You're Next
You're Next is a 2011 American slasher horror film written by Simon Barrett and directed by Adam Wingard.[1] The plot centers on the wealthy but dysfunctional Davison family, who convene at their isolated country estate to celebrate the parents' wedding anniversary, only to face a brutal home invasion by masked killers wielding axes and crossbows; unbeknownst to the attackers, one guest—Erin, the Australian girlfriend of the son Crispian—possesses deadly survival skills honed from her upbringing and methodically turns the tide against the assailants.[2] Starring Sharni Vinson in the lead role as the resourceful Erin, the film also features A. J. Bowen as Crispian, Joe Swanberg as his brother Drake, Nicholas Tucci as another sibling Felix, Wendy Glenn as Zee, Barbara Crampton as the matriarch Aubrey, and Rob Moran as the patriarch Patrick.[1] Developed within the mumblecore horror scene, You're Next was produced by a collective including Keith Calder and Jessica Wu under their Snoot Films banner, alongside Adam Wingard's Ghost Planet Industries, with principal photography occurring in 2010 at a mansion in Missouri.[3] After premiering to positive buzz at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2011, the film faced distribution delays but was eventually released theatrically in the United States by Lionsgate on August 23, 2013, grossing $18.5 million against a modest budget and earning acclaim for its tense pacing, subversive take on the home invasion subgenre, and Vinson's standout performance.[2]Narrative and Characters
Plot
The film opens with the murder of a young couple, Talia and Erik Harson, at their home by an intruder wearing a lamb mask, who writes "you're next" in blood on a window after killing them.[4] The Davison family assembles at their remote Missouri estate for parents Paul and Aubrey's wedding anniversary celebration. The adult children—Crispian with his girlfriend Erin, Drake with his wife Kelly, Felix with his girlfriend Zee, and Aimee with her boyfriend Tariq—arrive amid simmering tensions, including sibling rivalries over finances, career successes, and family dynamics that erupt into arguments during dinner.[2][5] As the evening unfolds, three masked intruders—wearing tiger, fox, and lamb masks—launch a violent assault on the house. A crossbow bolt fired through a window kills Tariq, sparking chaos; Drake and Paul are wounded in the ensuing panic. Aimee ventures outside seeking help and is strangled with garrote wire by one of the attackers. Upstairs, Aubrey is stabbed to death by the fox-masked intruder, who uses her blood to scrawl another "you're next" message. Kelly is later killed while attempting to flee through a window, and Paul succumbs to his crossbow injury after being shot again.[4][5][6] Erin, raised on a survivalist compound in the Australian outback, draws on her background in resourcefulness and self-defense to fight back. She bludgeons the tiger-masked intruder to death with a meat tenderizer after he enters the house, then rigs improvised traps using nails hammered into boards to cripple the attackers' mobility. Later, she wields a machete against the fox-masked killer and stabs the lamb-masked one during a confrontation in the kitchen.[4][5] The plot reveals a family conspiracy: brothers Felix and Crispian, motivated by greed for their parents' fortune, hired the masked killers through Zee, Felix's girlfriend, to eliminate the family and secure the inheritance for the sons. The intruders, however, double-cross the conspirators by demanding a higher payment, leading to further betrayals. Felix murders his brother Drake with a crossbow to reduce the number of heirs, while Crispian confesses his involvement to Erin, admitting he planned to spare her as a witness to portray the attack as random home invasion. Erin confronts Felix and Zee, killing Zee with a knife to the neck and Felix by tricking him into approaching a running blender, which shreds his hand and allows her to finish him off. When Crispian attacks her in remorse, Erin stabs him fatally.[4][5] A lone police officer arrives at the estate in response to a 911 call but mistakes the bloodied Erin for one of the killers and shoots her in the leg. As he pursues her, he steps into one of her nail traps and falls; Erin then axes him to death. Wounded but alive, Erin limps into the woods, escaping the scene as additional sirens approach in the distance.[4][5]Cast
The cast of You're Next features a mix of emerging horror talent and indie film veterans, creating an ensemble that underscores the film's tense family dynamics through naturalistic performances. Sharni Vinson stars as Erin, the resourceful Australian final girl whose survival skills drive the story's inversion of horror tropes.[7] Vinson, known for her role in Shark Night (2011), brings physicality and determination to the lead, positioning Erin as a capable outsider amid familial chaos.[2] The Davison family is portrayed by a core group of actors who emphasize sibling rivalries and parental tensions. A.J. Bowen plays Crispian Davison, the ambitious youngest brother and Erin's boyfriend, infusing the role with understated frustration.[7] Joe Swanberg portrays Drake Davison, the smug eldest brother, leveraging his mumblecore background for authentic, improvisational banter.[7] Nicholas Tucci embodies Felix Davison, the jealous middle brother, adding layers of resentment to the family unit.[7] Barbara Crampton serves as Aubrey Davison, the anxious matriarch, drawing on her horror legacy from films like Re-Animator (1985) to convey vulnerability.[7] Rob Moran rounds out the parents as Paul Davison, the beleaguered patriarch attempting to hold the group together.[7] Supporting roles highlight interpersonal contrasts within the ensemble. Wendy Glenn plays Zee, Felix's girlfriend and aspiring artist, contributing to the group's social divides.[7] Margaret Laney plays Kelly, Drake's wife.[7] The masked killers—mysterious antagonists in animal-themed disguises—are played by lesser-known actors, enhancing the film's anonymous threat. L.C. Holt dons the Lamb Mask, Simon Barrett the Tiger Mask, and Lane Hughes the Fox Mask, their physical performances amplifying the intruders' relentless menace without overshadowing the family focus.[7] Director Adam Wingard collaborated with mumblecore alumni such as Bowen and Swanberg to foster genuine sibling interactions, blending indie realism with horror to heighten the ensemble's credibility.[8] This approach, often termed "mumblegore," allows the actors' improvisational style to ground the characters' dysfunction in relatable authenticity.[9]| Actor | Role | Character Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sharni Vinson | Erin | Australian survival expert and final girl |
| A.J. Bowen | Crispian Davison | Ambitious youngest brother |
| Joe Swanberg | Drake Davison | Smug eldest brother |
| Nicholas Tucci | Felix Davison | Jealous middle brother |
| Barbara Crampton | Aubrey Davison | Worried matriarch |
| Rob Moran | Paul Davison | Attempting patriarch |
| Wendy Glenn | Zee | Felix's girlfriend and aspiring artist |
| Margaret Laney | Kelly | Drake's wife |
| L.C. Holt | Lamb Mask | One of the animal-masked attackers |
| Simon Barrett | Tiger Mask | One of the animal-masked attackers |
| Lane Hughes | Fox Mask | One of the animal-masked attackers |