The Nest (2020), written, directed, and produced by Sean Durkin, is a haunting psychological drama that explores the fragile dynamics within a family on the brink of collapse. Set in the 1980s, the film examines themes of ambition, deception, and the emotional toll of pursuing the so-called “American Dream.” With stellar performances by Jude Law, Carrie Coon, and a young Charlie Shotwell, The Nest paints a vivid portrait of a family caught in the grip of economic pressure and personal disillusionment, while also delving into the darker side of human nature.

The story of The Nest centers around Rory O’Hara (played by Jude Law), an ambitious businessman who has recently moved his wife Allison (Carrie Coon) and their two children, Sam (Charlie Shotwell) and Benjamin (Oona Roche), from America to a large, isolated estate in the English countryside.Rory is confident that this move, which seems to promise a better life and greater financial success, will lead to a new chapter of prosperity and achievement. However, it quickly becomes apparent that his decisions are driven more by ambition and a desire for status than by any genuine concern for his family’s well-being.

Rory’s bold move to England, with promises of business opportunities and financial security, is intended to offer his family a better life. But as the family settles into their new home, a beautiful but dilapidated mansion, cracks begin to appear in their seemingly perfect life. The house, while grand, is a symbol of both ambition and failure, its vast, empty rooms echoing the emotional emptiness that begins to take hold of the family.