The In Between

Tessa, a teenager navigating the foster care system, finds stability in her relationship with Skylar until a car accident shatters their world. Directed by Arie Posin and written by Marc Klein, this 2022 film explores the immediate aftermath of loss through the lens of a young woman refusing to accept death as final.

Joey King anchors the narrative with a performance that balances vulnerability with determination. The story avoids traditional horror tropes to focus instead on the psychological toll of grief and the human desire to bridge the gap between the living and the dead. Supporting roles from Kim Dickens and John Ortiz ground the supernatural elements in emotional reality. [edit]

Tessa lives a transient life moving between foster homes while trying to maintain normalcy as a high school student. Her routine breaks when she meets Skylar, a sensitive boy who becomes her first real connection. Their romance develops quickly over six months, offering both characters a sense of belonging they have rarely experienced. They share quiet moments together, building a future that seems within reach despite their unstable backgrounds.

Their lives end abruptly during a car crash that kills Skylar instantly. Tessa survives but struggles to process the sudden absence of her boyfriend. She begins noticing strange occurrences: seeing his reflection move independently, hearing his voice in empty rooms, and feeling a physical presence beside her bed. Her social worker Vickie and Skylar's father Mel dismiss these experiences as common reactions to trauma or shock.

As the days pass, Tessa becomes convinced that Skylar is trapped in a liminal state rather than having moved on to an afterlife. She interprets his appearances as attempts to communicate and guide her through her pain. This belief drives her to explore spiritualist practices and seek out individuals who claim to contact the dead. Her obsession isolates her from friends and family who worry about her mental health.

The tension builds as Tessa neglects her own life to pursue answers about the spirit world. She experiments with séances and other methods to strengthen her connection with Skylar. The line between memory and reality blurs for her as she spends more time in this intermediate space. Her foster mother Jazz and Dr. Rita Sarkisian intervene with concern, urging her to let go and begin healing.

Tessa faces a difficult choice as her fixation deepens. She must decide whether to continue clinging to a ghostly version of Skylar or accept the finality of his death. The film maintains an intimate tone throughout, focusing on character development rather than special effects. It examines how love persists even after death and why holding on can sometimes prevent the living from moving forward.[edit]