People often rent vacation homes to escape the daily grind—getting away from work, stress, or anything else weighing on their minds. It’s meant to be a peaceful getaway, a chance to recharge. But what happens when that dream vacation turns into a nightmare straight out of a horror movie? Dave Franco’s 2020 film titled “The Rental” explores exactly that. It starts as a simple getaway but quickly becomes something you won’t forget. From the very first scene to the last, this thriller will have you hooked.
The film opens with Michelle and Charlie searching for a vacation rental for the weekend. Charlie, who has been working nonstop and is about to close a major deal, decides to take a short break with his wife, Michelle, his brother, Josh, and his business partner, Mina Mohammadi. He figures a relaxing weekend is just what they all need before things get even busier. Charlie is successful and financially well-off, while his brother Josh has had a rougher path. A college dropout, Josh was expelled after getting into a serious fight and now works as a Lyft driver. He’s dating Mina, a smart and accomplished woman who also happens to be Charlie’s work partner. Josh feels insecure about the relationship, constantly worrying that Mina is too good for him and that she’ll eventually realize it and leave him.
The Rental (2020) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
What Happens Between Mina and Charlie?
The story picks up as the couples drive to the vacation house and meet Taylor, the property manager. Right away, there’s tension between Taylor and Mina. Taylor seems to harbor subtle hostility towards her, likely because of her Middle Eastern background. Earlier, Mina had tried to book the same house for the same weekend, but her request was denied. When she brings this up, Taylor’s response is cold and dismissive, even suggesting they could cancel the booking if she has a problem. The exchange leaves Mina and the others uneasy. While checking the property, Josh also finds a strange door in the basement with an electronic lock.
Later that evening, after Michelle and Josh call it a night, Charlie and Mina decide to spend some time together. The two, who have been work partners and friends for a long time, let their guard down. They stargaze through a telescope, do some ecstasy, drink a bit too much, and eventually share an intimate moment in the hot tub. By morning, the alcohol and drugs have worn off. Both Charlie and Mina are hit with regret, realizing they went way too far.
Mina feels guilty about the previous night, knowing how much Josh loves her. She’s well aware that if he ever found out about their one-night mistake, it would break his heart—and likely Michelle’s too. To avoid hurting anyone, Mina and Charlie agree to keep it a secret and never speak of it again. The movie doesn’t delve much into Mina’s past. However, from a conversation between Josh and Michelle, we learn that Charlie has a history of infidelity. He cheated in his last two relationships, and when he met Michelle during a drunken night, he was still dating his ex-girlfriend. Still, hungover from the previous night, Charlie and Mina decide to skip the trek that Josh and Michelle had planned, using their exhaustion as an excuse.
What Happens to Taylor?
Things take a turn for the worse when Mina discovers a hidden camera in the bathroom while showering. She informs Charlie, who checks the other bathroom and finds it also fitted with a camera. Mina suggests they call the police and report the owner for being a voyeur, but Charlie disagrees. He points out that the footage likely captured him and Mina showering together. Now if they involve the police, there’s a good chance Josh and Michelle will find out about their indiscretion.
Charlie also says that Taylor, the owner, wouldn’t risk exposing the footage, as it would incriminate him as a peeping Tom. As outrageous and risky as it sounds, they decide not to report the cameras and plan to leave the rental early the next morning. The situation becomes even more tense when Josh’s dog, Reggie, goes missing. When Josh confronts Taylor about it, Taylor’s vague and unsatisfactory answers don’t help.
Things spiral more out of control when Taylor denies any involvement with the cameras and even offers to call the police to clear his name. Mina, panicking, tries to grab the phone from his hand. Josh misreads the situation and, in a fit of anger, attacks Taylor, beating him badly. Mina finally admits that cameras were found in the showers but leaves out the part about her affair with Charlie.
So was Taylor really secretly filming the group? No, he wasn’t. Taylor genuinely has no idea about the cameras. They were planted by someone else who has been watching the group all along. While everyone is outside arguing over their next steps, the real culprit sneaks into the house and kills Taylor to frame Josh and the others for the murder.
The Rental (2020) Movie Ending Explained:
Did Charlie’s Desperate Plan Seal Everyone’s Fate?
Everyone panics, and Michelle insists on calling the police, but Charlie objects. He argues that if the police get involved, Josh’s violent history will make him the prime suspect, and he could face a harsh sentence. Instead, Charlie suggests staging Taylor’s death as a suicide. He points out that Taylor had been drinking beer earlier, and it would be believable to claim he was drunk and fell off the cliff. As for the footage of Josh attacking Taylor, they reason that since the cameras are wireless, the receiver must be at Taylor’s house. Josh, Charlie, and Mina decide to go through with the plan and throw Taylor’s body off the cliff to make it appear like an accidental fall. Meanwhile, back at the house, the real killer hacks into the TV and plays footage of Charlie and Mina’s affair, revealing whatever happened last night to Michelle.
Michelle storms out of the house, but she doesn’t get far. Her car is forced off the road after driving over metal spikes placed by the killer. Michelle tries to call Charlie for help but is brutally murdered by the killer before he can reach her. Charlie goes into the woods to search for Michelle. Unfortunately, he too meets the same tragic fate. Meanwhile, as Josh and Mina search for the hidden footage, Josh receives a video on his phone revealing Charlie and Mina’s affair. However, before he can confront her, the killer kills him as well. Mina attempts to flee from the killer, but in her frantic escape, she falls off the cliff to her death.
Who is the killer in the film?
The movie never reveals the identity of the masked man or his motives for targeting people. It’s implied that he’s a serial killer who has rigged the house with dozens of hidden spy cameras to monitor whoever comes and goes. His method is simple. He rents the house to unsuspecting guests seeking a weekend getaway and then murders them. Once the occupants are killed, the killer cleans the house, removes the old cameras, and replaces them with new ones, preparing the property for his next victims. The film ends with another couple arriving to rent the house, only to become the killer’s next targets.
