The Nest

Rory O'Hara is a driven entrepreneur who brings his American wife Allison and their children to England to pursue a bold new opportunity. Leaving behind the safety of their familiar suburban life, they move into a great but creaking manor and set about building a future from uncertain prospects. The plan hinges on rapid financial risk and optimism, yet the reality of a chilly, retro Britain in the early 1980s undercuts their confidence at every turn. As tensions rise over money, work, and belonging, the family grapples with what they are willing to sacrifice for success. The result is a tense, intimate portrait about ambition colliding with hard reality.

Directed by Sean Durkin and released in 2020, The Nest is an original screenplay by Durkin. The film positions intimate family drama against a harsh economic backdrop, reflecting his signature patient, character driven approach rather than a conventional thriller. Its production design quietly reinforces the mood.

Critics frame it as a careful, unsettling study of a family under money and distance. The Nest favors mood over shocks, letting quiet silences carry the tension. Jude Law plays Rory with restraint, while Carrie Coon anchors the drama as Allison. The film questions the lure of opportunity and the price of leaving a known life, set against a Britain shaped by the 1980s economy. Audiences respond with mixed but steady interest, and it holds a 6.1/10 from 369 votes. The performance and pacing invite discussion about what families sacrifice for success.

Cultural impact is modest but fits a current wave of intimate family dramas. The Nest favors quiet restraint over loud shocks, and its performances help define Durkin's voice as one that studies interior life. Silent exchanges and uneasy glances linger, reminding viewers that money and status can quietly corrode a family's stability. While not a cultural phenomenon, the film contributes to conversations about the fragility of the American dream when transplanted abroad.