What Is The Monitor About?
The premise of The Monitor in 312 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the quiet outskirts of Oslo, Anna and her young son Anders begin a new chapter, moving into a spacious apartment that promises distance from a painful past. The city’s cool, gray light filters through the high‑rise windows, casting long shadows that echo the unease both mother and child carry. Their home, a seemingly safe haven, is immediately framed by the subtle, institutional pressure of child‑care workers who hover at the edge of their privacy, reminding Anna that legal battles over custody still loom.
Every night, Anna relies on a baby monitor to keep a constant, invisible ear on Anders while he sleeps, turning a simple device into a symbol of both vigilance and lingering dread. The monitor’s soft hum weaves through the apartment’s quiet, amplifying the tension between a mother’s fierce protectiveness and the fear that any moment could unravel the fragile stability she has built. Routine visits from the case workers, the sterile corridors of the social services office, and the ever‑present possibility of the ex‑husband’s return create a background of low‑grade anxiety that never fully recedes.
Amid this charged atmosphere, Helge appears in a modest electronics store, a shy figure shadowed by his own family worries. Their tentative friendship blossoms from shared silences, offering Anna a rare space where she can be seen without judgment. Helge’s gentle listening provides a quiet counterpoint to the relentless demands of motherhood, hinting at a deeper connection that could soften the edges of her solitary vigilance.
The building itself, with its maze‑like hallways and occasional distant noises, becomes a character in its own right—its ordinary surfaces masking an undercurrent of mystery. As Anna navigates the delicate balance between protection and paranoia, the film’s tone remains a restrained, atmospheric thriller, inviting viewers to feel the weight of every breath she takes while keeping the true nature of the unseen threats just out of reach.
What Happens in The Monitor?
The complete story of The Monitor, from the first scene to the last, in 707 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 2 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Noomi Rapace as Anna and Vetle Qvenild Werring as Anders move into a spacious flat on the outskirts of Oslo, hoping that distance from their past can shield them from the violent ex-husband who might still try to claim custody. They are watched over by the intermittent visits of Grete, [Maria Bock], and Ole, [Stig R. Amdam], two child-care workers who warn Anna that the custody battle could reopen at any moment. To keep Anders safe, Anna initially makes him sleep in her room, but when the case workers discourage this, she buys a baby monitor to keep a constant vigil from afar, a decision that will blur the lines between protection and fear.
At a local electronics store, Anna encounters Helge, a shy man whose mother’s terminal illness casts a shadow over his life. Helge’s quiet, patient understanding of Anna’s struggle offers a rare solace: a chance to be seen and not judged, a contrast to the relentless pressure of maintaining boundaries for her son. Their budding friendship is gentle and tentative, a small island of warmth in a relationship built on shared vulnerability. Helge respects Anna’s fierce commitment to not letting go of Anders, even as he grapples with his own family worries, and Anna finds in him a listener who doesn’t rush to solutions or judgment.
One night, the baby monitor reveals unsettling sounds—voices and screams that cut through the night. Anna races to Anders’ room, only to find him sleeping peacefully. Helge explains that the monitor can pick up distant frequencies, and together they try to interpret the data on a map sketched by Anders. The sense of danger grows more complex: Anders introduces Anna to a boy who looks like him and claims he is a new friend, a quiet, enigmatic figure who unsettles Anna with his silence and odd behavior. A disturbing drawing by Anders—a dead body smeared with blood near their apartment complex—seems to confirm Anna’s fear that something is deeply wrong, and she attributes the image to her son’s unsettling “friend.”
A visit to a lakeside area becomes a chilling turning point. The pair are redirected to a parking lot, and Anna’s suspicions of foul play intensify as she follows a woman she believes is connected to the screaming on the baby monitor. She witnesses a man drowning the boy who claimed to be Anders’ friend, and in a desperate bid to intervene, Anna leaps into the water only to blackout. She awakens in a hospital, drenched and confused, with the fog of fear still clinging to her.
Back at school, the principal accuses Anna of child abuse as she tries to reclaim responsibilities for Anders, and she returns home determined to protect him, even if it means defying authority. The front door is left ajar when she first stumbles back inside, and Ole appears with a troubling update: the ex-husband is coming to take Anders away. In the heat of panic, Anna grabs a pair of scissors and fatally wounds Ole just outside their doorway, the act borne of fear, blame, and a desperate need to keep Anders safe at any cost.
Helge rushes to the scene, only to find Anna on the windowsill, Anders’ small presence seemingly wrapped around her as if to anchor them to the world. As he approaches, Anna tilts forward and falls, and Helge finds her body in the room below, with Anders gone into the silence of the building. The subsequent revelation unsettles the heart of the story: Anna’s husband had killed Anders years earlier and then taken his own life. Helge discovers a drawing Anna had made of a grave near the apartment block, and in the forest he finds a buried body—likely the boy who claimed to be Anders’ friend, a victim of brutal parents and hidden abuse.
