Directed and written by Keir O’Donnell, “Marmalade” has been an exhilarating journey that seamlessly blends multiple elements together. Featuring “Stranger Things” star Joe Keery, along with Aldis Hodge and Camila Morrone, this film delivers comedy, drama, joy, romance, heartbreak, and, most importantly, a couple of perfect plot twists. Even those who have mastered the art of predicting twists in films will find themselves shocked by the multiple turns the story takes. What sets “Marmalade” apart is its ability to keep the audience engaged through its pacing while offering an irresistible roller coaster of emotions. And as the credits roll, amidst the laughter, it leaves behind a heartfelt message. This is a must-watch! Spoilers Ahead!
Marmalade (2024) Plot Summary and Movie Synopsis:
We meet Baron, a very simple guy from a small town, who ends up in jail for looting a bank. His new cellmate, Otis, has a history of breaking out of prison. Knowing this, Baron asks Otis to help him escape so he can meet his girlfriend the next day. Otis does not want to get involved in any kind of trouble just because someone is missing his girlfriend. Otis even says he doesn’t trust anyone, not even himself, let alone trust a cellmate whom he met a few minutes ago.
But out of nowhere, Baron offers him $250,000 if Otis helps him escape the prison. Obviously, Otis doesn’t trust his words, but he says that he will only agree if he finds his story legitimate. Baron even tells him that if he successfully escapes; Otis can keep all the money. He just wants to meet with his girlfriend, whom he loves so much. Then, Baron starts telling Otis the story about his life and how he ended up inside the jail.
How does Baron meet with Marmalade?
Before he got arrested, Baron lost his job at the post office because he wouldn’t cut his long hair. He had to support his sick mom, Eda. When he got home, he found a letter saying his mom’s medicine costs more now. Baron tells his mom about it and gives her the pills along with a Moon Pie. Feeling really down, he goes to a park and lies on the ground, feeling frustrated. Then, a car stops by with a lady inside, Morrone, who has pink hair.
She jokes that she thought he was dead and looks disappointed that he wasn’t. She asks if there is anything to do in the town. Baron says there isn’t much. She drives off but comes back when she sees him hitting a tree branch against a swing set. She teases him for acting like a puppet, and he tells her about some things to do in town, like going to the quarry or an ice cream shop. Moreover, she introduces herself as Marmalade and asks him to show her around.
How do Marmalade and Baron become Close?
Marmalade and Baron meet at the quarry and share their life stories. Marmalade grew up in foster care while Baron’s mom was sick. Baron thought his dad was an astronaut who died in a rocket explosion, which Marmalade finds amusing. They decide to stay together as they have no one to take care of each other. Baron says that he needs money for Eda’s medicine as they are very costly. All of a sudden, Marmalade suggests that they should rob a bank.
They plan carefully and get matching tattoos so that the police get confused. Baron notices Eda’s pills are missing while Marmalade opens up about her past, blaming her biological mom for not protecting her from abuse. Later, they try to rob a store but fail, and Baron suggests selling his baseball cards instead of robbing a bank. However, Marmalade insists they go ahead with the plan. Later that night, Eda dies while Marmalade is with her, but Marmalade claims she doesn’t know what happened.
What is Otis’s True Identity?
Baron has Otis as his cell-mate to whom he describes this whole story until now. Otis comforts Baron, who is now crying. He shares that his own mother has been sick for his whole life, and he doesn’t even know if she’s alive. When Baron asks why they don’t talk, Otis explains that his mother lives in Jamaica, and their relationship is complicated. Later, when they are called to the dining hall, one of the other inmates tries to hit Baron. But before he can do anything, Otis steps in, and a fight breaks out.
He’s taken away by a guard for causing trouble. Later, away from the others, it’s revealed that Otis isn’t a real prisoner but an FBI undercover agent. He’s working in disguise to catch a bank robber named Marmalade. He hopes to get information from Baron about her whereabouts. Since Baron hasn’t spilled anything yet, Otis suggests faking an escape to track down Marmalade, as Baron has once mentioned meeting her in a spot after he got out of jail. Despite some doubts, the plan is approved, and Otis returns to their cell, ready to continue his mission.
How does Baron End up in Custody?
