The Unwedding

One month after her divorce is finalized, Ellery Wainwright is on vacation at The Resort at Broken Point, a luxury hotel in Big Sur, California. No one was more surprised than Ellery when her husband Luke filed for divorce, claiming he wasn’t happy in his life. Although Ellery tries to enjoy her first dinner on the property, she feels overwhelmed by grief and runs out of the restaurant in tears.

Ellery calls her friend Abby, a fellow teacher at Dutch Fields High School who also went through a difficult divorce. Now happily re-married, Abby assures Ellery that she can survive anything and that traveling alone is better than allowing her ex-husband Luke to bring his new girlfriend to the resort in her place. Abby’s remarks about survival remind Ellery of an unspecified incident two years prior, which she and Abby survived together.

When she re-enters the restaurant, Ellery is approached by a handsome man named Ravi, who invites her to eat dinner with him and his friend Nina. Ravi and Nina are not a couple but are traveling together. Ellery feels intimidated by their good looks and impressive jobs, and surprised by their interest in her. When Nina leaves early, Ravi suggests that he and Ellery crash the wedding being held on the property.

Buoyed by the rush of being included in Ravi and Nina’s night, Ellery agrees to crash the wedding welcome party. As she and Ravi hike through the property to the art gallery where the party is held, Ellery tells Ravi about her divorce. She feels pleased when he laughs at her jokes and criticizes Luke’s behavior. As they approach the cliffside art gallery, Ellery grows suddenly anxious, wondering why she agreed to follow Ravi.

Ellery immediately feels out of place among the well-dressed guests and remains in the hallway while Ravi infiltrates the party. While waiting, Ellery is greeted by the bride Olivia, who confides that she feels overwhelmed by the large wedding. Olivia and her fiancé Ben had hoped to have a small wedding since Ben’s parents are dead, but Olivia’s mother took control and planned an elaborate wedding weekend for them. As Olivia leaves, Ellery wishes her luck.

Ravi returns, having stolen champagne for himself and a lemon tart for her: Ellery is touched that he noticed she doesn’t drink. He offers her his number and Nina’s and encourages her to call them. Later that night, Ellery wanders through the property on her own. She approaches the fragile edge of the ocean-side cliff and thinks about the things she has done.

Although she had intended to wake early for sunrise yoga or meditation, Ellery sleeps until nearly 8 on what would have been her 20th wedding anniversary. She dresses quickly in order to join a morning hike along the cliffs and down to the shoreline. On the way, she passes preparations for the wedding in a small grove. She admires the site but feels confused by an altar-themed art installation.

The hike is led by Canyon, a good-looking blonde employee of The Resort. Ellery is joined by three more guests: Andy, a good-looking athletic young man; Grace, an ultramarathoner and wilderness safety expert; and Grace’s father Gary, an older man in his 60s. The other guests are friendly, but Ellery remains distant, envious of Andy and Grace’s obvious confidence.

Ellery struggles through the hike, believing herself to be last in the group. Andy suddenly appears, admitting that he left the trail. He reveals that he’s a groomsman in the upcoming wedding, calling himself the second-best man. Ellery grows nervous being alone with Andy and thinks about the fatal bus accident she and Abby survived together, in which students were killed. Ellery rejects Andy’s offer to go climbing but gives him her number.

After the hike, Ellery video chats with her eight-year-old daughter Maddie. Ellery feels privately gratified to hear that the camping trip Luke planned for them ended early because of rain. She misses her children desperately and grieves the fact that they have a life she doesn’t know with their father. When Maddie hangs up, Ellery leaves her room, desperate not to be alone.

Ellery attends The Resort’s evening cocktail party with Ravi and Nina, who reveal that a piece of art has been stolen. The trio meets Morgan and Maddox, a pair of influencers active on a site called LikeMe who have come to The Resort to announce Morgan’s pregnancy. Catherine Haring, the mother of the bride, appears and announces that the wedding will not happen. She invites The Resort guests to help themselves to the wedding dinner.

The Resort guests and off-duty employees enjoy what would have been the wedding buffet and the wedding band. Ellery notices a woman she assumes is a bridesmaid leaving with food and a bottle of wine. Andy reveals that Ben, the groom, disappeared and then sent the same brief text explaining his absence to Olivia and the groomsmen. Ravi and Nina leave, and Ellery retreats to a dark terrace, where she finds someone watching the party.

Ellery immediately regrets approaching the stranger, who turns out to be the mother of the bride, Catherine Haring. Although she feels bad for Catherine, Ellery knows that she is out of place. She assures Catherine that Andy is taking care of the groomsmen and attempts to leave. Catherine accuses Ellery of sneaking into the welcome party and reminds her cruelly that she is not a part of the wedding.

Walking to her room, Ellery remembers a time when her son Ethan (who is implied to be autistic) asked her to turn him into a fish. More recently, Ethan struggled to remain calm after Ellery hit a deer while driving him home. Ellery recalls feeling lonely when Luke did not respond to her requests for help. Ellery leaves the main trail and spots Olivia hunched over in the darkened woods. She doesn’t stop to speak to her.