In the final moments, Helge sits beside Anna’s body and recounts the old tale of a boy and his mother, a bleak truth about a family pulled apart by fear and violence. Yet the film closes on a note of quiet, if bittersweet, tenderness: a memory of Anna and Anders walking together in the forest, then sitting by the water’s edge, a fleeting vision of safety and connection that persists beyond tragedy.
The Monitor Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “Move to a large flat outside Oslo” to “Epilogue: Helge recounts the tale”. 15 events name a place, across 14 locations.
- 1
Move to a large flat outside Oslo
Anna and her son Anders move into a large flat outside Oslo, seeking safety from her violent ex-husband. They begin to settle into the new home while the threat of the past remains. The relocation sets the stage for the fragile balance Anna tries to maintain between vigilance and normalcy.
When:shortly after move Where:Large flat outside Oslo
- 2
Child care workers warn about the ex-husband
Grete and Ole visit to monitor Anders and warn that the ex-husband may pursue a custody case. They discourage letting Anders sleep in Anna's room, heightening Anna's vigilance. The warning deepens her sense of danger and the need for constant oversight.
When:days after move Where:Anna's flat
- 3
Anna buys a baby monitor
To keep tabs on Anders, Anna buys a baby monitor and tries to monitor him remotely. The purchase marks a shift toward heightened surveillance at home. The monitor becomes a recurring tool as fear dominates daily life.
When:soon after the warnings Where:Electronics store
- 4
Anna meets Helge at the electronics store
At the electronics store, Anna meets Helge, a shy man whose mother is ill. They share their struggles and form a tentative connection. Helge offers understanding, while Anna appreciates someone who respects her determination to protect Anders.
When:same day as purchase Where:Electronics store
- 5
Night of the disturbing baby monitor sounds
One night the baby monitor emits alarming sounds, including screams. Anna rushes to Anders' room to find him asleep, unsure whether the noises come from his room or elsewhere. Helge explains the monitor can pick up nearby frequencies, suggesting a possible, non-supernatural source.
When:night Where:Anders' room, apartment
- 6
Anders introduces a mysterious friend
Anders introduces a boy who claims to be his new friend, but the child is silent and distant around Anna. This raises Anna's suspicions as she notices the boy's odd behavior. The situation feeds her paranoia and fuels worry about her son's world.
When:days after the monitor incident Where:Home
- 7
Disturbing drawing raises concern
Anna discovers Anders has drawn a disturbing picture of a dead body near their apartment. She suspects the mysterious friend has influenced or encouraged dark thoughts. The drawing intensifies her fear that someone is harming Anders.
When:after the friend introduction Where:Near apartment complex
- 8
Lake trip leads to a dangerous encounter
Anna takes Anders to a nearby lake but ends up in a parking lot instead, driven by confusion and suspicion. She follows a woman she believes is connected to the screaming on the baby monitor. A man drowns the boy who claimed to be Anders' friend; Anna dives in to save him and blacks out.
When:night Where:Nearby lake, then parking lot
- 9
Hospital awakening and custody trouble
Anna wakes up in a hospital, shaken and soaked. She goes to retrieve Anders from school but the principal accuses her of child abuse and forbids taking him. Despite the warning, Anna takes Anders home, still determined to protect him.
When:after hospital awakening Where:Hospital; Anders' school
- 10
Ole's threat and seeking Helge's support
Back at the flat, Ole returns with news that the ex-husband is coming for Anders. He threatens Anna, prompting her to seek refuge at Helge's workplace. Her plan is to lean on Helge for help, though the tension remains high.
When:the next day Where:Apartment hallway; Helge's workplace
Show the other 5 events of The Monitor Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Dinner confrontation and bruised friend
During dinner at Helge's workplace, there is an unsettling moment when a knock is heard and no one is there. Anders' mysterious friend later shows Helge bruises and runs toward Anders' room. Helge tries to follow, but Anna stops him, and Helge leaves in disappointment.
When:evening Where:Helge's workplace; apartment
- 12
Stabbing outside the door
The tension erupts as Ole returns with news that the ex-husband is arriving to take Anders away. In the hallway outside her door, Anna defends Anders by stabbing Ole with a pair of scissors. Helge arrives to find the aftermath and tries to reach Anna.
When:same day evening Where:Outside apartment door; hallway
- 13
Anna's fall and Helge's discovery
Helge enters and finds Anna sitting on the windowsill with Anders in her arms. She leans forward and falls to the street below, dying, while Helge rushes downstairs to search for Anders with no sign of him.
When:immediately after stabbing Where:Apartment; street outside building
- 14
Revelations of Anders' fate
Later revelations reveal that the husband killed Anders years earlier and then committed suicide. Helge finds a drawing by Anna depicting a grave near the apartment and discovers a buried body in the forest, possibly the boy who claimed to be Anders' friend.
