SYNOPSIS:

Fourteen year old Annie Morin moves out of state with her mother Minnie to start her freshman year of high school, after the latter’s divorce from her cheating husband. While unloading the moving van, Annie is approached by Harold, an awkward, older man, with his dog, also named Annie. He makes subtle advances on her and promises to visit before continuing his walk. Later on, a group of high schoolers living nearby, led by sixteen year old Christy, take Annie on a tour of the neighborhood and introduce her to alcohol. That night, from Christy’s trampoline, they see Harold walk his dog, wearing an armband that flashes a dark, purple light. They all warn Annie to stay away from him. Annie makes the softball team with Christy, impressing the coach in the process. She goes on a date with another neighborhood kid, Brady, though she lets him down easy, deciding she’s not ready for a relationship. She attends a party with her softball friends where Brady tries more of his advances and is shut down. Not long after, Annie blacks out and wakes up with Christy at the latter’s home the morning after. She wins the opening game for her team several days later, walking it off with a base hit before celebrating with everyone. The next day, when she returns home from school, she finds the place has been broken into, a photo of her having been taken from her wall. She finds someone lurking in the shadows of the basement and sprints out of the house into her mother’s arms, having arrived home from work. The police search the premises, but find no sign of a break in. Annie and Minnie plead their case, but Officer Boyd (the father of Brady) remains apathetic and refuses to take their worries seriously. When they return home, Annie sees Harold through her window, standing just outside their yard. He smiles at her and waves his hand to say hello. Minnie installs a code entry door lock to prevent another break in. Brady spreads a rumor that he slept with Annie at the party and no one but Christy believes her denials. They discuss why she doesn’t remember anything when Harold confronts and tries to flirt with them. Annie starts having nightmares, leaving her drained when she’s awake. She falls asleep in class and her softball performance declines dramatically as she’s harassed by her classmates. Christy convinces her to attend a party where Brady apologizes, but rescinds when he sees his friend approaching. The friend slaps Annie on the butt and she knocks Brady out, thinking it was him. Unable to take the paranoia anymore, she devises a plan with Christy to break into Harold’s place. They wait for him to take his nighttime walk and Annie searches the inside while Christy keeps a lookout. Annie finds a room decorated like a teenage girl’s from the 2000’s, then moves on. She’s about to search the basement when Christy warns of Harold’s return. Annie tries to escape, but is caught and taken by the police. Minnie posts Annie’s bail and takes her home where Annie locks herself in her room. She sneaks Christy inside and gets drunk off a bottle of tequila the latter brought. They pass out after a while and Harold approaches the house. He enters the code and kills Minnie in her room, then incapacitates Christy and carries Annie to his home. She awakens hours later, tied to a bed in his basement where her stolen picture hangs from the wall. Harold continues his advances. He’s about to kiss her when a crash sounds from upstairs and he goes to investigate. He finds Christy breaking through the front door with a softball bat. She smashes his hand, then goes to untie Annie. They fight Harold together and leave him dead on the floor. They carry each other out to find the police in the yard, ready to arrest them for breaking and entering. Christy fights their attempts and gets tased in the stomach. They load her and Annie into their vehicles and drive off. Annie sits dazed in the backseat, then drifts to sleep as “Every Breath You Take” by The Police plays.

MOURN