Synopsis
Act One
The story begins with Finn Atwood, a young assistant at a struggling B-movie company in Hollywood, discovering that a horror film his company is financing has gone awry. At the behest of his grumpy 86-year-old boss and grandfather, Harold, Finn travels to France to address the issues at a medieval château in the Loire Valley where the film is being shot.
Act Two
Upon arrival, Finn finds that the lead actress, Mia Taylor, is the root of the problem. Once a celebrated A-list star, Mia has fallen from grace due to her abrasive behavior and substance abuse. Despite Finn's attempts to manage her, Mia's disdain for the poorly written script and her talentless co-star leads her to frequently abandon the set, straining the production financially. To make matters worse, the film’s director, Jesse, has disappeared, along with $40K in cash from the budget.
Finn moves into the château despite Mia's objections, and their interactions soon uncover the castle's eerie charm. Mia discovers Finn's journal detailing his fascination with B-movies and their influence on his life and society as a whole. As she begins to understand him, she opens up about her own struggles, including her disillusionment with early fame and the loss of her mother at a young age. Having lost his parents at age twelve, Finn starts to relate to Mia, and a bond begins to form between them.
As the production falters, the L.A. Mafia, which has been laundering money through Harold's films, begins to take notice. Dominic, the mob’s enforcer, tracks down Jesse and confronts him, resulting in a violent encounter that leaves both Jesse and his girlfriend dead, while Dominic is severely injured. Harold, who had previously convinced Dominic to finance a sequel to his biggest hit, Purple Space Monkey, foolishly decides to divert some of the funds intended for the sequel. He sends Miles to France with $200K in cash to help cover the overages on their runaway horror film.
Impressed by Finn's writing, Mia persuades him to rewrite several scenes in the failing horror script. The revised scenes soon begin to invigorate the production. Unfortunately, back in L.A., an angry and wounded Dominic learns of Harold's deceit and misuse of mob money, setting the stage for revenge.
Act Three
Mia invites Finn to dinner at the château, where they share personal secrets. Mia reveals she has sensed the presence of the spirits of a murdered elderly French couple - the previous owners of the château. Finn admits to similar experiences. They visit the couple’s graves by the pond, discussing the fleeting nature of life. Finn confesses his budding feelings for Mia, and they share a romantic moment as a French New Wave film flickers off the château walls.
Unbeknownst to them, Dominic, still seeking the mob's missing money, has traveled to France after a tragic encounter with Harold. While Dominic’s vengeance will have devastating consequences for all involved, can Mia and Finn find a way to rise above it?