Upamanyu Biswas
Directed by Samantha MacAdam, ‘The Last Woman Who Lived Here‘ revolves around a young married couple named Charlotte and Joel, whose lives are upended when they realize that the house they are moving into has a murderous past. The Lifetime thriller movie is told through the eyes of Charlotte, who gets obsessed with the incident that transpired in the house and starts investigating what really took place with help from one of her neighbors. As Charlotte gets closer to the truth, a variety of dark communal secrets begin to emerge, forcing her to look at the people in her social circle as the potential culprit. However, things get complicated when these lies and half-truths put her in the way of danger with the killer still on the loose. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Review: A Riveting Thriller With a Tense Atmosphere
‘The Last Woman Who Lived Here’ may have a well-versed premise, but the movie manages to use it to its strength by creating a mysterious environment surrounding a suburban community and the lies festering within. The main character, Charlotte, gets wrapped up in the web of conspiracy soon after she moves into her new home. This immediately raises the stakes of the narrative and creates an off-kilter feeling throughout the investigation. Like most suburban fiction, the truth behind the murder lies in the deception being carried out by the neighbors, which heightens the gripping nature of the story in every scene. It is evident that something is not quite right in Charlotte’s new abode. However, figuring that out becomes part of the fun when watching the film.
One of the things ‘The Last Woman Who Lived Here’ does well is building a premonitory feeling through tight interior shots. The house is a major player in the Lifetime project, especially as it is the location of the central murder Charlotte is seeking to investigate. So, familiarity with its various rooms and halls helps build a connection to the building, making it feel like a character at all times. The mechanics of the mystery and plot details can feel derived, but the film compensates for those aspects through a captivating visual storyboard that mainly concentrates on the claustrophobic interiors of a suburban home. While far from perfect, it maintains a coherent tone and intrigue through every beat, which falters slightly at the end. Still, it executes most of its setups well, making for an engaging watch.
The Last Woman Who Lived Here Plot Synopsis
On a dark night, a woman living by herself in a suburban house hears strange noises outside her house. As she investigates the different parts of the house, an intruder emerges and attacks her. She tries to hide in a small space in the basement but is dragged out by her assaulter. The movie then cuts to the future as a young married couple, Charlotte and Joel, are looking to buy a house in the suburbs. Unbeknownst to them, their house is the same site where the woman from the opening scene was murdered. Her name was Vanessa Miller. Their real estate agent, Trudy, informs Joel about Vanessa’s plight. However, Joel tells her to keep it a secret from Charlotte, who does not hear the conversation. When he heads to the backyard to meet Charlotte, he is pleased to learn that she likes it. They decide to move in.
A few days later, the moving-in process is completed. They receive an invitation to attend a neighborhood party hosted by Rick Bridges, a local businessman and philanthropist. At the party, Charlotte befriends Rick’s wife, Serena. The two run into a drunk woman named Laurie and her husband, Ted. The former tells Charlotte that her house has a murderous past. Charlotte is curious to learn more, but Laurie is taken away, and Serena won’t share anymore. Charlotte asks Joel about it the next day, and he also keeps it hidden. His deal with Trudy still stands. However, it is only a matter of time before Charlotte learns that Vanessa Miller died in her house before they moved in. The reports suggest that it was an accidental fall, which feels too much of a coincidence to Charlotte.
One day, the protagonist returns home to find her husband sprawling on the ground. She hides and witnesses a masked man attack him further. After Joel recovers, people suggest that he and Charlotte are the victims of a robbery. The latter begins to question if the attack was somehow connected to Vanessa. Her gut instinct is proven right when Joel admits that he knew Vanessa even before moving to the house. She was supposed to be his client but never showed up for her appointment. Charlotte digs deeper into the mystery, fearing that if she doesn’t, then she and Joel might be the next victims. She gets more answers from Ted, who captured CCTV footage of the night Vanessa died. Charlotte discovers some discrepancy in the video, telling her that something is not right about the whole incident and Ted might have a hand in it.
The Last Woman Who Lived Here Ending: Who Killed Vanessa? Why?
At the end of ‘The Last Woman Who Lived Here,’ we learn that Serena killed Vanessa. The truth takes Charlotte by complete surprise, as Serena is her biggest supporter during the entire investigation. While everyone else doubted her for making things up and going after dead ends, Serena kept helping her take the next step towards finding the truth. However, this was all a sham to protect her identity and her family’s reputation. By taking part in the investigation, Serena is able to keep tabs on Charlotte’s progress, which leads her down a path she wants her to follow. When Charlotte wonders why Serena would have done such a thing, the latter states that she had no choice because of her husband’s foolish decisions.
It turns out that Rick had been hitting on Vanessa at the club where she used to work. Rick’s public reputation is stellar, so he is often abrasive and goes after what he wants. However, Vanessa rejected his advances on multiple occasions, leaving him frustrated. This was frequently witnessed by Michelle, a co-worker who saw Rick’s ugly side. One night, his temper with Vanessa ran out, and he started physically assaulting her. Following the nasty incident, Rick was worried that Vanessa might spill on him. Still, he decided not to make matters worse for the time being. Meanwhile, Serena had a different mindset. Aware of her husband’s lecherous side, she went to Vanessa’s house to ensure the girl did not rat out Rick. Things got out of hand, and she killed her, making it look like an accidental fall later.
No one knew Serena was the killer, not even Rick. Upon learning the truth, Charlotte realizes that the person who locked her in her house’s basement one night with the stove on was Serena. The woman wanted to dispose of Charlotte accidentally so that she would stop investigating Vanessa’s death. Meanwhile, the man in the mask who attacked Joel was none other than Rick. The latter was looking for the files Joel had on Vanessa. Once the truth is out, a scuffle breaks out in Rick’s palatial abode, where Charlotte is being held captive. With Joel’s help, she is able to take out Serena and contact the police. The authorities arrest Rick and Serena and lead them away, making them accomplices in each other’s crime. We learn at the end that they are both serving 40-year prison sentences.
Why Did Ted Alter the Footage?
While finding Vanessa’s killer is the main objective behind Charlotte’s actions, she is led to the truth partially because of Ted’s CCTV footage. When she discovers that they have been edited, she thinks that Ted may have killed Vanessa. However, after some reflection, she realizes that he does not seem the type. She and Serena break into his tech store and download the unaltered footage. On their way out, they make the shocking discovery that Ted is having an extramarital affair with his co-worker, Molly. Charlotte and Serena hypothesize about Ted’s involvement in the crime, with the former deciding to confront him directly on the matter. Serena is hesitant about her choice as Charlotte might be hurt in the process, but the latter is too full of conviction to walk away.
At first, Ted is angered by the fact that Charlotte has been spying on him and his personal life. However, he comes clean when he realizes there is no point hiding anything from her. He tells her he and Molly have been in love for over a year. As such, they have been having clandestine meetings at all times. On the day of Vanessa’s death, Molly came by his house in her car. Afraid that the police would see her face in the footage and connect the dots, Ted altered the footage to save himself and his marriage. He did not want Laurie to find out he had been cheating on her for so long, particularly through a police investigation. Therefore, Charlotte learns that Ted is innocent of the crime but another contributor to the secrets lurking in her new neighborhood.
Read More: Is The Last Woman Who Lived Here a True Story? Are Charlotte and Serena Based on Real People?