Since Baron’s mother is dead now, he doesn’t want to do the robbery anymore because he only agreed to it to buy her medicine. But Marmalade says she’s pregnant, and they need the money for their future family. Baron agrees to be the getaway driver but not to rob the bank. Marmalade enters the bank, and after a couple of gunshots, we see the couple running away to hide themselves in a cottage inside the forest. Baron finds out that they have stolen more money than expected. So he starts asking questions.
After a while, Marmalade confesses she’s robbed a couple of banks before but wanted to quit right after she met Baron as no one had ever loved her as he does. They argue for a while, but Marmalade reminds Baron that they only have each other. Marmalade asks Baron to get the masks they used to rob the bank from the car so that she can burn them. While doing so, Baron finds his mom’s pills in Marmalade’s car, realizing she caused his mom’s death.
He confronts her with a gun, but right at that moment, the police arrive outside the cottage. Marmalade suggests splitting the money and running away from the situation. They plan to meet next time around 3:30 pm in the afternoon somewhere. Baron agrees to the whole idea and sees Marmalade running away with her share of the money. Baron fails to run away from the spot as he turns himself into the police after Marmalade leaves.
Marmalade (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
Is Otis Able to Catch Marmalade?
Meanwhile, Otis tells Baron he’ll help him escape as he has planned with his team already. Otis hears from an officer that Baron has asked for a call, and he should call Marmalade to confirm the meeting, and they will trace the call. Later, Otis dresses as a laundry worker, and Baron hides in a laundry basket. They plan to leave with dirty laundry when a guard stops Otis, not knowing he’s an undercover agent. Otis somehow manages to make sure Baron escapes.
Later, we see that Otis, along with his team, tracks him to a florist and then a cemetery where Baron visits his mother. Then, they follow him to an ice cream shop, where they think Marmalade will eventually meet with him. Suddenly, Baron’s car leaves the shop and again returns to the shop. Only this time, Otis realizes that the car they are chasing isn’t Baron’s. It’s just a distraction so that he can meet with Marmalade.
On the other hand, we see Baron return to a cabin, recover the rest of the money from inside a chimney, and then spread some newspaper cuts on Otis’ image in them. This means that before even going to jail, Baron already knew Otis’ true identity. Later, Baron cuts his hair, wears a dress and wig, and escapes disguised as a woman. Now Otis realizes Baron’s not as foolish as he thought and checks the cemetery again. He finds a jar of marmalade with ‘Mama’ written on it, just like the tattoo Baron has on his leg. Later, he goes through the CCTV snapshots of the robbery only to find out the bank robber’s tattoo matches Baron’s, not Marmalade’s.
What was Baron’s True Intention?
We see after completely fooling the FBI, Baron comes to buy medication under the name Lamram. He says it’s for his foster mom, Eda Lamram, which spells ‘Marmalade’ backward. Baron just makes up the name in order to use Otis to get outside the jail. Also, since he finds an opportunity, he helps the FBI to catch one of the criminals living as a socialite. Back in jail, Baron once mentioned that Marmalade used to be tortured by a person who kept her in a cage.
Since Otis has found out that the company that manufactures the medicine Eda requires is Baron Pharmaceuticals, he doubts that perhaps the name Baron is made up as well. Then he remembers the story about Marmalade and asks the CEO of the company, Mr. Frankles, whether he fosters kids or not. When he agrees, Otis sends a team to his place and rescues children whom Mr. Frankles used to abuse.
Later, Otis finds a Moon Pie on his car mirror and knows it’s from Baron, as he once mentioned that Eda likes to eat Moon Pie. He learns Baron was nearby from the pharmacist he bought the medicines from. Baron mentioned something about buying tickets so Otis ends up in a travel agency right across the street. Otis gets a note and a ticket from Baron. The note talks about visiting his mom in Jamaica, as he once told Baron that he and his mother are not on talking terms.
At the end of the film, we see Baron parking at a nursing home and getting recognized as a staff member. He then puts medication outside multiple patient’s rooms and later visits Eda’s room. He gives her a Moon Pie, and they look out the window together. Baron’s main intention was to destroy Baron Pharmaceuticals as they have been doing injustice to a lot of people.
![Afterimage [2017]: Clash of ideologies left no room for an artist who redefined space](https://www.highonfilms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Wladyslaw-Strzeminski-high-on-films-768x432.jpg)