When:after the deaths Where:Forest; apartment drawing
- 15
Epilogue: Helge recounts the tale
In the final scene, Helge sits beside Anna's body and recounts the story of a boy and his mother. The film closes with a peaceful image of Anna and Anders walking in the forest and by the water, offering a bittersweet sense of closure.
When:epilogue Where:Forest and water
Who Are the Main Characters in The Monitor?
4 characters, among them Anna (Noomi Rapace), Anders (Vetle Qvenild Werring) and Helge (Kristoffer Joner): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Anna (Noomi Rapace)
Played by Noomi Rapace
A protective, anxious mother who relocates with her son to escape her violent ex-husband. Her overprotectiveness drives her to install a baby monitor and to distrust anyone who might threaten Anders. As danger closes in, she oscillates between fierce determination and emotional collapse, revealing the complexities of love under duress.
- 👩👧 Protective
- 🧠 Anxious
- 🎭 Complex
- A(
Anders (Vetle Qvenild Werring)
Played by Vetle Qvenild Werring
Anna's son, a quiet boy whose drawings and rumored friendship with another boy hint at a troubled inner world. His presence fuels Anna's fears while also highlighting the fragility of family safety and the custody tensions surrounding him.
- 👶 Child
- 🧩 Mystery
- 💔 Family
- H(
Helge (Kristoffer Joner)
Played by Kristoffer Joner
A shy, understanding man whose mother is terminally ill. He forms a fragile friendship with Anna, offering empathy without overstepping, and becomes a quiet emotional anchor as Anna navigates danger and grief.
- 🤝 Supportive
- 🧠 Sensitive
- 🌿 Friendship
- O(
Ole (Stig R. Amdam)
Played by Stig R. Amdam
Anna's neighbor who returns with troubling news about her ex-husband. His presence escalates tension and culminates in a violent encounter, making him a catalyst for the movie's crisis and its aftermath.
- 🧭 Tension
- ⚡Threat
- 🗡️ Conflict
Where and When Is The Monitor Set?
The Monitor is set in Outside Oslo and Norway. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Outside Oslo, Norway
The story unfolds in a large flat on the outskirts of Oslo, emphasizing a precarious, watchful home life. The apartment complex, with its quiet halls and nearby lake, serves as the stage for fear and safeguarding. The setting underscores the constant sense of vulnerability as Anna fights to keep Anders safe from a threatening past and an anxious present.
- 🏙️ Suburban Oslo area
- 🗝️ Tense domestic setting
What Are the Themes of The Monitor?
5 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Paranoia, Motherhood and Isolation.
-
01
Paranoia
Anna's fear of being found by her violent ex-husband drives the tension throughout the film. The baby monitor becomes both a lifeline and a source of dread, picking up eerie sounds and distant frequencies. Every creak and call tightens her grip on Anders, blurring the line between vigilance and paranoia. The theme shows how protective instincts can morph into fear-driven suspicion.
-
02
Motherhood
The film centers on a mother fiercely trying to shield her child from harm, even at personal cost. Anna's devotion drives her decisions, from sleepless nights to extreme measures to keep Anders close. The dynamics explore the strain between a mother's protective love and the child's need for autonomy. The emotional core rests on the sacrifices and anxieties of parenting under threat.
-
03
Isolation
Anna's world narrows to her apartment, the care workers who come and go, and the cold distance of the surrounding system. Social support appears limited, leaving her to confront danger largely on her own. The sense of isolation amplifies the film's suspense, as help is slow and unreliable. The environment becomes a character in its own right, echoing Anna's retreat from trust.
-
04
Reality
The film blurs the line between what is real and what Anna perceives, especially around the mysterious boy who claims to be Anders' friend. Disturbing drawings and unsettling sounds on the monitor fuel a mounting ambiguity. The audience is kept guessing about the true nature of threats, safety, and memory. This tension drives the story toward a shocking, yet intimate, resolution.
-
05
Violence
Violence erupts as Anna kills Ole in a moment of panic, underscoring the peril threaded through domestic life. The narrative hints at deeper, historical abuses, culminating in the revelation of Anders' fate and the dark undercurrents of the couple's struggle. The climactic actions force a brutal reckoning with what it means to protect and to lose. The ending reframes the violence as a grim counterpoint to the fragile moments of normalcy.
What Kind of Film Is The Monitor?
Tense in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Sad
A tense and anxiety-inducing psychological drama that follows a mother's descent into paranoia, blurring the lines between protective fear and tragic delusion within a cold, isolating environment.
- anxious
- oppressive
- disorienting
- paranoid
- melancholic
- desperate
- child endangerment
- grief and loss
- psychological thriller
- trauma
Content notes: child death, domestic abuse, psychological trauma, fatal stabbing, child abuse.
Where to Watch The Monitor
Rent or buy it from Google Play Movies and YouTube. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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