny (Lila Kedrova): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 8 of them link to the actor’s page.
-
Michael (Patrick Dempsey)
Played by Patrick Dempsey
A recent college acquaintance who travels to Quebec City for Christmas to see Gabriella. He tries to blend into the family’s unconventional world, but the surrounding eccentricities push him toward emotional edges. His interactions with Irenka and Simone test his romantic loyalties, while the bond with Granny reveals a gentler, more hopeful side. The film follows his struggle with heartbreak and his ultimate sense of loss after the visit ends.
- 💔 Romance
- 🧭 Outsider
- 🎭 Drama
-
Gabriella (Jennifer Connelly)
Played by Jennifer Connelly
Gabi invites Michael to Christmas, then reveals that she no longer loves him. She moves between warmth and indifference, keeping a complicated, shifting stance toward him and the family. Her actions drive the central romantic tension and leave Michael to navigate a fraught emotional landscape. She remains at once alluring and enigmatic throughout the visit.
- 💔 Love
- 🌀 Indecision
- 🎭 Drama
- G(
Granny (Lila Kedrova)
Played by Lila Kedrova
The matriarch, afflicted with senile dementia, treats Michael as her long-dead husband and seeks him out with childlike longing. She escapes her care facility to the family estate in a moment of dramatic tension, forging a poignant bond with Michael. Her illness, memory lapses, and eventual death frame the story with themes of aging and mortality. A supernatural suggestion later in the film deepens the mystery of memory and destiny.
- 🧓 Dementia
- 🪶 Memory
- 🎭 Drama
- N(
Nick (Lance Edwards)
Played by Lance Edwards
The handsome handyman connected with Irenka, Nick adds a layer of flirtation and contest within the family dynamic. He participates in the social games and romantic subplots around the sisters. His earnest attempts to support Granny contrast with the more carefree attitudes of the others, contributing to the film’s tension and humor.
- 🎭 Drama
- 💫 Romance
- 🧰 Support
- I(
Irenka (Sheila Kelley)
Played by Sheila Kelley
Irenka is one of Gabriella’s energetic sisters, coquettish and magnetically flirtatious with Michael. She collaborates in the dynamic with Simone, creating a playful yet provocative atmosphere. Her actions contribute to Michael’s disorientation and to the overall sense that no one is emotionally safe within the family setting.
- 💃 Flirtation
- 🎭 Drama
- 🔀 Seduction
- S(
Simone (Ashley Greenfield)
Played by Ashley Greenfield
The other provocative sister who teases Michael, adding to the sexual and social complexity of the Christmas gathering. She participates in the family’s games while keeping him at arm’s length. Her presence emphasizes the film’s themes of desire, manipulation, and the blurred lines between affection and performance.
- 💃 Seduction
- 🎭 Drama
- 🌀 Ambiguity
- MD
Mrs. D'Arc (Florinda Bolkan)
Played by Florinda Bolkan
Gabriella’s mother, a quiet, deeply religious presence in the household. Her solemn demeanor contrasts with the house’s chaos and the holiday’s festive mood. The moment of condolence she receives from Michael marks a pivotal emotional misstep, exposing the fragility of relationships within the family.
- 🙏 religiosity
- 🎭 Drama
- ❗ Tension
-
Mr. D'Arc (Andre Gregory)
Played by Andre Gregory
Gabriella’s father, a man who spends much of his time in a towel, claiming he cannot write a Blaise Pascal treatise while dressed. His odd behavior and intellectual preoccupations contribute to the surreal, idiosyncratic atmosphere of the family. He embodies the film’s mix of humor and unconventional charm.
- 🧔 Eccentric
- 🧠 Intellectual
- 🎭 Drama
- FW
Father Walter
A Catholic priest and friend of the family who is present during the Christmas gathering. His presence underscores the family’s religious backdrop and adds to the social dynamics at play. He serves as a quiet counterpoint to the film’s more chaotic elements.
- ✝️ Religion
- 🎭 Drama
Where and When Is Some Girls Set?
Some Girls is set in Quebec City, Canada, country estate and care facility (Christmas season). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Christmas season
The story unfolds over a Christmas visit, placing characters in a festive yet tense timeframe. Winter weather forces confinements that amplify personal revelations and awkward social dynamics. The holiday backdrop contrasts with heartbreak and memory, driving the plot toward its final, reflective moments.
Where
Quebec City, Canada, country estate, care facility
The action centers in Quebec City during Christmas, with key scenes unfolding at a weathered country estate and a nearby care facility. The cold, intimate spaces heighten the sense of isolation and the tension within the quirky family. These settings serve as a stage for romance, confrontation, and the film's emotional turning points.
- ❄️ Winter
- 🏙️ Quebec City
- 🏰 Country estate
- 🏥 Care facility
What Are the Themes of Some Girls?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Love and Loss, Family Dynamics and Memory and Death.
-
01
Love and Loss
Romance in the film is tangled and uncertain, as Michael pursues a relationship that proves fragile. Gabi's shifting feelings and her flirtations with Irenka and Simone complicate expectations of lasting love. The emotional arc centers on longing, disappointment, and the ache of unreciprocated affection. The story culminates in a realization that love can be both seductive and evasive.
-
02
Family Dynamics
The family at the heart of the story is eccentric and insular, blending religious conservatism with libertine nightlife. Each member presses on Michael with their own quirks, creating a pressure cooker of social and moral expectations. The father’s odd professorial towel-wearing habit and the mother's quiet piety heighten the contrast between outward decorum and inner desires. The complex web of affection, jealousy, and rivalry drives much of the drama.
-
03
Memory and Death
Granny's dementia and her sudden, seemingly supernatural link to Michael introduce a meditation on memory and mortality. The near-mystical moment when Granny appears as her younger self blurs the line between memory and reality. Her eventual death reshapes Michael's understanding of love, time, and the past. The film uses memory as a fragile bridge between generations and worlds.
What Kind of Film Is Some Girls?
Bittersweet in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A bittersweet, character-driven film that blends quirky family humor with a poignant meditation on love and memory, set against the melancholic backdrop of a wintry Christmas in Quebec.
- quirky
- melancholic
- tender
- unsettling
- reflective
- nostalgic
- dysfunctional family
- coming of age
- grief and loss
- quirky relationships
Content notes: senility, death of a grandparent, nudity.
Quiz
How well do you remember Some Girls? Test yourself on the story.
