Jealousy, or envy, isn’t called the greatest of the seven deadly sins for nothing—it is a mental vampire, draining your thoughts and leading you down roads you might never find your way back from. Movies, whether from Hollywood or French cinema, love playing with this theme and they often mix it with the classic “Faustian Bargain” legend. In case you don’t know what a Faustian Bargain is, it is sort of shaking hands with the devil—or someone equally nefarious —to get exactly what you want, no matter the cost.
This idea comes from an old German tale about an alchemist who craved ultimate knowledge. Hungry for power, he made a pact with the devil, trading his soul for wisdom, only to regret it 27 years later. In 2020, Zu Quirke directed a film titled “Nocturne” which puts a modern spin on this age-old tale. “Nocturne” follows a pianist who’s sick of living in her sister’s shadow and to be the best, she ends up making a Faustian deal.
Nocturne (2020) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
Who are Vivian and Juliet?
“Nocturne” kicks off with a disturbing scene where we see a girl playing the violin, her music hauntingly beautiful but just as the antique clock chimes, she calmly sets the instrument down and takes a fatal leap off the balcony. The girl is later revealed to be Moira Wilson, an Asian American student at the prestigious Lindberg Academy. From there, we shift to two sisters, Juliet and Vivian. They have been rivals since the moment their fingers first touched piano keys. Vivian is the golden child, a certified prodigy, while Juliet is always a step behind, struggling to keep up.
The favoritism is obvious too. Their parents can’t stop bragging about Vivian to their friends and neighbors, leaving Juliet feeling like an afterthought. Vivian’s talent pays off. She earns a spot at an elite music school. Meanwhile, Juliet doesn’t make the list and decides to take a gap year. So, it is a bit clear that Juliet is green with envy because her sister has the spotlight, the talent, and now, the future she dreams of.
Is Juliet’s Obsession with Proving Herself Leading to Her Downfall?
Things take a turn when Juliet finds Moira’s diary. It has a creepy symbol drawn on it—the same symbol we saw in the opening scene and carved on Moira’s bedroom wall. The diary is packed with musical pieces. Juliet, to prove herself, decides to play one during an upcoming competition even though Henry, warns her not to, especially since Vivian plans to perform the exact same piece.
But Juliet doesn’t listen. During the competition, as Juliet plays, she gets lost in what feels like a dream and she’s basking in the applause of a packed hall, soaking up the standing ovation she’s always wanted. But in reality, reality, Juliet is knocked unconscious, face down. Vivian’s not happy, to say the least, and is furious that Juliet “stole” her piece. She throws some cutting words her sister’s way, basically saying Juliet’s a joke and only embarrassing herself.
Can Juliet Break Free from Vivian’s Shadow and Find Her Own Fire?
The biggest blow for Juliet comes when she finds out Vivian crushed her audition and got selected. That news hits her hard, making her spiral into self-doubt. Frustrated and angry, she vents on her teacher, Roger, blaming him for holding her back. She doesn’t hold back either, calling him a “deformed drunk” who pretends to be a music teacher but is really just a washed-up musician who hasn’t performed in front of an audience in two decades. Roger doesn’t take it lightly. In a heated moment, he slaps Juliet. In the fallout, he is suspended, leaving Juliet without a mentor.
Later, Juliet pleads with the school board to assign her Dr. Cask, the academy’s most brilliant (and most intimidating) teacher. Cask is nothing like Roger. He’s all strict, barely smiles, and his bluntness can come off as straight-up rude. But he’s a genius and immediately picks that Vivian and Juliet are on the same level when it comes to technique. What sets Vivian apart, though, is her fire. She plays like she’s got nothing to lose. That’s what wins her the spotlight every time.
How Juliet Gets Vivian’s Position at the Concerto?
At a party, Juliet tries to tell Max about the creepy symbols and writings in Moira’s diary but Vivian accuses Juliet of trying to steal her boyfriend. Things get heated, and as Vivian chases after Juliet, she takes a tumble, breaking her arm in two places. Juliet stops in her tracks, distracted by a strange light shining in the night sky. What’s strange is that Moira’s diary already had a page that seemed to predict Vivian’s fall and Roger’s suspension.
Vivian’s injuries turn out to be serious. She’s suspended along with Max, and there’s a chance she might never play the same way again. With Vivian sidelined, Juliet gets a chance to perform at the concerto and she accepts thinking this is finally her moment to shine. Later, Vivian confronts Juliet, accusing her of letting the fall happen on purpose. Juliet also says that Vivian isn’t innocent either and has been cheating on Max. When Max finds out, he dumps Vivian, and like drawn in Moira’s diary, he and Juliet end up sleeping together.
Nocturne (2020) Movie Ending Explained:
What Happens to Juliet in the End?
On the sisters’ birthday, things hit a boiling point. Vivian flips out when Dr. Cask says, “True music only comes to those who deserve it.” She doesn’t take it well and grabs the cake and wine, throwing it all over his shirt. Later that night, Juliet tries to seduce Cask after he praises her, saying she has a spark of greatness that could be unstoppable with enough practice. When Cask resists, Juliet accuses him of having an affair with Vivian. Furious, Cask also lashes out and tells Juliet that she’s missed her shot at greatness.
If it were meant to happen, it already would’ve. Juliet goes home and tries to predict what’s coming next, but instead suffers another trance. When she snaps out of it, she notices that she has drawn a sketch that shows a woman being lifted toward the sky, some kind of human sacrifice. Freaked out, she burns Moira’s diary. The next morning, just hours before the big concerto, Vivian storms into Juliet’s room and tells Juliet she’ll never be great and will be mediocre forever. As a result, Juliet starts to doubt everything and climbs to the roof and jumps, fulfilling the sketch she’d drawn the night before.
