What Keeps You Alive is a Canadian psychological horror film produced by Colin Minihan that premiered at the SXSW Film Festival on March 10, 2018. It features a lesbian couple, Jackie and Jules, who celebrate their first wedding anniversary by taking a trip to a remote cabin in the mountains with a beautiful and peaceful lake. Things start to unravel when Jackie’s old friend, Sarah, shows up unexpectedly, causing Jules to learn some unpleasant truths about Jackie’s past and putting her life in danger. In this article, we will explore the synopsis of the intense and thrilling film What Keeps You Alive.
Storyline
The story revolves around Jackie and Jules, a married couple who spend their vacation in a cabin owned by Jackie’s family. One night, Sarah, Jackie’s childhood friend who lives in a nearby cabin across the lake, shows up unannounced. But what shocks Jules is when Sarah calls Jackie “Megan.” Jackie explains that she changed her name to Megan when she came out as a lesbian. Jules is a bit hesitant, but understanding.
The next day, Jules rows the boat to Sarah’s cabin, and Sarah’s husband, Daniel, tells her a shocking tale of their friend who died in the lake due to drowning, which Jackie never mentioned. Jules then confronts Jackie about her past and her friendship with Sarah. Jackie reveals that she feels guilty about her friend’s drowning, even though the police cleared her of any wrongdoing. After hearing Jackie’s side of the story, Jules forgives her.
One morning, while admiring the view of the lake from atop a cliff, Jackie pushes Jules, who falls to the bottom of the cliff. Jackie goes back to the cabin to call the police while searching for Jules. By the time she gets to the bottom of the cliff, Jules is nowhere to be found. Jackie panics and searches for her around the area until midnight, threatening Jules.
The following day, Jackie returns to the woods with a rifle while Jules is back at the cabin treating her wounds. After Jackie comes back to the cabin, she finds remnants of Jules’ treatment on the bathroom floor, and her rage intensifies. She chases after Jules, who is rowing the boat to the middle of the lake, and catches up to her. Daniel sees their dispute and greets them. Jules invites Sarah and Daniel to dinner at the cabin, and Jackie admits to killing her first wife for insurance and that she will do the same to Jules. She warns Jules to behave normally in front of Sarah and Daniel, but Jackie later sees Jules talking to Sarah and loses her composure.
Jackie kills Daniel by slitting his throat and stabs Sarah multiple times until they both die. Jules is left speechless witnessing Jackie’s actions. Jules finds a box full of necklaces like the one Jackie gave her, belonging to Jackie’s previous victims. She tries to kill Jackie with an old rifle owned by Jackie’s father but fails, and Jackie takes Jules captive. On the way, Jules shoots a tranquilizer dart into Jackie’s neck and escapes the car into the woods. Jackie catches up with Jules on a cliff, where Jules knocks her unconscious.
Jules escapes in Jackie’s car but comes back to the cliff to confirm Jackie’s death and ensure her safety. But Jules discovers that Jackie is nowhere to be found. The film ends with a suspenseful note, leaving audiences asking, “Who will survive?”
Conclusion
What Keeps You Alive is a film that keeps the audience on the edge of their seat throughout the movie. The twists and turns in the storyline make the film a thrilling and intense experience, unraveling the truths about Jackie’s past and the depths of her evil. The story portrays the complexity of human relationships and the desire for power and control. Overall, What Keeps You Alive is an excellent film for horror and thriller movie aficionados who want to experience an intense emotional roller-coaster that will keep them guessing until the very end.
