The Keeping Room

The Keeping Room is a 2014 American Western film directed by Daniel Barber and written by Julia Hart. The film stars Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld, Muna Otaru, Sam Worthington, Amy Nuttall, and Ned Dennehy. It was screened in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. The film was given a limited release in the United States on September 25, 2015, by Drafthouse Films. The film was made available on Netflix US on May 4, 2016. Plot Left without men in the dying days of the American Civil War, three Southern women - two white sisters, Augusta and Louise, and one African-American slave, Mad - must fight to defend their home and themselves from two rogue soldiers who have broken off from the fast-approaching Union Army. Augusta, the elder sister goes in search of medicine for her sister, Louise; who has been bitten by a raccoon. She stops off at a neighbor's house but finds the neighbor dead, having drunk a bottle of poison. She then goes to a bar, where she is told to leave by the barman. It is there that Augusta encounters Moses and Henry, soldiers from the army. Late that night, Augusta, Louise and Mad hear noises from outside. It is revealed to be Moses and Henry and an intense shootout ensues. Henry rapes Louise and is shot dead by Mad, and Augusta injures Moses, but does not kill him. The three girls then go back to the kitchen and Mad reveals how she was raped often as a child. A clatter outside makes Augusta and Mad investigate with guns; the culprit is found to be Bill, Mad's lover, who is then accidentally shot dead by Augusta. Before dying, he tells Mad "they're coming". In the morning, the girls realize that Moses is still alive and search the house. When they eventually find him, he tells Augusta he is a "bummer" (soldiers sent in advance to forage for food and find any deserters or survivors) for the army. Seriously wounded, Moses warns Augusta that "Billy's coming, burning down everything in his path. Rest assured, it will be cruel". Augusta shoots him dead. The girls bury the bodies and debate whether they will stay and fight for their house. They eventually decide they will dress up as men, using the clothing from the dead soldiers. They set the house on fire and the last shot shows the girls walking into the distance, the army just catching up to their house.